Culinary Arts at TRU

The reality of this amazing sojourn coming to an end is now like a looming cloud for us. As much as we want to go home to what is known and safe, back to the ones we miss and love, we don’t want this to end. The electric feel of the thousands of people in the village every day and night who, no matter how boisterous or foreign the celebration, seem not to create problems anywhere. The constant presence of the cross country police force, friendly and relaxed, happy to be part of the ebb and flow of the spirit of this place.  The camaraderie of the professional kitchen team we have so generously been allowed into, and the friendship and pride we feel in our own little group. Friday Chef Vincent asks me about our departure date and we decide it would be good if the students were off Sunday, to give them some time to clean up their apartments and pack, a daunting task if you had seen some of the places (like 106). Chef also arranges pizza and refreshments for us all to watch the big game in the staff lounge.  (Very classy move, thanks Chef!)

We discover that the opportunity of sending students to the Paralympics is not to be, Vanoc has decided that Michael Smith doesn’t need any more cooks as the numbers will be a fair bit less than last thought. The facebookers are tweeting and twitting about what a bummer that is and how unfair it all is. I need to talk to my guys so that they contribute to the conversation with some facts. First Michael Smith didn’t plug the plug, Vanoc did. Second Michael Smith was the one working the hardest to make these opportunities materialize for our students, and third that this was never a done deal until they were on the bus going to the site. That’s the food business. I also remind them that they sat and talked with Michael, they know firsthand what kind of guy he is and his passion for the culinary world and especially for promoting culinary  students.

Saturday we have a great last day in the kitchen, all of us there in different areas and allowed to play with favorite recipes by the sous chefs and banquet cooks.  A real testament to how hard the students have worked. These are generally cooks with a heavy work load of labour intensive, exacting food  preparation.  Usually quietly chopping, turning, searing and simmering with bursts of wicked humour and loud zingers or complicated greetings. So to see them taking such an interest in the students, showing them their personal favourites or secret techniques is quite affirming. They made mont blanc, osso buco  and strawberry sorbet, all to take home for a late night snack and were happy to mug for my camera. (I have moments of feeling like a dad at Christmas with a new movie camera.) Altogether, a really fun day and night. I’ll have to be sure to remember to caption or voice over the videos shot to help them line up with this story.

I’II miss these guys too.  There is always a feeling of brotherhood among cooks, even with a large crew like this one. They have made me feel part of them,as a cook, as a chef and on many other levels. They call me chef the first time I see them that day, which is compliment and a nod to my jacket; then, for me ,even more importantly, they call me by my name, as one of the cooks, who has to do the things they do, how they do them, sometimes a little differently, but at least as good, occasionally better. It’s hard to explain the connection you have with someone you cook with in the trenches, pounding it out; the trust of the team working together for the love of the food. The students are thrilled to be “playing” with these guys and take their advice and suggestions seriously.

Later,we all get to spend some time catching the great live music line up offered every night in the village, and watch some events on the outdoor large screens. A lot of fantastic bands to see for free, Wintersleep, Blue Rodeo, Sam Roberts, Ka’naan, Our Lady Peace just to mention a few standouts. The crowds are also fun to watch and be part of, the drunken hockey fans, couples with kids and dogs, the foreign tourists and the locals all make a cool, happy ,partying kaleidoscope to enjoy.

A few of us treat ourselves to a late dinner at a Teppan restaurant, you know where the chef cooks on a large griddle in front of you and your friends. Pretty good food and great entertainment with the flying knives and onion volcanoes,  our neighbors providing a boisterous back drop. The table next to us is a large group of Japanese, including free style skiers and coaches celebrating an earlier win.  They are having a great time with drunken speeches and what sounds like declarations of undying love, topped off with many bouquets of flowers and a very animated tussle and face slapping competition over who has the honour of paying for the bill.

