2024 Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition

On Sunday, June 30, six talented young chefs (representing the Vancouver andVal d’ Okanagan Bailliages) came together to participate in the 2024 Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs (JCR) competition – BC’s regional culinary competition and first step to the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs JCR national event to take place in October.

The competition, held at the Vancouver campus of Lasalle College, saw the chefs (two from Val d’Okanagan and four from Vancouver) demonstrate their culinary prowess by preparing three-course menus using four proteins – halibut, lobster, veal loin and veal sweet bread. In a departure from a typical “black box” competition the chefs brought their own produce to complement their dishes. Each chef prepared four plates of each of three courses (the third course being a dessert).

Consistent with international rules, each chef was judged in two key categories – kitchen skills and appearance/taste of the food.

In the kitchen, competitors were judged on their organizational skills, proficiency using cooking tools, speed of food preparation and overall neatness while cooking. Kitchen skills were judged by Dr. Jane Ruddick and Chef Chloe Sy. Each competitor was awarded points in each category.

Once the plates were complete, they were presented tithe tasting judges, who considered each dish based on its visual appeal, creativity of presentation and ultimately its quality and taste.This year’s tasting judges were Chef Bruno Marti, Chef JC Felicella, Chef Nutcha Phanthoupheng, Chef Atifa Prinsloo, and Chaine JCR assistant coordinator Ruth Grierson. Again, each dish was awarded points in a range of categories. These points were then combined with the kitchen scores to determine the overall winner.

Chef Zack Bernardo from the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel took top spot for the Vancouver Bailliage and Chef Connor Danby from Hillside Winery prevailed for the Val d’Okanagan Bailliage. Chefs Bernardo and Danby will represent their respective Bailliages at the National Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition to take place in Calgary, October 17 to 19.

The Chaîne would like to acknowledge and congratulate all the young chefs who took part in this year’s regional JCR competition:

From the Vancouver Bailliage:

Kaden Huang

Jacob Morillo

Zack Bernardo

Adam McDonald

From the Val d’Okanagan Bailliage:

Caleb Hart

Connor Danby

The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs would like to extend its sincere thanks to event coordinator Chef JC Felicella, our esteemed panel of judges, Lasalle College and to our sponsors F.D. Dick (which provided chef’s knives) and Junior Culinary Team CANADA (which donated a $500 gift card from Russell Hendrix Restaurant Equipment & Foodservice Supplies) for your invaluable support.