Any surprises at the competition?
I would have to say the judging. A lot of the long-time judges that you’d traditionally see at this calibre of competition didn’t come back — which, on one hand, was a good thing, because it opened opportunities for newer judges to participate. But the trade-off is that some of the newer judges weren’t maybe as qualified. For example, it’s now possible to have a WACS-certified judge who has never competed. A top-level competitor sitting as a judge brings that knowledge and experience to the judging panel. I think that was missing this year — and perhaps is why there were not a lot gold medals awarded. In the Cold Kitchen, for instance: Only one gold medal out of 35 national teams? There’s gotta be something wrong. There were other teams — like the American, Swiss, Finnish and German — that had really good tables and deserved gold, and I can’t understand why they didn’t get it.

The effect of a rule change also had a surprising effect. In the Cold Kitchen, there used to be medals for each of the four entry categories, but that was changed to only one medal encompassing all categories. So, in the past, teams could get different combinations of gold, silver and bronze medals and then an overall ranking in relation to other teams. Now, there seemed to be almost an “averaging” to come up with a one-medal ranking. That isn’t necessarily indicative of the actual level of individual category performance. And it short-changes the teams’ ability to promote multiple-medal awards — that can be a disadvantage in generating sponsorship, especially for regional teams or smaller countries.

What was the worst time for you in these two and a half years?
When James [the original pastry chef] left the team. It was also hard when Dave left, but his role was replaceable from within the team. When you lose your pastry chef … well, pastry is one-third of the Cold Kitchen and one-third of the Hot Kitchen — and no one else on the team can step in and take over. I think that really affected the guys, was hard for them. But it made them even tighter.

Did that make you anxious at all?
No, not really. Yes, we lost two members, but Poyan stepped in and took on the buffet platter and did a terrific job. And Jennifer did an outstanding job with the pastry. Having only six or seven weeks to get ready when someone normally has a year or a year and a half? She worked day and night — I don’t know how she did it. There were no excuses, no complaining … heading in to the competition, I knew everyone would bring their best. That’s all you can ask of a team. And I was very happy with what they did — and proud of how they did it.

What will you remember most from the two and a half years of being with this team?
The cohesiveness of the team, and the camaraderie. All of the teams I’ve worked with have always worked well, but this team was amazing … the way they got along right from the start. They’re a really tight group, and I think that’s what saved the team in those last six weeks before the competition.

And I’ll remember the coaches. I’ve always worked with Fred — for almost 25 years, competing and coaching — and I know him as one of the best anywhere. I knew what Bruno could do and I’ve always respected him, but I’d never worked with him as closely as this time. The commitment that I saw from him was amazing, like discovering a totally new person. As a coach, he’s on a level with Fred in my mind. And Clayton was key to us doing okay in Germany after our pastry chef left in August. You can be willing — as Jennifer was — but when you don’t have the knowledge and experience, you need someone to help you. Clayton was that for Jennifer, the mind behind her ideas, helping her to refine and shape them … and doing in six weeks what normally evolves over a year and a half. Without Clayton’s help and coaching, I don’t know what we would have done.

Did you get much sleep?
Not really. But likely more than the boys and Jennifer!

Did you eat properly?
Oh, yeah. That’s one area that I always make sure is really good. When they’re working that hard and long, the team members have to have proper nutrition, and good food. We bring along chefs who are responsible for the lunches and dinners. Team Alberta captain Doug Overes, with Anthony McCarthy from Saskatoon, supervised the meals with members of Team Alberta providing a lot of help. Everything is on a schedule, so breakfasts were at the hotel where we stayed, and lunches and dinners were at the culinary school kitchen where the team did all its work.

How were the accommodations?
Really nice. We pretty much had the hotel to ourselves. They only had 24 rooms and we took 22, so it was like Canada House!

Any celebrating after?
We went for dinner, and the team also went on a Rhine tour after the competition ended.

Anything new for you at this competition?
One of the highlights was the work Jessica Keyes did for us on the blog, Facebook, YouTube and so forth. We had never before done this kind of online coverage during a competition. Quite a few people commented on what a good job she did — and it was exciting to see people follow us and what was happening.

What made you most proud of the team?
They never gave up, even with the two members — especially the pastry chef — changing so close to the competition. They just kept going.