gifts and goodbyes

Afterwards, a solitary stroll through the village with a prized cigar from a local shop, finishes my evening.  Sunday for me is a morning of packing and moving some of the bags downstairs for ease of departure, then a review of the many pictures and videos as well as some of the journals the students are writing.  Then we all head down to the hotel to take pictures, clean out our lockers and watch the game. They are really great with wanting to make sure we say our goodbyes and get our pictures, respectful of kitchen etiquette of staying out of the way when in street clothes. Chef calls us into his office for a surprise, giving each of them a personalized and signed copy of the Chateau Fairmont Whistler cook book, a bottle of the wonderful maple syrup Chef ages in whiskey barrels, and a $100 gift card for the Bay. A really nice gift,  and chef saying he was really happy to have them as part of his kitchen, was proud of their work and he would hire them if a position was available. He tells them to work hard in school, finish well, and understand that if they did come here, they would start in Oscars or Porto making sandwiches or staff meal. They would move up if they gave everything and were constant with their passion and pride in everything they cooked be it a hamburger or a sliced mushroom. They would have opportunities to learn all kinds of things, go all kinds of places, but not too fast,  everyone has to put in the time. He talks about reading one page of Larousse Gastronomique  (the bible of classic culinary dishes and terminology, well over a thousand pages) every night no matter what. The drive that you need to nurture and the life of a cook. Handshakes and promises of resumes to come, all round. We feel like special guests in the staff lounge with the big comfy couches, big screen TV and the fresh popcorn, pizza and sodas. We watch the whole game with pretty much everyone else who is working coming and going as they can. Some fall asleep, only wakening when the cheers or jeers burst out. The celebration of the game winner is something to be part of in the village, so off we go, although we find the spirit of that is muted somehow by leaving behind the kitchen filled with talented cooks and new friends. My sadness is tempered by the pride I feel in these guys and in our program, and the knowledge that some of them will be back, they’re hooked.  I think, then, watching them wander the crowed street:  All this can be yours, the price of admission is passion and drive. I hope I show them that everyday.

Well everyone survived the birthday parties, no harm no foul. As much as these guys started out as kids, and still have their moments, they have matured and bonded in this relatively short time, they look out for each other. Still conversing with Michael Smith, to try a put together a group of cooks for the Paralympics, which of course happen shortly after we leave. Unjustly, not as popular as the Olympics, but an international event not the less. He would like to hire up to fifteen cooks now, so a great opportunity for ones who are available. First and foremost we have students responsible for a pretty intense “course load”, so we can’t just send him a bunch of our bodies. It is a paid position with a heavy, heavy daily work load, but again unique experience and learning opportunity. To keep the contact with Michael going, as he is very supportive of culinary students across Canada, we are searching our alumni ranks to find the best available we can to represent us.

There has been a bit of scheduling juggling again, in order to make sure the students get the best rotation possible. They are starting to have favourites, and we talk about what makes a certain station better in their eyes then another. Sometimes it’s the cooks they work beside, sometimes the atmosphere or physical location, the best is when you see a found strength or directed passion for a particular culinary area. The surprise they have at this realization is a wonderful thing to share with them, especially if it confirms something I have been gently nudging toward already.

preferences and prejudices

With Sunday and Monday being delivery days, also the day when there is usually a large switchover in guests, we get to be part of another arc of a professional kitchen. The fridges are thoroughly cleaned, scrubbed and stock taken, menus and ideas for hors d’oeuvre’s, etc take shape from the ingredients that need to move. It shows not only the creativity of this kitchen team, but also the very strong business aptitude of every cook and sous chef. Quality is never sacrificed, but the love and passion for food always must include the respect of the items to make the best return possible. That, to me, is paramount to the success of a kitchen, of course, among many others. The balance, and some could say, dichotomy, is a unique skill of the successful cook. Yes you must have the passion for flair and constant evolving of the artistic expression, but you must be fiscally responsible and possess a strong understanding of the seasonality, price pressures, labour costs, changing guests preferences and prejudices, even a little, sometimes a lot, counseling and coaching ability. (I did warn you I ramble and not the strongest spelling, yes?)(grammar good too eh).

Speaking of brain health, Tuesday was a fantastic day for me personally, as Donna, came to visit( my wife for those who don’t know, but I always thought that intro sounded like I traded two goats and a chicken to get her) and we took the day to explore the sights and excitement of the Games and Whistler. I will send some videos of the amazing peak to peak trip we did, a wonderful recharging day.

