Pear Bureau Northwest names culinary student recipe contest winner

The national finals for the 2014 USA Pears “Pear Excellence” Canadian Culinary Student Recipe Competition were held on Tuesday, April 8, at The Dirty Apron Cooking School in Vancouver. Five culinary student finalists from highly competitive regional competitions faced off before a panel of esteemed judges for the National Grand Prize title.

The student competitors won an all-expenses-paid trip to Vancouver to participate in the national competition, which was held just after the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Convention and Expo took place in Vancouver. The national grand prize winner earned a cash award, and the remaining students each took home a smaller cash award to recognize their regional titles.

And the winner is…

Michelle McAllen, an 18-year-old culinary student from New Brunswick Community College St. Andrews, representing the Maritimes Region, won top honors from the judges with her “Fresh and Cured with Compliments of Pears,” a plate featuring a crusted pork tenderloin stuffed with caramelized pears, prosciutto cups with pears, and a acorn squash and white chocolate puree. The judges noted that the dish looked amazing, had great flavor, and showcased the versatile pear in a variety of excellent uses.

McAllen’s worthy competitors were Melissa Evans, from Vancouver Island University, representing the British Columbia/Northwest Territories region; Janine Sumner Traverse, from The Paterson GlobalFoods Institute at Red River College, representing the Prairies region; Samantha Katharine Hudon-Sue, from LaSalle College, representing the Québec region; and Joel Carta, from Centennial College Progress Campus, representing the Ontario region.

McAllen says that she chose the combination of pears and pork because the natural sweetness of the pears matches well with the salty flavors of the pork. “Pears just add such a nice flavor to the dish. You can’t go wrong with fresh fruit,” she says. Her savory entrée combines sautéed Anjou pears with Canadian prosciutto, gremolata-crusted pork, squash and white chocolate purée, and pear cream brandy sauce, garnished with pear leather. The judges lauded the dish, saying they enjoyed it start to finish and ate every bite.

When asked what her aspirations are, McAllen says she plans to travel to the United Kingdom next year to work abroad for a year. Ideally, she sees herself working in foodservice for a hotel chain so that she can travel, she says.

For more information:
Brittany Wilmes
Pear Bureau Northwest
Tel: (503) 652-9720
Email: bwilmes@usapears.com
www.usapears.org.