Fresh ingredients, close-to-home suppliers, culinary creativity and engaging service will bring a delightful energy of fusion to the annual Best of BC event at Mary Hall on Selkirk College’s Tenth Street Campus.
Featuring more than two dozen suppliers from across the province, students in School of Hospitality & Tourism programs will have their talents and skills on display in an evening that features a tantalizing array of delicious food and drink. Tickets are now on sale for the February 28 event that will take over the Mary Hall banquet room between 5:30 pm and 8 pm.
“We will provide the community a showcase of the ingredients and products that can be sourced in British Columbia,” says Mandeep Singh Basra, one of the student leaders for the event. “Guests will come to enjoy all of these different tastes that the culinary students prepare and they can also learn more about how they can use these ingredients in their own meals, which will also push the idea of sustainability.”
The impressive list of provincial producers and suppliers includes businesses right around the corner in the Kootenays and extends all the way to the Lower Mainland. From Linden Lane Farms to Rossdown Chickens, Fisherman’s Market to Meteor Mushrooms and Backroads Brewing Co. to Foolish Wine, guests get the chance to browse an assortment of booths bursting with food and drink.
Students in both the hospitality and culinary programs will be joined at the booths by many of the suppliers themselves. Leading up to the event, learners work with producers to understand more about how they can source British Columbia ingredients and tastes in their future careers.
Creativity in the Culinary Program
Shreyansh Upadhyay is a first-year student in the Postgraduate Culinary Management Program who arrived to Nelson this past May from his home in New Delhi. Having completed post-secondary for the management side of the hospitality industry in India, he is enhancing his hands-on education in the culinary program with the ultimate goal of eventually returning home to open his own restaurant.
“We are preparing something that will be unique and different for Nelson,” says the 22-year-old. “There will be a lot of creativity involved in our cooking because my classmates come from different regions in the world. Together, we will create some mind-blowing dishes.”
Programs in the School of Hospitality & Tourism are a blend of domestic and international students. Enabling a wonderful fusion in the kitchen as they prepare the bites for the evening, Upadhyay and his peers are excited to present their learning to guests at Best of BC.
“It helps students to understand all the different local supplies that can be available to us in our career,” says Upadhyay. “My parents in India always ask me what kind of food we are preparing in Canada and this is a great example. Learning more about what we can do with BC products and what guests will enjoy, it is a very good experience for me.”
Originally from Jamaica, Tessa Dinnall is a first-year student in the Resort & Hotel Management Program. She will be helping set up the Torchlight Brewing Co. booth, working with her peers and the Nelson-based brewery on providing guests with both samples and information.
“An interesting part of the night is sharing of cultures,” says the 24-year-old. “There are a lot of international students in these programs and we enjoy interacting. A social event where food and drink are served is perfect, because it’s important to learn from each other. It’s a chance for students to network with the community and learn more about the communities where we are studying.”
Before coming to Selkirk College, Basra spent six years as a chef in India where he worked for the prestigious Roseate Hotels & Resorts. Wanting to learn more broadly about the industry as a whole and experience a new culture in Canada, he chose the Postgraduate Hospitality Management Program. Basra will graduate in April with hopes of earning permanent residency and contributing to the Canadian economy.
Combining his previous experience in India with a co-op placement this past summer at Sparking Hill Resort in the Okanagan, Basra says he and his classmates are set to offer something really special to the community.
“There is so much that goes on behind the scenes in the kitchen and the planning of this event,” says the 29-year-old. “It takes a lot to create these wonderful experiences for the community and we are all looking forward to sharing a terrific evening of the best this province has to offer.”
Tickets for Best of BC are $60 and include both food and drink. Tickets can be purchased online.
Find out more about opportunities in the School of Hospitality & Tourism.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.