MasterChef Canada winner Trevor Connie doesn鈥檛 look out of place as he leans over a pan of pasta sauce, high school students crowding around him.

After all, it wasn鈥檛 that long ago Connie was a student in Seaquam Secondary鈥檚 ACE-IT program himself, learning how to cook in this same kitchen.

鈥淭his program and [instructor] Chef Boyle were huge, instrumental roles for me when I was these kids鈥� age,鈥� the North Delta native said.

鈥淚鈥檝e always been into cooking, but in this room is really where I honed my passion,鈥� he continued. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 good to come back and inspire the kids, show them where maybe they could be in 10 years if they stick to it and they follow their passion.鈥�

Students in ACE IT, a trades program that gives students high school credits and apprenticeship training, are moving around the kitchen, hair tied back and white chef coats on.

This past June, Connie won MasterChef Canada, a competition that pits homechefs against each other to win a $100,000 prize.

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Teacher Michael Boyle oversees Seaquam鈥檚 culinary ACE IT program. He taught Connie 10 years ago, when Connie was a Grade 12 student at the school.

鈥淎s a student in here, he was good,鈥� Boyle said. 鈥淚 think he found something in the kitchen that he liked. Clearly it鈥檚 paying off for him.鈥�

Several weeks ago, Connie got in touch with Boyle, inviting the culinary class to a six-course tasting dinner Connie was hosting in Vancouver and inviting himself to teach on Thursday, Oct. 5.

On that day, Connie shared one of his specialties with the students: pasta.

Connie instructed the students on how to make three types of pasta sauce and four different types of pasta noodles 鈥� all made from scratch, of course. They also made homemade ricotta cheese.

Grade 12 student Brodie Easdown was stirring the tomato- and meat-based sauce on an industrial-sized stove.

鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to learn from someone as big as him,鈥� Easdown said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity from someone that has won a huge contest in Canada.鈥�

For Connie, who currently lives in Edmonton, it was 鈥渟uper special and sentimental鈥� to be back at his old high school.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool to share what I鈥檝e learned over the years with these young kids,鈥� he said.

Boyle didn鈥檛 interfere much with Connie鈥檚 teaching; he stood off to the side and watched the students separate eggs by hand and measure flour into bowls.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really outstanding to see him have success,鈥� Boyle said about Connie. 鈥淧lus, as I say, it speaks volumes about his character that he wants to come back and share.鈥�

grace.kennedy@northdeltareporter.com
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