Chefs fired up at Canadian cooking competition

Placing a baked flower petal on his seafood dish, Jacob Lee completes his entry atthe Canadian Food Championships.

The Shaw Conference Centresouschef is eager for the culinary challenge afterperfectinghisrecipefor the past fewmonths.

"Cooking is my everything," Lee said."There [are]no reasons, because it is my everything."

That sentiment is echoed among the clatter of pots and pans as competitors from across Canada battleit out in thethird year of the event as part of Taste of Edmonton.

"It's a food sport in the making," said MilenaSantoro, chair of theCanadian Food Championships.

"It's a concept ofamateurs, home cooks,foodies, lovers of foods and professional chefs that want to bringtheirtalent to the main stage and compete at this level."

There are seven categoriesincluding steak, seafood, desert and, of course,bacon.

Chefsare given one hour to prepare theiritem whichmust be delivered in time or facedisqualification.

Once it is turned over to the panel of judges,it is scored according to the EAT methodology, which judgesexecution, appearance andtaste.

The winners of each category geta golden ticket to the World Food Championship in Alabama in November.

Connie and WayneHebertwere at Taste of Edmonton to watchtheir son, Kyle, take part in the cook off.They sampled some of the dishes after they had been prepared.

"It was an amazing opportunity to come in and you have a bunch of new chefs that are trying to make their names and older chefs that are trying to make their names," said Wayne Hebert.

One of the new chefs is 14-year-old JonathanGiovannonifrom Spruce Grove. He started cooking at the age of five when a brain cancer diagnosis kept him inside.

Now Giovannoni,the youngest chef in the competition, is cooking up a storm.

"It's awesome just knowing that they actually appreciate it and they have a love for cooking as well," Giovannoni said.

"Cooking with people like this is amazing. Being able to share my passion and my food with them is unbelievable for me."

Everyone is welcome towatch the chefs in the main tent at Taste of Edmonton. The competition wraps up July 23.

"The hope is to inspire people to get on and get into the kitchen and start cooking," Santorosaid.

"It's really the love of food, the love of a recipe and the love of being part of something really great."