Culinary acuity at Canadore: College restaurant teaching finer elements of hospitality training.

• Author: Kelly, Lindsay
• Position: NORTH BAY

At 100 Elements restaurant, the sophisticated array of ever-changing menu items, prompt service and high level of professionalism consistently position it among the top restaurants in North Bay on the travel review website TripAdvisor.

But what might come as a surprise to those not already familiar with the eatery is that it's also a teaching restaurant for Canadore College's culinary arts students--the hosts, servers and chefs are learning as they go.

David Himmelman, dean of media, arts, recreation and access at Canadore College, estimates about 100 students enrol annually across Canadore's culinary arts programs, and demand in the field is growing, both for front-of-house service workers and back-of-house culinary workers.

"The estimates are that we will be probably about 25,000 jobs short over the next eight to 12 years (in the hospitality industry), so there are great opportunities," Himmelman said.

"I'd love to see more students than what we have right now."

Canadore's program is fairly small in comparison to its larger counterparts at schools like Toronto's George Brown College or Niagara College, but studying in North Bay has its advantages.

"I think the reason we hear students love coming to our program is that interaction daily that they get with their chefs, people who have tremendous industry experience and who know them as individuals and not just a number in their class," Himmelman said.

"So it really is a personal experience in their time here."

But despite 100 Elements being a learning environment, Shelley Busch, a culinary technologist at Canadore, said students aren't let off the hook. While faculty and mentors do their best to guide their charges, learners still face the same demands they would in any other restaurant.

Patrons expect their orders to be accurate, the food to taste good, and the service to be quick and professional.

"We may nurture a little bit, but I work with three different chefs and, believe me, they're out of the industry, and they treat the students the same as they would in the industry," Busch said.

"They have to work hard, they have to produce, and the pressure is on."

The restaurant only operates during the school year, opening for dinner on Thursday and Friday nights and lunch on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. There are opportunities for learning across programs and skill levels, and students will rotate positions to ensure they experience the full scope of a job, Himmelman said.

There are plenty of...