Walking through the village after the Canada hockey loss to the Americans, you could feel the mood almost a singular emotion of the town. Amazing experience to watch it in the company of so many different nationalities, languages and accents. Still think you would be hard pressed to find a more rabid hockey nation then Canada, but maybe I’m biased.

stewards, captains and sommeliers

Tuesday night was another really cool night with a dinner for a Russian billionaire, apparently one of the ten richest men in the world. Amazing ice sculptures that we filled with ice wine poached scallops, king prawns, local smoked and house cured salmon, whole poached lobster, truffles, two kinds of caviar and fresh crab. That was just to have on each table to start with an array of condiments and sauces. They have set up beautiful tables, full place settings and linens, as well as a dj/lighting set up and a full stage for the hired Russian dancers, singers and mc. Then first course of silky clear consomme with white asparagus, quail egg ravioli( which perfectly cooked had a pillowy rich pheasant mousse with a gently poached quail egg in the centre that still had a liquid centre when enjoyed by the guest) topped with a torchon of quail leg built and served in the room. We helped with the outdoor roasting of a whole venison, whole lamb and pheasant galantine on spits. French service of baby gnocchi, baby root vegetables and wild mushrooms rounded out main course. Which was served after the private fireworks display, fired off just behind us spit roasters out on the patio. Then cheese, twenty two kinds no less, with again house made condiments like spiced honey nuts and quince jam. A trio of tiny baked alaskas flambéed with grand marnier for dessert white gloved served by the team of must be more then twenty five servers, stewards, captains and sommeliers. Chocolate sculptures (inukshuk) with minadieres accented with dry ice finished the menu. All beautifully matched with a selection of wines and ports with a price range reaching into the thousands and thousands. And of course vodka. Plus the apparently “Madonna” of Russia and other pop stars flown in for the private show. Oh yeah, did I mention it was for twenty people? The wine bill alone hit 23 thousand before dessert, seriously. Again the level of professionalism is amazing, King and Queen of Norway, A-list movie stars and models, billionaires, all in stride for this hotel team.

A feast of leftover roast venison and lamb on the bone awaits after clean up, fortified for the walk to the bus. Fifteen hours after starting, bed feels great!

the only school here

Wednesday is a day to catch up on the blog and emails and a good long walk through the village, the end is looming. Seems surreal that we have been here this long, but feels so fast as well. The gel of our cooks and their’s is setting, feels great to be part of a huge team, so many personalities as the younger cooks relax a little around me. The honour of being addressed as chef never gets old, but the camaraderie of the whole brigade is the real honour So many little ideas to bring back to our kitchen, and a huge inspiration of cooking, real cooking, every day has re energized me personally. Thursday we discover that we may be leaving Monday rather then Tuesday, a mixture of happiness and sadness. These kids I brought have grown, bonded ,chopped, and cooked up a storm here. I am quietly very, very proud of them, and enjoy the night with them. We spend the last remnants of our IGA gift cards to make a great dinner of steamed buns, ginger and lemon grass broth for chicken and vegetables, and pot stickers. Many of them talk about wanting to come back full time, or just stay. A great moment for me to share as the realization of the possibilities of working here or another hotel like this sinks in to them. They know the can cook with the big boys, and have proven themselves worthy of a place in a kitchen as good as this. This small moments I treasure as they are the pay off for months and months of struggle, pushing and pulling to push them to at least stage left to see the show and great life being a chef offers. The glance at the calendar shocks us to try and jam in anything we can, an actual event for a few. Could spend another week of Olympics just seeing events and visiting sites, team houses, and experiencing more electricity of international crowds at a world event. Also looks like we will be able to send some other culinary students to the Paralympics to work with Michael Smith in Athletes village next week, good deal. We should be able to give tons of raw news etc for the PR guys to brag about us with. At the risk of blowing our own horn too loud (is that possible?) we all need to do a better, stronger, guilt free job of telling the world how good we are. And by we, I mean our university, faculty and the true measure of success, our students. We have graduated students who cook all over the world, are opening restaurants with top Michelin starred chefs, have competed at Bocuse D’Or (the culinary equivalent of the Olympics, seriously), cooked with Michael Smith, cooked for Canada Winter games in Whitehorse, and cooked at a top hotel for the Olympics, the only school here I might add. Serious chefs, great people we help produce. We also are building a great network of our past students, who we should honour and have our PR from them too. But chefs for all you hear, yes have good solid egos, we are back of the house people, used to others being the front guys. We sometimes fear shouting out about ourselves as not to re enforce the stereotype of the ego laden chef.

