November’s grey skies and plummeting temperatures can make it a slog of a month to get through, but then I think of all the cozy comfort food I get to eat, and then the second-to-last month of the year doesn’t seem so bad. While I tend to reach for rich and hearty soups, stews, and pastas, there’s just something about a plate of tasty meatballs that makes me so darn happy. Whether they’re simmered in an aromatic tomato sauce, glazed with sweet and sour goodness, or coated

With the first months of the school year in the books, we figured it was a good time to catch up with students – in this case, students from SAIT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism. With their busy schedules between early morning classes and day-to-day services at venues like The Highwood Kitchen + Bar, many student chefs have figured out ways to make weekday meals easy, tasty, and affordable. Guided and encouraged by chef instructors, and inspired by their own experienc

“Sweet and sour pork is a must-order when I dine at Cantonese restaurants,” says Alice Yip, a second-year Culinary Arts student at SAIT. “It’s a signature Cantonese dish, and one of my comfort foods. But it takes quite a bit of time because you need to deep-fry the pork twice. You can substitute that with pan-fried chicken – the flavour is still there, and you will not be able to resist having it with a big bowl of rice!” When making the sauce, adjust the sugar or vinegar

As a second-year Baking and Pastry Arts student at SAIT, Michelle Kwong considers herself more of a baker than a chef, so her love of baked goods knows no bounds. “For me, cooking is more about the memories you can make with the people you cook for and with. So, my favourite dish to cook is anything I can make and enjoy with my family.” Her bulgogi bao recipe is designed so that many components can be prepared beforehand. “During the fall, when so many vegetables are read

Preparing traditional kare-kare can be time consuming, which prompted Second-year SAIT Culinary Arts student Earl Guieb to create a simple spin on the dish for an easy and accessible weekday meal. “Various versions use different proteins like beef, oxtail, or seafood. Here I’ve used bacon and changed the rice to rice vermicelli noodles. Brussels sprouts replace banana blossom. This variation uses affordable ingredients available in Alberta, while maintaining the rich and comf

Second-year SAIT Culinary Arts student Vikas Prithvinath's recipe for Prawn Vindaloo comes together with relative ease. Typically a red curry coloured by Kashmiri chilies, for this version arbol chilies are used as they’re easier to find in Alberta. “To adjust this to the North American palate there’s a bit more yogurt and cream to balance out the flavours,” he adds. And the prawns will cook quicker than traditional lamb or pork. Vikas adds that Indian cooking is pretty forgi