Students from both the health sciences and culinary arts programs took part in a contest to develop a menu for people with dysphagia

Winners of the Top Chef Challenge at Waterfront campus
Photo courtesy of Shawne McKeown

Culinary arts and health sciences students worked together to create meals for people with a specific health issue at George Brown College’s third-annual Top Chef Challenge at the Waterfront campus.

The contest was held on March 3, with three teams who had under three hours to prepare a full menu for people with dysphagia or trouble swallowing.

Matthew Grattan, a personal support worker student, was on the winning team, bringing his former chef training skills to the challenge.

“My input into the process was talking about clients with dysphagia and the types of things that we have to look for and what they go through when eating, and to watch for the specific dietary needs and what we had to do to alter the dishes,” said Grattan on the GBC website.

The winning menu featured: fresh mint lemonade, spaghetti squash with red pepper coulis, tangy yoghurt and chive oil; blueberry barbecue glazed chicken with a zesty coleslaw and Southern grits and classic crème caramel.