The first group of students to enrol in the new Culinary Arts Program offered by the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) held a graduation ceremony in the restaurant at Nk’ Mip Winery last Friday afternoon. All eight graduates from the initial 13-week program were offered summer jobs at Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort and Spa and five accepted. Attending the ceremony were (from left) Benedict Genaille, the food and beverage manager at Spirit Ridge and man responsible for starting up the program; students Tallin Gregoire, Kx Hall, Russell Baptiste, Jacob Kruger and Alicia McRae; Dennis Thistlewaite, an executive chef who ran the program; and chef Tim Bissky, who taught the last three weeks of the program after Thistlewaite became ill. (Keith Lacey photo)
After more than 40 years of working in the blazing South Okanagan sun, Russell Baptiste was looking for a change.
And he found it when he enrolled in the new culinary arts program offered by the Osoyoos Indian Band.
The first eight graduates from the program, including Baptiste, completed their initial 13-week training course at Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort and Spa last Friday as they were treated to a nice meal by Spirit Ridge staff and handed certificates by teachers.
All eight graduates were offered summer jobs at Spirit Ridge and five accepted. They started their new positions on Sunday.
The goal of the program is to continue the program in September and eventually have all those who graduate from the culinary arts program received their “Red Seal” accreditation, which would allow them to find employment in almost any fine restaurant in North America.
Baptiste, 55, said he was looking for a change after working for the past 42 years in various vineyards in the area.
“This opportunity came up and I was looking to try something different,” said Baptiste. “I have always wanted to learn how to cook properly and I love food, so I thought this might be a good idea.”
Baptiste doesn’t have a single regret about changing careers.
“It was very tough and a lot of work, but I learned a lot and had a lot of fun,” he said. “I was sort of afraid I wouldn’t catch on, but the teachers were great and they taught us properly and now I’m confident in the kitchen. I’m really looking forward to starting my new job.”
Six of the eight graduates from the new culinary arts program are members of the Osoyoos Indian Band, while two others are from the Lower Similkameen Indian Band.
The idea for this program came from Benedict Genaille, the new food and beverage manager at Spirit Ridge.
Genaille, who started his new job last October, has been working in the culinary industry for more than 30 years and approached OIB Chief Clarence Louie several months ago with his idea of offering a culinary arts program for First Nation people.
Louie liked the idea, talked it over with the OIB’s economic development board and plans were finalized to offer the program starting early in the new year, said Genaille.
Louie and several members of the Osoyoos Indian Band Development Corporation were on hand for Friday’s graduation ceremony.
Louie said he was duly impressed with the program and congratulated all of the graduates on their success.
The key to the program is not only to offer training to First Nation people in the culinary arts, but to also offer employment for those who graduate, said Louie.
Dennis Thistlewaite, who has more than 40 years of experience in the food industry and led the culinary arts program at Northwest Community College in Terrace for more than a decade, was brought in by Genaille to lead the program.
Thistlewaite said working with this small group over the past three months was one of the most rewarding experiences of his career.
“I’ve never seen a group that worked so cohesively and as a team in all my years in this business,” he said. “They helped each other immensely and really wanted to learn. I had an amazing time working with them and it was exceptionally rewarding.”
Thistlewaite got sick and had to bring in fellow executive chef Tim Bissky to teach the final three weeks. Bissky was also at Friday’s graduation ceremony.
The new culinary arts program is all about giving students everything they need to become successful and gain employment at the top end of the industry, said Thistlewaite.
“I want some of these guys to be cooking in the best restaurants in the province and the country,” he said. “We had some amazing talent in this group and I have no doubt many of them are going to do very well in the industry.”
The first graduating class includes Jacob Kruger, Connor Baptiste, Lena Holmstrom, Tallin Gregoire, Kx Hall, Serena Louie, Alicia McRae and Baptiste.
Thistlewaite and Genaille are both hopeful that the OIB will free up some more funding so the students will be able to resume their studies in September and continue towards their Red Seal certification in 2017.
Genaille thanked Louie and the OIB for their financial support of the culinary arts program and management at Spirit Ridge resort for allowing the use of their facilities to provide the training over the past three months.
“All of the chefs who provided the training have their Red Seal, so our students were being taught by the best,” he said. “They are being taught to do things the right way.
“My hope is this program is here to stay and is the beginning of a great opportunity for First Nation people in the South Okanagan.”
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
