Okanagan College culinary students process 2,000 pounds of fish for Kelowna Gospel

2,000-pound catch at OC

Photo: Okanagan College

2,000 lbs of Arctic char for Okanagan College culinary students

Two-thousand pounds of Arctic char arrived at the Okanagan College (OC) culinary school earlier this year.

The big donation from Road 17 Fish Farms gave culinary students a hands-on lesson in large-scale food preparation and an opportunity to support the community. Kelowna Gospel Mission will also use the fish to prepare meals for those in need.

After Kelowna Gospel Mission heard from Road 17 Fish Farm, they contacted OC to see if their culinary students would be interested in preparing the fish, and they were happy to help.

“This is a generous donation from Road 17 Fish Farm, once the students cut and portioned the fish it will be donated to the Kelowna Gospel Mission to help feed those in need,” said Kelsey Oudendag, culinary arts instructor.

OC student chefs processed, vacuum-sealed, and delivered the fish to Kelowna Gospel Mission.

“We are grateful for the student chefs' help in the filleting of the fish. As a former culinary arts alumni and instructor at OC, it was great to see the students get behind this and want to learn fish butchery on a large scale” said Jeremy Luypen, food service manager at the Kelowna Gospel Mission.

OC partners with organizations across the Okanagan Valley to offer culinary students work experience, while they learn from Red Seal chefs at the OC Infusions Restaurant.

“The student chefs are gaining hands-on skills that they will use in their work placements and when they graduate and join the industry,” said OC executive chef Ruth Wigman. “Being able to efficiently process a large quantity of fish is a valuable skill for any chef.”