“Valentine’s day came and went, planned ahead with stashed cards, her bedside table, my luggage.”

With the help of Joe, I promise to upload both video and still shots from our collective massive library. With the “inspiration” of my wife, I promise to do daily updates. With not sleeping all through the night, with partying going on all night every night, and constant sounds of buses, trucks, coming and goings, not to mention to Filipino karaoke, that seems to happen one floor down most nights. Long days, only because I love being in this kitchen with these guys, a quick walk through the village, check in with the students off that day, my natural inclination is not, like the younger set, to a computer screen. Shower, bed and book finish my day.

There is also the mundane life chore of laundry, three flights down, other end of the building, hoping they are available — can make for a long day. I miss the ease of life in my own home, my own king size extra long, extra deep bed, oversize shower, etc. But mostly I miss my best friend and wife, Donna and my second best friend Sage, our Great Pyrenees. She is a constant source of support, love, advice and warmth that you don’t realize how much until it’s away from you. Valentine’s day came and went, planned ahead with stashed cards, her bedside table, my luggage.

The students are great fun, the other chefs really make me feel part of their team and I’m honoured to be part of something like this. But I miss Donna and Sage. Donna and I talk everyday, a couple of times. But the touch of her, well enough of that…

thanks is not enough

So many dogs here, Sage would love it and I’m sure would be a big hit. Also wish my parents could see parts of this, as my wife is doing such a great job of looking after them through a trying time, thanks is not enough.

Chefs don’t have a great track record for a life outside of the kitchen, long hours, high stress, work when everyone else is off, can do severe damage both physically and mentally. Work hard, show up early, stay late, are not enough to do really well in this field, it requires a drive, commitment to better yourself, learn everything that you can, and live and breathe food inside or outside of the kitchen.

The social aspect of food is worldwide and on every level, not just high end restaurant. The politics involved are huge and fascinating. Composting, GMO’s, organic, overfishing, poverty, are just a few areas completely connected to the culinary world.

throw in a little star power

Reconnecting with Michael Smith was great. He was gracious enough to meet the students and talk to them, and go through the photo shoot they wanted. As I said before, he is a great speaker and very passionate about food and all it entails. Michael told them they have a responsibility to move food forward and to try and help change the sometimes unhealthy eating habits of people. Challenging them to engage people through say coming up with a dish as addictive as potato chips, but healthy.

The responsibility component is one that resonates with me, as it’s something we talk about almost every day on the floor at TRU. The power of food is huge and can connect you on many, many levels with all kinds of people all over the world. Food can take you places you might not otherwise get to see, involve you in things not connected, and be introduced to people who can change you dramatically.

The energy coming off the students after that talk in the Mallard lounge was incredible. Michael had has a big impact on these guys, with his outlook on grace and flow in the kitchen, his passion for food, and his drive to be instrumental in changing things stuck a chord with each of them. Throw in a little star power (right Karen?) and it made for a fun walk back.

is there a Fairmont in Switzerland?

Chef Vincent also carries with him everywhere a great passion and drive. The leadership of his team through some slowdowns, major, major celebrities and guests are signs of a driven, but very personable professional. He is always there and expects solid commitment from everyone, while being very supportive and involved. A casual question today from Kat, Is there a Fairmont in Switzerland?, was met with a wonderful, inspiring conversation about becoming a chef. The places Chef Vincent has worked, the countries he has worked in, the world competitions, the apprentices he has mentored, and where those apprentices have gotten to. He also has learned how to inject a little balance for himself and his family — hard work I’m sure with his position.

Well you can probably tell I ramble a bit, especially late at night, but as promised, I’m heading downstairs to find Joe and teach my old head about uploading. It’s Deanna’s 19th birthday today, Shane’s 21st a few days ago. They made him a ugly cake in tinfoil in a toaster oven — that was awesome. I know I’ll have to walk that fine line between, have fun and don’t be late or hungover, and stay out of trouble. I guess I’ll do a little stalking at a distance tonight.

