Cavendish Farms celebrates fourth annual Culinary Competition
Cavendish Farms proudly hosted its fourth annual Cavendish Culinary Competition in February in partnership with The Culinary Institute of Canada in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
Since partnering with Holland College to establish Canada’s Smartest Kitchen in 2008, the two organizations have worked together to advance food innovation. Through a state-of-the-art test kitchen and pilot production facility, the partnership supports applied research, product development and hands-on culinary learning. This collaboration provides young chefs with real-world opportunities to explore how Cavendish Farms products can be reimagined for modern consumer preferences.
Holland College culinary students were challenged to create dishes that resonate with Generation Z tastes, encouraging creativity in flavour, format and presentation. Students first submitted written proposals outlining their recipes and six finalists advanced to present their dishes before a panel of industry and community judges.
This year’s theme, Generation Z, challenged students to think boldly and creatively about the future of food. Those currently in their late teens and early twenties are expected to become the most frequent group of visitors to restaurants within the next five years. Understanding what resonates with this audience is critical for future menu development. With Generation Z reshaping the culinary landscape through adventurous choices, participants were encouraged to reimagine Cavendish Farms products in versatile and forward-thinking ways.
The competition serves as a platform for skill development, innovation and community engagement, giving students the opportunity to test ideas, refine techniques and build confidence in a professional culinary environment.
2026 Winners
1st Place – Kevin Jenkins: Onion Ring Banh Mi (Onion Rings)
A vegetarian reinterpretation of a globally recognized sandwich, using Cavendish Farms’ Onion Rings as the star ingredient.
2nd Place – Evangeline Liu: Global Street Potato Burger (Sweet Potato Fries and Wedges)
A classic beef burger topped with Cavendish Farms’ Sweet Potato Fries, accompanied by Guizhou-style Cavendish Farms’ Wedges.
3rd Place – Allison Harvie: Potato Toast (Cavendish Farms’ Hash Brown Patties and Diced Potatoes)
A Cavendish Farms’ Hashbrown Patty topped with warm potato salad and a soft poached egg, finished with hollandaise sauce, fresh chives and pickled red onion for garnish.
Each year, the competition strengthens Cavendish Farms’ connection to the local community and highlights the company’s commitment to culinary education. The event empowers students to explore food as both an art and a business, while considering how Cavendish Farms’ products fit into evolving culinary trends driven by today’s youth.
Cavendish Farms looks forward to continuing to grow the competition, deepen student engagement and support the creative and innovative chefs who will help shape the future of foodservice.
Congratulations to all participants for their outstanding contributions and a special thank you to the esteemed panel of judges from Prince Edward Island’s culinary community:
Chef Mark Corrigan, Research Chef, Cavendish Farms
Owen O’Brien, Food Safety Manager, Cavendish Farms
Chef Ross Midgely, Program Manager — Culinary, Hospitality and Tourism, The Culinary Institute of Canada
Chef Christine Murnaghan, Chef, Gallants & Co.
Chef Andrew Smith, Product Developer, Canada’s Smartest Kitchen
Chef Aaron Smith, Executive Chef, Piper’s Restaurant & Patio
