Chowder was on the menu at Maple Ridge Secondary Thursday afternoon, following the 19th annual Lesnes Chowder Competition.
A total of 42 students took part in the event on 22 teams made up of a maximum of two students each, from secondary schools across School District 42, and even some teams representing Abbotsford Senior Secondary School.
The teams were tasked with making a chowder, or what was defined by organizers as a hearty soup made from fish, shellfish, meats, and/or vegetables, which usually contains milk and potatoes, and is thickened with roux.
Each team had to have one current member of their school’s Culinary Arts Program and had to cook a minimum three liters of chowder, but not more than one pot. They were only allowed one and a half hours cooking time for their chowders, and no ingredients could be pre-cooked or treated in any way prior to the preparation period. They also had provide two copies of their original recipe.
Five judges were watching the teams for basic culinary skills while they were preparing and cooking their soups, before the final taste test.
Judges were all chefs or former chefs in the industry, including two from Richmond, both from the BC Chef’s Association, and others from the district.
Culinary instructor at MRSS, Chef Trevor Randle noted the first half of the competition the students were judged on their culinary skills.
“Even though it’s fun, the students are still producing a top quality product, right, that has to be safe. So, these chefs are on look for their knife skills, their organization, their safety, all those little technical things that only a chef can really pick out, right, and ask the right questions and challenge the students,” explained Chef Randle.
This was followed by the taste test.
For this teams readied one plate presented for the judges to see how they would serve their soup in a restaurant. Then the judges were given a small sample of the chowder, which they had to give points for texture, seasoning, and having all the ingredients properly cooked.
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Grade 11 Garibaldi Secondary student Inga Schultz, 17, made her grandmother’s salmon, potato chowder recipe in addition to her own croutons, which she grilled on a barbeque in the courtyard of the school.
Grade 11 student Olivia Hanson, and Grade 12 student Autumn Carlson, from Abbotsford Senior Secondary, said they participated in a chilli competition about a month ago and found chowder different and challenging.
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“It’s interesting how everyone takes the theme and makes it their own,” said Hanson. “It’s very interesting to see what people come up with.”
The duo made a traditional ham, bacon and corn chowder.
“We didn’t want to go too extreme and not have everything ready, or under-cooked, or overcooked, not tasting correct,” said Hanson.
Chloe Arkwright, a Grade 11 student at Garibaldi Secondary, made a Shrimp chowder, with her teammate.
The secret to making a good chowder, said Arkwright, is making it like your 60-year-old grandmother would for her 20 grandchildren. “With love,” she said.