What did you learn about yourself?
It’s time to retire! Time to let the young guys do it. I think I kind of knew that already going in. It’s like the mind is there, but the body is not quite what it used to be, quite up to all the stress and demand and time commitment. I’d find myself making little mistakes, forgetting things I never would have before. I need to take a break … do nothing for a year or so … and regroup. Just concentrate on my job and family life.

What was the best about being part of Team Canada?
I guess the achievement over the last two and a half years … finding the members and getting them to work together and making our country proud because we did well. We started with nothing and have something at the end. It’s not so much pride as satisfaction that you did it, and did it well, and that everyone is happy with the results. I respect the team chefs and the coaches very much, and I’m glad of the friendships made.

What will you reminisce about years from now?
The menu for the Hot Kitchen and how it came together. In May we were still not where we wanted to be. Then Bruno came up with the lobster idea for appetizer … he’d tried it in his restaurant and sent it for us to see — and it was the key that opened up a direction for the menu. Then Brad came up with the main course, and Clayton helped Jennifer when we had to come up with a new dessert in September. That was exciting.

I think we’ll also talk about the china for the Cold Kitchen. A couple of years ago I was at the Bocuse d’Or and attended a grande Chefs du monde dinner honouring Paul Bocuse. Each chef got a commemorative plate from Raynaud Limoges, along with their catalogue. At the time I thought it was a really neat pattern, and then in January 2011 when we needed to select china, I wrote off to France and was able to make arrangements to get this pattern. It was difficult to work with because of the shapes … and some pieces had a bump in the centre, others a sort of nest in the middle. The platters are key to presentation and how you lay the food out, and this china was very modern and a challenge to work with. The guys didn’t much like it at first! But I always think that every time you have to work harder, the end result is better. If it’s easy, the work is average.

Would you do it again?
No, I think it’s time to retire. I believe very much that it’s possible to stay too long! It’s like wine: you have to keep it in the bottle for a while so it can mature, but leave it too long and it’ll turn to vinegar. I will be there to help and to coach, but it’s time for some of the young guys to take over.

Last thoughts on the whole experience? And what now?
I’m very satisfied … very content … very happy with the results. It’s time to move on — and now I can go fishing! I didn’t go at all this past summer and only once the summer before, so that’s where I’ll be next summer. I love it and I’ve missed it. Quiet … peaceful … with my tent in the woods … out in the fresh air, fishing …

When were you the most anxious?
Before we went into the kitchen we’d be using for the hot competition. You’re using a kitchen you’ve never seen, an unknown environment — that’s the biggest challenge. The first thing we did when we got there was check out the kitchen and the equipment. Everything was there — ice-cream machine, robocoup, tilt skillet, pots, pans, utensils, everything we needed — and all brand new. We were stressing out for nothing, but until you check it out, you’re anxious.

Any surprises at the competition?
No hot water in the hot kitchen to wash the dishes and equipment as we worked. We didn’t need the deep fryer, so used it to heat water. And I was surprised at all the people watching while the team was cooking.

Did you get much sleep?
No. Between the hot competition and cold competition and lending a hand to Team Alberta, I think it was probably upwards of 50 hours straight without sleep. Then I slept for 20 hours.

You said pink is your lucky colour and you planned on wearing it under your chef whites. Did that happen?
Yeah. I even bought extra pink underwear. Patrick was my roommate and he was always laughing when he saw me.

What are you most proud?
What we accomplished as a team. We were more like a family … how we bonded. It was an intense time together, and awesome. And I kind of miss them.

What are you taking away from this experience?
Everything that I’ve learned. I didn’t know what to expect and never expected to learn that much. It was big, overwhelming to represent Canada. I’m more organized in my own life. How to assess and set priorities … determine what can wait. I’ve grown a lot and learned. Gotten a little wiser maybe?

What’s something you especially admire about your teammates?
The focus that those guys have, how they get into a zone. Really awesome. It’s intense. Pat and Brad are like robots … their dedication, pride and passion.

Trade-offs to being part of the team?
The time commitment: it takes you away from friends, your personal life. I knew those guys more than I knew myself!

What will you reminisce about years from now?
The feeling of representing my country in the most amazing trade in the world, which is cooking.

Would you do again?
Yes, anytime, with no hesitation. It does take a lot of your personal time, but it’s worth it.

