Something dark has been brewing in NAIT Culinary..
.. And it’s our new delicious Dark Chocolate Ook Bars!🍫🦉
Crafted by two of our Culinary Arts Chef Instructors, @chefdavew and @chefcurtisjones , who traveled to France to take part in the prestigious Cacao Barry Or Noir ™️ Program.
Under the guidance of expert chocolatiers, they embarked on a deep sensory exploration —sampling more than twenty chocolates sourced from cocoa-growing regions around the world. Their mission? To create a chocolate that is beautifully balanced yet enriched with distinctive and memorable flavour notes.
They chose a 66% cocoa content, striking the ideal balance between natural sweetness and a boldly expressive cocoa flavour.
They are available in the Artisanal Market and in Ernest’s Dining Room.
📸: @mr.dhotfoodie (Slides 1 and 4)
The Culinary Students are getting ready for their exchange to Portugal, where they will experience a month-long immersion, working and living abroad to gain hands-on experience in the culinary area. We asked Téa and Bryce, two students who participated in the exchange to Italy last year, what they’re bringing from that experience to Portugal.
What was the most memorable part of your trip to Italy?
Téa - The culture shock and being immersed in European culture
Bryce - The people they went with
What is the most valuable skill or lesson you learnt on the trip?
Téa - The unexpected bonds and friendships she made on the trip taught her a lot inside and out of the kitchen.
Bryce - Learned to go outside of his comfort zone in many ways. Trying new techniques and also making friends with people he didn’t expect to
What advice do you have for the new students
going to Portugal?
Téa - Learn the culture, and adapt to their ways of doing things
Bryce - Remember that it’s not a vacation, but an extension of school so learn and try as much as you can.
You can support our students and the Culinary Exchange Program by buying tickets to the Portugal Wine Fundraiser Dinner on May 22 🍷
Link in bio!
The Culinary Students are getting ready for their exchange to Portugal, where they will experience a month-long immersion, working and living abroad to gain hands-on experience in the culinary area. We asked our students Xenia, Trance, Gabriel and Claire some questions on their preparations for the trip 🇵🇹
What are you doing to prepare for Portugal?
Xenia - Learning Portuguese on Duolingo
Trance - Saving as much money for the trip as possible
Gabriel - Participating in food competitions to get extra experience
Claire - Eating lots of olives to prepare her palate
What are you most excited for during the exchange?
Xenia - The sun, trying traditional Portuguese food and learning new things
Trance - Exploring the culture and food
Gabriel - Getting to experience a different culture’s food scene
Claire - The culture, seafood and going out days
You can support the students by buying tickets to the Portugal Wine Fundraiser Dinner on May 22nd 🍷
Link in bio!
New NAIT Artisanal Market hours for May and June!
⏰ 9AM - 3PM*
📆 Monday - Friday
Thank you for your continued support over the year!
*Hours may be subject to change. Stay tuned for updates
Over the past three decades, the wide range of settings that Aaron has worked in has given him a deep understanding of both the craft and business of baking, as well as the ability to mentor students with real-world insight.
Aaron enjoys all aspects of baking -chocolate work, wedding cakes, pastries, and more- but his greatest passion lies in sourdough breads and laminated products. His enthusiasm for fermentation, dough development, and precision-driven techniques inspires students to push their skills and creativity further.
Returning to NAIT as an instructor has allowed him to give back to the institution that shaped his career. He is committed to fostering a positive, supportive learning environment where students can build confidence, develop strong craftmansjip, and cultivate a lifelong love for the baking industry.
Student Showcase Buffet | Spring
Today was the last Buffet of the semester and even though the weather may not look like it, the theme was Spring 🌸🌷🌼
Featured here are a few of the students and their dishes!
Michael - Charcuterie NAIT “Lomo”
Lomo is a Spanish style dry-cured pork loin. It is similar to prosciutto, except it doesn’t come from the leg of the pig. Look how thin the meat slicer cuts it!
Kyla - Duck & Haskap Sausage, Smoked Beef Sausage, Spicy Chicken Kebab Sausage
For Kyla it was a really fun process making the sausages as it was her first time ever making them. “It’s cool to see the process of something you usually see in the grocery store already made.” The bright flavours of the sausages are perfect to encapsulate spring, especially the Duck and Haskap Sausage.
Olivia and Brayden | Floral Honey Ham
Olivia, who is slicing, assisted Brayden in brining the ham leg. It was brined for about 5 days, smoked overnight for 15 hours and then glazed with rose-infused honey. Brayden says the process itself is quite simple, but the outcome is very rewarding.
Em | Linzer Torte
A part of what the Patisserie students focus on is traditional and classical desserts. Em believes it’s important to learn how to make desserts like the Torte, as the students have the opportunity to learn the history of the dishes, and how they have evolved over time.
Andrew | Grand Marnier Orange Cream Truffle
To celebrate playoffs, Andrew wanted to do Oilers themed bonbons, so orange and blue it is! The truffles consist of a dark chocolate casing with a white chocolate and orange creamsicle ganache. Andrew wanted to go with a flavour that matched the colour scheme of the hockey team, so he chose his favourite popsicle.
Thank you to everyone who supported our Student Showcase Buffets!
Wishing a Happy Admin Day to our three awesome admins -Cindy, Tanya and Lindsey! 💐
They keep us running and organized. Without them, chaos would occur 📋🗃️
Feature Menu Item | Pad Thai Fries
Final projects and exams are here and you need to fuel up to ace them! Come by Fresh Express and try the Pad Thai Fries, fries with Pad Thai peanut sauce, toasted peanuts, bean sprouts and cilantro. Yum! 🍟
📍Fresh Express
U112 U - Learning Resources Centre
⏰Lunch Service: 11:00AM-12:30PM
Meet one of the Educational Laboratory Technicians, Alyssa Paron!
Alyssa is now bringing her wealth of experience back to campus, where she finds immense joy in mentoring the next generation of chefs in various first semester classes, such as Soup and Vegetable Laboratory, Introduction to Cold Kitchen, Introduction to Baking, and several others. Her dedication extends far beyond the kitchen; she is a regular volunteer for campus events and especially loves supporting the High School Challenge and Skills Canada.
Having participated in NAIT’s culinary exchange to Italy and the Canadian Culinary Federation’s exchange to Victoria, Alyssa remains an avid traveler who is always on the hunt for local delicacies. This global perspective fuels her creativity and the passion she shares with her students every day.
Introducing the Baking Program’s first chocolate centrepiece and bonbon collection!
This display showcases how to create your own Chocolate High Tea experience or elevate any special occasion with thoughtfully presented bonbons.
Available in the Arrtisanal Market while supplies last.
𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺.
Chef Rez and the NAIT Culinary Arts students prepping for the One World Alumni Series Pop-Up tomorrow and Thursday. They are learning how to roll spring rolls and fry pork belly 🍖
Delicious!
📆 April 8-9, 14-15
🕝 10:00AM - 12:30PM
📍 One World, Many Flavours
CAT Feltham Centre, Room 172B (Main Floor)
Don’t miss out on this special feature Alumni Series. It will be 4 days of tasty dishes rooted in Filipino flavours and cooking 🇵🇭
