Each event is spearheaded by an innovative culinary team, consisting of a world-class international chef, an inspired local chef and a promising junior chef.

Canadian culinary students and recent graduates were asked to research ingredients indigenous to Cape Breton and develop a menu showcasing these ingredients in delicious ways.

 The winners developed recipes with ingredients as common as lobster, rhubarb and blueberries and as unique as Irish moss, snow crab and chanterelle mushrooms.

Junior chefs invited for an all-expenses-paid trip to Cape Breton include: Brandy Currie, Justin Yap, Katie Wall and Martha MacDonald, all of Nova Scotia Community College; Alexei Boldireff of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Alberta; Lyra Kelsey of the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, British Columbia; Robin Hutt, Georgian College, Ontario; and Ashton MacDonald, Tara Sdraulig and Kyle MacLeod, all of Holland College, Prince Edward Island.

“I've been working my whole life for an experience like this,” said Cape Breton-born Ashton MacDonald. “As soon as I heard about this competition, I could see myself doing it.”

Event founder Pearleen Mofford said carving out a place for junior chefs was a very important part of the adventure. Students were evaluated based on the quality of their research of Cape Breton ingredients and preparations, as well as recipe creativity and innovation.