The culinary skills of one of YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 youngest chefs are being noticed across the country.
Drew Sinclair, 10, is among 26 winners of the annual Kid Food Nation (KFN) contest.
The Mildred Hall School student submitted his smoked-meat bannock-pizza recipe to the contest in April and was informed in June that he won.
SA国际影视传媒淚t feels good to win. I was kind of surprised,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Almost 300 children ages seven to 13 joined the contest. Their recipes ran the gamut of burgers, sweets, pasta, salads, curries and smoothies. Recipes are judged based on healthiness, creativity, flavour, appearance and uniqueness.
The recipes of the winning contestants will go into a cookbook published by KFN. The contest is organized by PresidentSA国际影视传媒檚 Choice ChildrenSA国际影视传媒檚 Charity and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada.
Drew has been cooking for about four years. He learned by reading cook books and with help from his father Trevor, who also knows his way around the kitchen.
SA国际影视传媒淚 had won (the Airbnb Experiences) cooking contest last year. I was supposed to go Italy for a cooking school,SA国际影视传媒� Trevor said. He was one of 100 winners who were awarded a one-week-workshop session at the Slow Food InstituteSA国际影视传媒檚 University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy but the COVID-19 pandemic put the trip on hold.
RELATED REPORTING: Yellowknife home cook a winner in Airbnb Experiences contest
TrevorSA国际影视传媒檚 winning dish was his pan-fried whitefish with cranberry salsa. He caught the fish himself and gathered the cranberries and wild mushrooms from the bush.
Drew has taken on his fatherSA国际影视传媒檚 passion for food preparation, even outside the kitchen.
He makes his own birch syrup from trees in his backyard that he taps for the sap, said his mother Anna Bergen.
SA国际影视传媒淗eSA国际影视传媒檒l sniff the herbs and spices in the cupboard before he cooks to figure out what he wants to try,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭o the extent that one day he ate a whole chili pepper because he wanted to know how hot it was. He learned to not add too much chili spice. His mouth still waters a little when he remembers that.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚 like putting ingredients together and seeing what they taste like,SA国际影视传媒� Drew said.
He said he most enjoys making poutine and hamburgers, which he makes from scratch. Sometimes his parents help him and sometimes he does it all on his own. Every week he prepares one meal for his family.
SA国际影视传媒淧outine is my favourite,SA国际影视传媒� Drew said. SA国际影视传媒淚 really like it and it tastes good. The gravy and fries and cheese curds are good. Today ISA国际影视传媒檓 making it with pulled pork.SA国际影视传媒�
Last week while camping at Walsh Lake he cooked sausages and ramen noodles. Next week he plans to make hamburgers.
Drew is aware that good cooking involves balancing a couple unhealthy food choices with more healthy ones and that seasonal conditions should be used to a chefSA国际影视传媒檚 advantage, explained Anna.
SA国际影视传媒淲e make popsicles in the winter time because theySA国际影视传媒檙e easy to freeze outside,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
Drew said heSA国际影视传媒檚 not sure yet if he wants to become a professional chef when heSA国际影视传媒檚 older. For now, cooking is something he enjoys doing for himself and for his family.
For other children who want to get more into cooking, Drew advises they have fun but do it in a safe way and not play with knives, fire or hot pots.
DrewSA国际影视传媒檚 prize from the contest includes a copy of the cookbook, a prize pack, a virtual cooking class in October with Chef Marysol Faucault and a grant of up to $5,000 to build a SA国际影视传媒榝ood growing systemSA国际影视传媒� for his class at Mildred Hall.
Principal Elizabeth Brace said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 proud of DrewSA国际影视传媒檚 creativity and is grateful heSA国际影视传媒檒l be able to share the prize with the school.