“he simply said ‘lets do it’”

those of you not completely familiar

Woowhooo! Haley, the HR director found me a queen size bed on a real mattress! Such a treat, but it means moving up one floor and a new roomie.

Settled in after a few runs up and down stairs. We are getting pretty comfortable with the kitchens, layout, rhythm of the place, so much to learn and soak up for these guys, I think sometimes they don’t realize how much they are learning and improving. The changing schedule and stations keep them on their toes.

Perhaps for those of you not completely familiar with what and who we are, a little history. We are Thompson Rivers University, School of Tourism, Culinary Arts department, perhaps a smaller school to some, but I believe as do a growing number of others, that we are among the best. Bold statement but we are an dynamic group of dedicated chefs who teach and pass on our passion for food and the culinary profession. A fairly young faculty who keep current with many industry contacts and time to use them, who cook every day, laugh every day and really believe that being a chef is more than just a job, it’s who we are in many respects.

A few years ago at a conference in Whitehorse in casual conversation with Gene Batten the lead Chef instructor there at Yukon College, I learned that their kitchen team was hosting the Winter Games that coming February. Seeing a great opportunity for our students to experience that, I quickly said we would love to help out. As I often do (ask my wife) jumping into something before knowing all the details, I was lucky to have our Dean at the time Dave Twyham, in the building. Gathering him up into the kitchen, talking a mile a minute about how great it would be, he simply said “lets do it.”  Always with the eyes on the prize of positioning my students for 2010 Winter Olympics, either to work there as graduated students or maybe another volunteer, the experience would be nice under their belt. Cooking for those games, in those conditions was a blast, with its difficulties for sure.

They, an unnamed courier company, “lost” our chef uniforms, knives, winter boots, for the first week we were there. Minus 45-50 degrees was a normal morning, and sleeping in a elementary school with cold showers four feet off the floor rounded out the first week. But our students did really well, bonded as friends and cooks, and learned a lot about food production, surviving a busy kitchen environment and adapting to whatever comes at you. Fast forward to many emails, phone calls, pestering deans, HR people, and chefs with the final deal with Chateau Whistler Fairmont happening. Jeff Jordan, our current chair and fellow chef instructor, having worked there himself helped seal the deal with Chef Vincent Stufano for eight students and me to be in his kitchen, learning from his team. The hotel put as up in staff housing, supplied us with bus passes, gift cards to the local IGA, and all hours access to the staff cafeteria and we were set.

Picking which eight to take, was difficult and the only way to do it fairly was to go with grades. Some were disappointed, but life goes on. It was, is, an opportunity for now, more will come, but I believe it makes a very strong case for the things we preach about every day. Do your best, just your best, every time, and opportunity will be there for you.

I look forward to the change not only in the students who are here now, but the ones back at school in Kamloops. As it turns out, news at six, more things have come up already.

Our team consists of Rayne, Joe, Mark, Erica, Karen, Shane, Deanna, Kat, and me, Derrick. More from their individual journals later, yes they have homework!

make yourself believe you are anywhere

We are all fairly comfortable with the kitchen, sous chefs and different areas now and also the Village itself. The daily bands, afternoons at the square and evening at the medal plaza are great fun. So much to see, with the Switzerland house with the fondue and chocolate, the CTV booth to jump up and down behind, to the sushi places to eat.

The village is a short stroll down from where the Chateau is, a beautiful walk through lit trees and coloured light covered bridges through the trees. In the village, it’s always alive, with accents and languages from around the world, you can almost make yourself believe you are anywhere. The energy from the music, big screens all over showing live and taped coverage, to of course the people themselves is infectious.

a real cook’s cook, and a genuine nice guy

Ed and Ron, two fellow chef instructors, came up for a couple of days, during reading break so it was good to have a pint and shoot the breeze. A day off was a self imposed treat too. Ron used to work and is still friends with Ben, the executive sous chef here at the Chateau, and Ed came up to work a bit in the Athletes Village with Chef Michael Smith. He taped a segment of Michael’s show, Chef at Large, when Ed was chef for Rocky Mountain Railtours, and has kept in touch with him. Chef Smith has been with us at TRU to do a great dinner event a few years back, which is where I met him. Great chef, excellent speaker, a real cook’s cook, and a genuine nice guy. He is cooking his nuts off down at Function Junction about 10,000 meals a day with a team of chefs from all over.

