This month, Stratford diners once again have the opportunity to enjoy meals created by some of the area’s most talented up-and-coming chefs with the return of Student-designed menu dinners at Stratford Chefs School, which began Tuesday (Jan. 17).
Part of the school’s 32-week professional program, the dinner series sees chefs-in-training creating a menu under the guidance of a chef instructor. Students take turns working different roles in the kitchen during the events, giving each the experience of leading a kitchen team of their peers.
“It gives students an opportunity, when it's their turn to lead their team in the kitchen, to work with a chef instructor and to put together a menu that resonates with them; to cost it out and make sure it's coming in on budget; to figure out the scaling of the recipes and to source those recipes; to lead the team in the execution of that dinner; and to really have an opportunity to express themselves,” explained Elizabeth Kerr, director of marketing and admissions development at Stratford Chefs School.
Menus for the student dinners typically feature three set courses with bread service, and Kerr says that students look to a wide range of inspirations in their development. Previous iterations of the dinner series have seen students drawing on familial recipes or cuisines that pay homage to their heritage.
“One student decided to base a meal on her love of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, so it was all about music. Last year, somebody put a meal together in celebration of Seinfeld,” said Kerr. “Some students are looking to really have it be all about the food and what they have learned. Others approach it from a place of comfort or pride or just an interest.”
Menus that have been revealed for the series so far this year include dinners focusing on Mediterranean, Quebecois and Belgian cuisines. One menu is inspired by a traditional Burns supper, while an already sold out dinner on Jan. 21 is themed around the Beatles White Album with dishes like “Back in the USSR” Russian black bread.
“Our students and their chef instructors work closely together to come up with a menu that will come in on budget, that will offer a wonderful learning opportunity to their classmates and themselves, and also will appeal to the public because these students are getting ready to graduate,” said Kerr. “And that's what running a restaurant is – it’s putting your best foot forward, appealing to your patrons and delivering a quality product on budget.”
Chef instructors guiding the students with their menus include former chef at Cambridge’s acclaimed Langdon Hall, Jonathan Gushue and former chef de cuisine at Stratford’s erstwhile Rundles restaurant, Mike Booth. Student-designed menu dinners run from Tuesday through Saturday until early March and are priced at $55 per person with optional $20 wine pairings.
“Our diners are thrilled to be supporting the next generation of chefs. They're getting good value and the dining room is a very warm and friendly place,” said Kerr.
“I could honestly say if you don't know anyone when you arrive, you probably do when you leave. It’s a fun, collaborative experience.”
Stratford Chefs School
136 Ontario St.
519-271-1414
exploretock.com/stratfordchefsschool
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