Last thoughts on the whole experience?
There was a lot of good chemistry on this team. They were a humble group of chefs, and very welcoming to me over the two years of my involvement.

Any surprises at the competition?
There are always little things that come up, like a platter got broken on the way over to Germany, so Poyan had to find a new one and rearrange his presentation. A bigger thing: Peter had his stuff stolen, including his passport, which weighed a bit on everyone’s mind.

As a support member, what sorts of things were you called on to do?
We did whatever needed to be done to help the guys get the hot food and cold food ready and to the competition site — from peeling potatoes and prepping other ingredients, to moving stuff, loading up the van. We helped prepare meals so everyone was fed well and on schedule. Normally we wouldn’t have been involved in the cold kitchen glazing … Peter would have done it, but he had to go to the police station to report the theft, so we helped Poyan with glazing.

Did you eat properly?
We ate very well. Doug Overes and the Team Alberta guys and Anthony McCarthy from Saskatoon took really good care of us. We even had Thanksgiving dinner with turkey.

Did you get much sleep?
No, not much. The most hectic days were leading up to the Cold Kitchen. Team Canada competed on Saturday in the Hot Kitchen, so started early that day and worked until midnight. Then up at 5 a.m. on Sunday to start the Team’s Cold Kitchen prep to be ready for setup at 7 a.m. Monday morning. Then I went straight to work on my individual entry in the Tuesday competition. I pretty much went from 5 a.m. Sunday until 9 a.m. Tuesday morning without sleep. But when we did have a chance to sleep, I slept well!

When did you feel the most anxious?
Before the actual competition started. The couple of minutes before going into the Hot Kitchen. For the Cold Kitchen, getting to the venue with everything … loading up the van … carrying the showpiece to the van … driving over bumpy roads and hoping everything gets there okay.

Any celebration highlights?
We had a team dinner at a local restaurant. And we had a get-together with all of the Canadian regional teams, the national team, and all of the individual competitors. Pretty neat.

What’s something you especially admire about Team Canada’s performance?
The tightness of the team. They had to overcome some adversity this past summer when two members bowed out and a new pastry chef came on. It was really something to see the group come together, take it in stride, go to the competition and still do well.

What are you taking away from this experience?
Most meaningful are the bonds and relationships formed with other team members and coaches. And from a personal standpoint, it was the mentoring I received from Bruno and Fred. I had never done the Cold Kitchen before — I’d say I was the weakest one with Cold Kitchen. Once they knew I was doing an individual entry as well as being a Team support member, Fred took me under his wing. Sometimes he was hard on me — “No, this is horrible.” — but then he would offer direction, would show and share all that he knows.

I learned how to do things from the perspective of cold competition. As a teacher, I adapt and modify techniques to show students how to apply them in restaurant presentation — along with the artistic side … how plate design and scale, presentation, proportion and so on come into play.

Would you do again?
Right now, I don’t think I would. I was part of the last Team Canada, so it’s been five years in total. From a family standpoint, I don’t think I could do a national team — the weekend round-trips three or four times a year from Newfoundland out west, with all my cold practice prep done before leaving, plus local fundraising events … it’s a big commitment. But maybe a regional team …

Last thoughts on the whole experience?
It was really positive. I want to thank everyone for helping me out and teaching me. Sure, it is about gold and silver medals, but down the road, it’ll be the connections we’ve made, of meeting up with the team members we spent years with before the five days of competition. When Simon and Fred talk about a competition they’ve been in, it’s about what happened on the journey leading up to it not the medals won.

Any surprises at the competition?
The kitchens we had to work out of for the Hot Kitchen were really nice, which was a good surprise. A not-so-great surprise was that we were shorted a bit on the amount of some ingredients, which puts a little stress on you. But we were able to accommodate things and it worked out fine.

When did you feel most excited?
When it was over?! Yes, you’re overtired and overworked, you’ve been staying up for days … but when you get to the end and you were able to win fourth, it’s an exciting finish.

Did you get much sleep?
No.

Did you eat properly?
We had great chefs cooking, so we had good food. But I’m not sure I ate properly … I don’t remember what we ate! The competition days were kind of a blur.

Did you stay healthy?
Yes, during the competition, but I was sick for a good week after … just sheer exhaustion. I’m glad it didn’t happen going into competition.