Had a chance to sit, and have pint of course, with him and a few of his team. Interesting guys who work for a massive catering company who specialize in huge events all over the world. Another contact for either us as personal professional development during a summer break, or employment for our students.

“Cutting amounts way out of the norm for them, is great knife skills practice and a rediscovered appreciation of the importance of being neat”

First day of the sched, and we start in Portobello with Mary, who runs the show down there. A very positive and patient chef, she starts us with some cutting along the back counter, cutting fruit and stretching pizza dough for the fresh baked pizzas they serve as well as the breakfast pizza. It is a nice place to work with the deep granite counter looking through large windows facing onto the promenade leading from the hotels to the chair lifts and walkways down to the lower village.

Cutting is great knife-skills practice and a rediscovered appreciation of the importance of being neat, tight and organized — one of my main mantras in the kitchen at TRU. As the other side of the kitchen is the guest service area with a small breakfast buffet, pastry bar, and a full deli bar to make to order a full selection of hot and cold sandwiches, which are known through the village as the best. The whole kitchen is open to the seating area, coffee bar and windows outside. The students are doing well, and look great with the long aprons, Fairmont nametags and chef hats. It is obvious they are proud to look and be treated as professionals by professionals in a professional kitchen. Chad one of the cooks who works in Porto, is engaging, funny and quirky and helps make the morning fly by.

“With the first pair started at 5 a.m. it will be an early night, as I will be there before them.”

LCD with soft couches and great lounging chairs. Kitchen schedule posted and read, we hit the ground running tomorrow. The students are both excited and a little nervous.

The students will rotate the orientation in Empress C; a nice spread of coffee, juice, muffins and such with Haley the HR person for the Chateau leading us through the introductions of everyone and the hotel itself.

We meet up with Vincent Stefano, Executive Chef, who leads on a tour of our areas. It is an excellent kitchen, with both the traditional brigade set up, like Garde manager, Production, Pastry, with and the modern set ups with beautiful banquet facilities and a close knit professional team of young and mature cooks alike. They are outstanding to us with uniforms, lockers, shower facilities and an all access pass to Oscars, the staff café, for meals and internet access. Even though Oscars has a flat screen TV and Fairmont has also set up one of the small banquet rooms for staff to follow the events on a great 50″ in pairs through Portobello, the open kitchen/deli on the lower floor, production, in the main central kitchen where the soups, stocks, banquets are produced, and garde manager, next door to production in a large curtained chilled room, where all the cold platters, cheese boards, canapés, buffet platters and salads are made. Also at one end is the butcher area where the meat, fish, poultry and specialty meats are processed and shipped out to the various locations.

Wildflower, Mallard and IRD are on the other side of production, with a fully outfitted line supplying the Wildflower, Chateau main dining room, and a small grill/fry line angling off the main line feeding the Mallard which is the beautiful lounge boasting fantastic outdoor patio seating with gorgeous stone fire pit and a massive double sided indoor fireplace surrounded with luxurious leather couches and chairs.

With buffets replacing the ala carte menu in Wildflower for dinner, and a smaller refined menu available after 10 p.m., they are covered for the high end. Mallard can get pretty busy with the popular large lounge and its tiny kitchen area forcing those cooks to be fast and highly organized, not something to learn overnight.

IRD is in room dining, what other hotels call room service, but the menu and quality is better served with the IRD moniker. Portobello and IRD are moving to 24-hour operation for the Olympics.

With the first pair started at 5 a.m. it will be an early night, as I will be there before them.

