Jay let me know that he was going to be hosting a pair of dinners being run entirely by high school students. He explained that the culinary team from St. Peter Catholic Secondary School in Peterborough had recently won the Loyalist College Junior Iron Chef 2014 title, and they were going to be doing 2 nights of dinners at the restaurant, serving a menu of their own creation. I was intrigued.
He explained that there were three goals they were hoping to achieve. First was to raise funds to support what has proven to be an exceptional program at St. Peter. Secondly, he wanted to help give the students an experience in a "real life" cooking situation, which can be far different than the world of culinary classes or competition. And third, was to provide his guests with an amazing dinner, prepared entirely by these talented high school students. How could I resist??
As luck would have it, I was able to get Friday off, and Kris and I planned our trip. After settling in the dogs, cats and guinea pig, we hopped in the car, camera in hand and headed for Lakefield.
After an entertaining ride, with plenty of good music, conversation and amazing scenery, we arrived in the beautiful little town of Lakefield.
As soon as we entered the cafe, you could feel the energy in the air. The students were bustling around everywhere. Some were serving the full dining room while quite a few more could be seen hurrying in the back kitchen area. Jay's lovely wife, Jen took us to our table and dinner began.
Water was poured and one of the students brought a simple amuse bouche of Crostini with Rhubarb, Brie and Pecans. The tartness of the rhubarb was an excellent foil for the rich brie. A wonderful start to what I hoped would be a delightful meal. Another student came and took our dinner orders. It was fun to watch the students working the front of house. I suspect they will have a much greater appreciation for their waiter the next time they go out to dinner.
Kris began with the Spinach Salad with Lemon Tarragon Vinaigrette and Paprika Pancetta Crisp. The salad was dressed beautifully and was nicely accented with perfectly cooked egg and cherry tomatoes. I chose the Roasted Mushroom Soup with Creme Fraiche. Simple, yet perfectly executed , the soup was delicious, with a rich mushroom flavour and the faintest undercurrent of tarragon.
Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin was next on the agenda for Kris. The pork was perfectly cooked and accompanied by a delicious maple fig compote. I had the Oven Baked Cod, which was done to moist perfection, and accompanied by a flavourful mustard emulsion. Garlic mashed potatoes and beautifully roasted heirloom carrots finished both dishes nicely.
Our scraped clean plates were cleared and dessert was brought out by 2 more of the students. A delicious Flourless Chocolate cake was layered with a citrus mascarpone cream that cut the richness of the cake beautifully. A fresh mango salsa added a delightful sweet and sour component to the dish.
All in all, I was very impressed. These high school students were producing food of a caliber that I would expect of graduates from college programs, at the very least. Jay introduced me to Chef Catherine Rose, who trained these exceptional students.
Chef Rose is clearly passionate about her subject and has succeeded in instilling that passion in her students. She spoke of their challenges and successes with great pride and was quick to pass all the credit on to her pupils. I was inspired by her dedication to her students and I hope that her school recognizes the great asset they have in her. She introduced me to a number of the students, who impressed me with their professionalism and the zest they brought to their efforts. I can only hope that a few of these young men and women will continue on in this field. It would be a pleasure to work with any one of them.
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| Chef Catherine Rose, Chef Jay Nutt and 2 of the talented students |
After a perfect cup of coffee, it was time to leave. We thanked Jay and Jenn, who had been the perfect hosts, as always. A peek in the kitchen found the students finishing the washing up, getting a taste of one of the less glamorous but still very necessary parts of a cook's job. A last word of congratulations and encouragement and we were off for home.
Tonight, I saw grade 11 and 12 students serve a meal that I would have never expected them to be capable of. The confidence and pride in their work showed in every course & every aspect of the service. With Chef Jay's guidance and the training they have received from Chef Rose, they calmly performed as well as any young cooks that I have had the pleasure of working with. My hat is off to all of them.
There is a second dinner scheduled for Saturday, April 5, 2014. If you have the opportunity to go, I would sincerely recommend that you do. Give these talented students the opportunity to show you what they can do.
The Nuttshell Next Door Cafe
33 Queen Street
Lakefield, Ontario
(705) 652-9721
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