What are you taking away from this experience?
I think it’s great for anybody in their profession to try to see what they can accomplish. I’ve always used competition as my extracurricular activity, but always took it as a way of learning.

What’s something you especially admire about your teammates?
Their endurance, especially through the hard and stressful days of the competition. And our camaraderie. Everyone has something to teach everyone else. Each person brings their own talents, and that creates a unique team. The big thing is you have to move forward not as individuals but as a team and for Canada.

Would you do it again?
No, I’ve officially retired.

Was there a sense of competition amongst the national teams?
It’s more competing against yourself and against time. We have such great coaches: They tell us what we need to do and we try to execute it. We trust that if we keep working toward that, improving, and we do it right at the competition, we’ll get gold. Time management comes into play because we have to hit certain marks, in both the hot and cold competitions. It’s very important, and the hardest thing to control.

Any surprises at the competition?
We have to buy ingredients in Germany, and we couldn’t find rhubarb for our Restaurant of Nations dessert. Clayton [team coach] and I had been looking all day, driving from place to place. We stopped for a bite to eat and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a store across the street with rhubarb. It was very green, no pink in it, like we’re used to here, but it was rhubarb!

During the competition, did you ever want to let out a cheer?
During the Restaurant of Nations. A judge came up to me and said, “You have to have 20 dessert plates out in 7 minutes or you’ll lose points.” Brad rallied the team, everyone came over and helped, and we got them out in 5 minutes. I called the judge over and said, “They’re out, they’re gone.” He hadn’t thought we could do it, but … It solidified for me that we were at the top of our game in the Hot Kitchen.

Were you nervous at all?
Only one time: Simon asked me to carry the pastry showpiece to the exhibition hall. I think it was probably because I’m the biggest guy on the team! That was stressful — to carry this four-foot-high chocolate showpiece that the pastry chef spent so much time making. I had to transport it from the culinary school kitchen to the van, sit with it in the vehicle, carry it to the exhibit hall, and place it on the display table. I was very conscientious about carrying it, and took it seriously. I guess because I did a good job, they asked me to carry the Team Alberta showpiece — and that was even more fragile!

Did you eat properly?
Definitely. The food was just great. Besides helping wherever needed, the support chefs fed, hydrated and motivated us. We couldn’t have done it without Serge and Roger, and Doug, Anthony and Resi from Team Alberta.

Did you stay healthy?
I took along Cold FX. My fiancée Janet is a pharmacist and she packed up a little emergency medical kit.

Did you get much sleep?
Not a lot. We knew that would be the case going in — and in fact, mimicked competition conditions in our last practices here at home. It was complicated for me when my leather jacket, with my passport, wallet, iPhone, etc., was stolen during our hot kitchen competition. I had to travel to Berlin to get things solved, so I slept on the train.

Did losing your passport, wallet, etc. throw you off your game?
For about 5 minutes, when we couldn’t find the jacket and I was trying to figure out what happened, it fazed me. But then I just said I’ll deal with it later. After three and a half years of getting to this point, I needed to focus on the competition and what we had to do, and couldn’t lose my concentration after all we’d worked toward. I’m a laid-back person and figured it would get solved. I don’t freak out about stuff.

Any celebration highlights?
I thought one of the best moments was when all of the Canadian teams and individual competitors got together after the awards ceremonies for a drink at the hotel. There were some heartfelt speeches, and a good time. It was particularly special for me because Hans Anderegg, my instructor when I attended Holland College, was there with the PEI team. He started me in competition back when I was a student and he was there to see me competing on the Canadian national team. The picture of us, me with my medals on, is on my desktop. It was proud moment for both of us, I think.

What will you remember most from the three and a half years of being on this team?
Of everyone on the team, I had the least experience in the cold competition and the putting together of cold plates. There were times during practice when the coaches said, don’t change the plate, don’t do anything else, it’s perfect. After hours, weeks, months of work and red-eye flights from Halifax … when the coaches said that, a weight is lifted, you feel like you’ve hit the mark. Those moments were very meaningful, and their memory will stay with me.