“I’m amazed that most of them can’t seem to keep away from their laptop or at least texting on their cell for more then 5 minutes”

After a horrible sleep, feeling my age, waking up every two hours or so with the comings and goings and conversations at full volume at blinding speed in a myriad accents and languages, I drop off my bed (mounted three feet or so off the floor) I feel my back scream and seize, a slow stretch, and I’m off to collect my students. Rayne and Ericas seem to be the gathering place so we make plans, so wander, buy some groceries and make some dinner for superbowl. A two minute bus ride gets us down to the village, we’ll figure out the walk later. It looks and feels fairly quiet, but most of them have never been, so it’s interesting to see where the stages and such are set up and testing out their sound systems and such. Finding the IGA we buy stuff to make salsa and chips to watch the game, and quick stop to pick up a few other supplies and we are tromping back to the bus, with the low heavy clouds, and seemingly warmer temps, we make it in short time.

Apt.106 is the gathering place, first floor, pretty nice actually seems fresher and brighter then mine and the willingness to be sitting cheek to jowl makes it fun. Making way too much salsa, no gauc as we couldn’t find any really ripe avocadoes, and way too many chips we settle in to watch the game. I’m amazed that most of them can’t seem to keep away from their laptop or at least texting on their cell for more then 5 minutes, but the mood is good and relaxed, feeling lucky to be embarking on this together. Close to half time we discover that the lounge area, one in each building has an oven, and a flat screen tv with American channels for the pizza and superbowl commercials, we have the room to ourselves with foosball, chess, and a couple of couches. I learn that a few can play chess, but Erica seems to be the one says check a lot.

An evening stroll to the village, finds us the walking route out the side of the housing buildings across the bottom run snowhill to the gondola down to the village. Dodging boarders and swinging cabins make it an adventure. The village is still fairly quiet, but the clubs and restaurants are filling up. They are blowing off a little pent up energy on the kids playground, and Joe is actually the life of the mob with his water bottle and found discarded ski rope, I’m sure there are pictures at 11.

“Sunday is ours to explore the village”

2:00 p.m. The bus pulls into the TRU parking lot and you can see the excitement in the students’ faces and bouncing knees. After loading all the bags, I seem to have brought the most bags, but hey, I am bringing my own whites and four pairs of shoes which take up one big bag alone. The bus is 3/4 full with “colleagues” from Banff and Jasper Fairmont properties, who have been on the bus since 7 a.m. so it’s a little tight.

After settling in, I realize we seem to be heading down the hill on the new roads, rather than up, just then, Kim, the housing manager calls me up front to ask if I can show the driver how to get on the highway. After a bit of a tour, we’re on our way. After a brief stop at a card lock for fuel, the Princess Bride, a few conversations with our fellow bus mates, and a long tour through the Pemberton route, we finally see some lights in the darkness, and we climb up to the staff housing. Unload and pile into a small lounge area in building 3, we get a run down on the do’s (laundry cards, internet access, buses), and the don’ts (smoking inside) we get our room assignments and keys.

They were great with keeping the students mainly together with some with other colleagues, some sharing a whole quad to themselves. Up the stairs, 1, 2 or in my case, three flights later, I find my room and new roommate. Tired, and quick, I dump off baggage.

The rooms are decent enough, tiny kitchen, cooktop, sink, micro, and a tiny living room couch, chair, little TV with a small bedroom on each side. Now the bed..really a one bed bunkbed bolted to the wall, with a prison mattress, but a nice welcome package including a bus pass, gift card for IGA, magazine, towels, bedding and of course, the famous red mittens. A postcard tells us to meet at the Chateau Monday morning for our orientation. Sunday is ours to explore the village.

Thompson Rivers University will take its Culinary Arts program, complete with labs, course work, students and an instructor to Whistler during the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games.

A team of eight, Cook level 1, Culinary Arts students will learn their cooking lessons in the kitchens of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler from February 6 to March 2 during the height of the Olympic Games.

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Whistler Bound

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Soups, $3.65
Specialty Soups, $4.25

Entrees
Stuffed Pork Loin, $8.95
Beef Stew, $8.95
Poached Salmon with White Wine Sauce, $8.95
African Cous Cous Stew, $8.95
Vegetable Calzone, $7.25
Shrimp Clubhouse, Focaccia bread, $7.25
Steak and Eggs, $7.95

Dauphnoise potato
Risotto

Green beans
Grilled vegetable
Cauliflower polonaise
Spaghetti squash