Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) is pleased to announce that Salisbury Composite High student, Dillon Kozak, was recently named a recipient of the High School Culinary Challenge Scholarship/Mentorship program.
On March 7, the Edmonton branch of the Canadian Culinary Federation hosted an awards dinner as part of its annual High School Culinary Challenge (HSCC). Kozak, a Grade 12 student, was announced as one of three recipients of its Scholarship/Mentorship Program. The scholarship is designed to recognize the accomplishments of Edmonton-area high school students who participate in the High School Culinary Challenge. To date, Kozak is the fourth student from Salisbury Composite High to be awarded the HSCC scholarship.
"Dillon has worked so hard all year and has truly earn this award," says Herb Hess, a culinary arts teacher at Salisbury Composite High. "All of us at Salisbury teachers, staff, and classmates are so proud of him and know he will go on to achieve great things in the field."
Over a three-year period, Kozak will receive funding to cover the cost of tuition, uniforms, knives, and other necessities while enrolled in the Cook Apprenticeship Program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. He will also be awarded three one-year apprenticeships at some of the top restaurants in the Edmonton area.
Also announced at the March 7 awards dinner were the winners of the ninth annual High School Culinary Challenge. Last month, 18 regional high school teams competed in the challenge, including three EIPS teams from Bev Facey Community High, Salisbury Composite High, and Vegreville Composite High. The teams went head to head and prepared a three-course meal complete with soup, an entrée, and a desert for a panel of judges. The plates were then evaluated based on five categories: preparation, timing, sanitation, presentation, and of course, taste!
All 18 teams made a big impression on the judges who noted being extremely impressed with the caliber and skill level of the teams that competed this year. Overall, the competing teams all scored high marks with only four points out of 100 separating the first-place team from the team that placed last.
Congratulations to Dillon Kozak and the three EIPS teams involved in this year's High School Competition Challenge.