And all the things I learned from the other chefs on the team — especially Brad, and the tricks he showed in how to work with the cold food. I learned from ground zero how to glaze things properly, how the gelatins react … I learned how to do it the right way. Being able to do artistic food, you need to know how to do this. I cherish and use every bit of knowledge that I learned from everyone else. And I pass it along to my students. There’s a legacy that’s been created. That’s very important.

And our fundraising events and the chance to show the people who bid on the culinary tour auction items where I’m from and what we have in Nova Scotia. That’ll definitely stay with me.

Last thoughts on the whole experience?
When your neighbour has to mow your lawn for you through the summer and your dog is mad because he’s been sleeping on your side of the bed for so long that now he thinks it’s his, you know being on the team has taken a lot of time. That’s not a negative thing! But it’s good to be home.

Would you do again?
Right now, I think I’m retired. I might focus on my students at school competing, being their coach/manager.

What was one of the best things from your time on Team Canada?
I enjoyed just meeting the guys on the team, and spending time with them, getting along with them. Until a few years ago, I’d never met them and now I’m good friends with these really great guys.

Any surprises during the competition?
The only major thing was during the Hot Kitchen. One of the two pieces of equipment we brought — a thermal circulator — worked when we checked it beforehand, but it just conked out during the competition. You can’t get worked up about it. You just have to accept it, make the call on the fly how to work around it, and let everyone know. Then concentrate and not let it get you out of your system/routine.

What do you see as a key strength of this team going into the Hot Kitchen?
I think we’re thoughtful and purposeful in how we come into the kitchen and organize ourselves. We have an idea of what the competition kitchen in Germany will be like — and at every practice we’re in a different kitchen to get used to adjusting our workflow — but our timeline and organization is idealized only, until we’re in the actual kitchen.

The day before we did hot competition, we had about two hours of orientation in our designated kitchen, including a tutorial on all of the equipment. Right after, the team met to look at setup … who’ll be at which station using which fridge, stove, etc. We mapped out the kitchen on paper, assigned stations and tracked work paths, organizing people in the physical space to make sure we didn’t get in each other’s way as we did our parts of the three-course menu. Whether it’s food or equipment — or a person — everyone knows where it’s to go, everything is labelled. Timing and the space are so limited that everything has to be purposeful. For example, placing items in the fridge in order of usage. When everything is timed to the minute, hunting in the back for what you need first can be the difference between a gold and a silver or a high gold and a low gold.

When did you feel most excited?
It was huge to hear we got Gold in the Hot Kitchen. It gave us extra motivation and energy to push ourselves in our Cold Kitchen work.

Did you get much sleep?
The last night in Canada and the first day there, I didn’t sleep. The travel day is always stressful and, even though I spent four or five hours a week for the preceding few months organizing myself, the first day there, you want to make sure you, your equipment, the food, etc. arrives okay. Once I see everything is there and we’re organized, then it doesn’t affect my sleep. Except for the Cold Kitchen when you just go 36 hours straight to get it done!

Did you eat properly?
We ate a lot. I tried the food in that area of Germany. Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia province. The official sausage is bratwurst, and a potato dumpling is one of the other traditional local foods. It didn’t matter where we went, they were on the menu.

Did you do any shopping or sightseeing?
Not during the competition, but my wife and my parents were there, so we took some days after to go around Germany and to Prague.

What do you especially admire about your teammates?
Everyone was very level-headed … no infighting, no egos, no arrogance. To have six professional chefs work together 25 hours straight, being very respectful of each other, is pretty amazing. It’s not just skills; you have to be able to work with each other. What really helped us to be successful were the attitudes of the people on the team.

What are you taking away from this experience?
After competing and talking to other people, especially students and apprentices, and being part of Team Canada, you realize what it means to represent your country and professionalism in your industry — at a consistent, high level. It humbles you. And raises expectations. It’s changed how I relate to my work and to other people. I think twice about using proper cooking techniques, doing things the best way, how I communicate, being conscious of what I’m doing all the time. It changes other people’s expectations of you, whether or not they know you, and I don’t want to let people down; I want to be a good example for others. What I’ve taking away is personal growth.

What will you reminisce about years from now?
Coming out of the hot competition late Saturday night and going straight into the Cold Kitchen prep early Sunday morning. From a physical and mental standpoint, that was something else. I’ve never been through anything like that. Knowing we were behind. Knowing we had to leave at 5:30 on Monday morning. Knowing we had too much to do. But we needed to be ready. I clearly remember the energy and the sense of everyone working together.

