A team of VCC Asian Culinary Arts alumni representing Canada on the world stage at the International Chinese Chef Master Competition in Macau on November 26 and 27 took the top spot with their gold medal win, bringing pride and honour to the college.
The competing duo, international students Junhao Li and Shaoyi Sun, contested with outstanding young chefs and culinary professionals from over 40 countries and regions.
With solid foundation techniques, innovative dish concepts, and a strong sense of teamwork, Junhao and Shaoyi impressed the judges in both taste and presentation.
"I am extremely proud of our students, who worked tirelessly for months as they refined their skills in an environment that fosters real learning and real change," says Willy Aroca, Dean of the VCC School of Hospitality, Food Studies, and Applied Business.
"Both Junhao and Shaoyi demonstrated professionalism, creativity, and a calm mindset under pressure and uncertainty during the competition," says chef Jie Wen, VCC Asian Culinary Arts instructor and team coach. "Their dedication not only reflects their personal progress but also represents the high-quality training and support provided by our Asian Culinary Arts program at VCC and VCC Foundation."
Indeed, this opportunity was made possible by VCC Foundation's FEAST! fundraiser, which provided the competing students with a chance to practice their dishes before the competition. The event also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Asian Culinary Arts program at VCC, currently the only one running in all of Canada.
VCC has a history of sending recent grads to compete internationally, and awards and distinctions such as these truly speak to the level of training and instructor knowledge the students receive from their program at VCC.
"We are very grateful for the support of our donors and sponsors such as Scotiabank, Lee Kum Kee and T & T Supermarket who helped to make this competition possible," says Moira Gookstetter, executive director of VCC Foundation.
Junhao and Shaoyi will continue to refine their craft and prepare for future opportunities to test their skills under pressure and gain further experience.
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