Would you do it again?
During competition everyone is hyper-focused, maxed out to get everything done. Right after, you relish the fact that you’re done — and then think about all the things you’ve missed out on for the previous six months! It goes pretty fast at the end: competing … finishing … celebrating … going home to your normal life. If you asked me while I was competing, I’d say: absolutely not. Right after: um, no. A while later: maybe. Next spring: well …

But after we finished the cold competition, I remember very distinctly walking back from the school kitchen where we prepped to the hotel. I hadn’t been to bed for 48 hours, a super long day, I had beer in my coffee mug … time didn’t matter … and I felt such elation, lightness. It was a beautiful morning, around 7:30 — and then I just about got hit by a tram. I remember thinking, “Really? Now??”

Were you nervous or anxious at all?
Not during the competition. For me, all of the stress and the anxiety was in Edmonton before leaving. Once you’re there, there are only two options: sink or swim, and sinking wasn’t an option. I was caught a little off guard initially at the hot competition: my workstation was right in front of the window so I constantly had hundreds of people staring at me. I wasn’t anticipating that many people and all the cameras.

Any surprises at the competition?
We had trouble tracking down rhubarb, one of the components of my Hot Kitchen dessert. And when we found some, it was green not red, so it took some finagling to make it red — a moment of stress for sure! The support members and Team Alberta members who’d eaten all the earlier versions of the dessert at practices, when they tasted this one said that I’d picked the right moment to peak!

Did you get much sleep?
Even before the competition, I had very little sleep! I came into work at 9:00 in the morning and stayed until 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning for the two weeks before we left. I joked that I was preparing for Germany and our no-sleep schedule.

Did you eat properly?
The meals were one of the most memorable things for me. I texted my mom that I was eating three regular meals a day (I was used to Safeway cake on the fly in the weeks before Erfurt). We had breakfast at our hotel — the only reason I went to bed at night was to have owner Thomas’s breakfasts in the morning! — and Team Alberta made lunch and dinner for us every day. And I rediscovered Nutella while I was there … Nutella and butter sandwiches: the best.

Any time for shopping or sightseeing?
Given that I love shoes [Jennifer has150 pairs, mostly high heels], I thought it would be nice to have some Germany shoes to go with my London shoes and Manchester shoes. At first I wondered why they didn’t have all kinds of pretty high-heeled shoes in Germany. Then the first time I walked on the cobblestoned streets, I got it. But I wore all eight pairs of fun shoes that I brought along (in addition to my two pairs of kitchen clogs), and I did bring home a new pair of beautiful 4-inch heels in blue suede with pink soles.

What are you taking away from this experience?
The deepening and creating of friendships. I only moved from Team Alberta to Team Canada in August, so I still consider myself a sort of honorary member of Team Alberta. I became really close with them. I was happy for Team Canada and what we accomplished, but I confess that when Team Alberta won gold, I got weepy for them: the little team that could!

What was the best thing about being part of Team Canada?
You learn so much about yourself. I learned an immense amount about what I was capable of. A few times, when we were prepping at the school kitchen, I felt I was so out of my depth … but then I look at what we did as a team … It still hasn’t totally sunk in. And I don’t credit myself. Without the support members, the coaches, my family — amazing people — I could not have done it.

What will you reminisce about years from now?
The friendships, that walk back to the hotel after it was all over and the surrealness of the whole experience. Even now I look back and think, “Did I really do that?”

Would you do it again?
I might. Especially with more than a couple of months’ lead time. The expectations between the regional and national team competitions are much different — you definitely need to step up your game to compete at the national level.

Were you nervous at all?
Yeah, I was nervous. There were people around taking photos, videoing, but once we got in the kitchen, I just blocked it out. We knew what we had to do. So you just gotta breathe, focus on what you’re doing and aim to win.

Any surprises during the competition?
I had one shocker in the Hot Kitchen. I was breaking the lobster shells and when I cracked down on one of them, a piece flew up. One of the judges was right close — in the “zone” — and it hit him right in the face. I thought, “Oh, man, we’re going to lose points …” but he just laughed it off. And then in the Cold Kitchen, one of my components was missing — couldn’t find it anywhere — so I went without it and just worked around it. Definitely a surprise.

Any high-five, let-out-a-cheer moments for you?
The only moment that really kind of did that to me was when we were back at the school kitchen after the hot competition. Simon came in and said: “Hot Kitchen: Gold medal.” I freaked out. Being my last competition, that’s all I wanted. I yelled out and started hugging people … I was so excited that the biggest goal in my professional career had been fulfilled!

Did you get much sleep?
Not much at all. In the first couple of days, you’re so worked up, so revved. And the night before the Hot Kitchen, I didn’t get any sleep. I’d say there were three or four days at least without any sleep.

Did you stay healthy?
I brought all my vitamins, including vitamin C, and drank lots of water. I really pounded the echinacea before we left. You keep telling yourself that you can’t get sick before the competition, but after … When I got back, it took about a week and then my body just let go and I got seriously ill.

Many competitors have a good luck charm. Anything like that with you?
Yeah. I wore a T-shirt that my mom gave me a few years ago when I turned 40; it has a baby picture of me printed on it. She passed away recently, and just before, I told her I’d wear the T-shirt underneath my chef’s jacket when I went.

What are you taking away from this experience?
Mostly the camaraderie, being together. Over the past three years, we’ve shown how we can work together, not as individuals but as a team.

What do you especially admire about your teammates?
I’m proud that we gelled really well, worked really well together, got along well. We’re all talented, so it was great to see us show up at the competition with all cylinders running, bringing our A-game.

Would you do it again?
No, I’m retiring now.

Anything that took your breath away?
All the different categories and creations and finally seeing everything in person … the first thing that caught my eye and made me say “wow!” were the petit fours by Team Japan, based on a sewing theme. I couldn’t believe how tiny everything actually was. I loved the detail and the cleanliness of their work. There were also sculptures using dried pasta — one that looked almost like Transformers. Fruit carvings — you’d walk around and go, “Oh, wow, look at the detail on this, the detail on that!”

As a support member, what sorts of things were you called on to do?
I was mainly involved with the pastry components. I was in charge of making the petit fours for the Cold Kitchen entry and helping out Jennifer with whatever she needed.

Were you nervous at all?
It was more stressful before we left for Germany. There was a lot of preparation involved. Once there, you already know what you have to do so it was all about organizing yourself and getting it done.

Any surprises for you?
I’ve never done anything like this before, so it wasn’t so much about surprises as opposed to everything being new to me. You just take it all in and enjoy the moment.

What was most exciting for you?
The whole experience was pretty exciting … just being there. Going to the opening ceremonies and seeing a sea of chefs — it’s unbelievable how much talent is surrounding you at that moment. It was great to see and be part of it.

Did you get much sleep?
Some of the days were very, very long, but there were end points. If time allowed, you’d go rest for a couple of hours. If no time, you’d wake yourself up with lots of coffee and push on! We had general daily schedules. Depending on what needed to be done by when, Jennifer and I planned our own specific schedule.

When did you feel the most energized?
The day — and night — before we showed in the cold competition. The plan was to deal with last touches by around nine or ten on Sunday night, rest for an hour or two, and then come back at midnight to start plating and loading up to go to the exhibition hall. We needed to be in the show area just after five on Monday, to set up and add any finishing touches before judging at seven, but Jennifer and I stayed up and worked through the whole night. You know the time is imminent … so you just work. When it’s all done, it’s a big sigh of relief.

What are you taking away from this competition?
When you’re there, you see what people put into their work. It makes you want to keep going. It challenges you to want to better yourself in all that you, to further your knowledge, skills and techniques. I’ve always had a constant desire to learn as much as I can wherever I am and this competition drives my desire to do that.

What will you reminisce about years from now?
What a great opportunity it was to be a part of it all and to be able to represent Canada. And, of course, Hotel Brühlerhöhe where we stayed during the competition — they had the best hosts, and the best breakfast that helped kick-start our day.

Last thoughts on the whole experience?
I couldn’t have done it without the support of my fiancé, family and friends. My first opportunity to see a competition in person was this past July when I attended the World Pastry Championship and World Pastry Forum in Las Vegas, but to actually be in competition is a completely different experience. In this competition, and the months leading up to it, I’ve learned to be more consistent with what I do and to have the highest standards, whether doing big or small things.