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Vicky Cheng |
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If the past two years are any indication, Vicky Cheng
has an amazing future as a chef. Just 21 years old and
recently graduated from the Culinary Management program
at George Brown College, Cheng
has won a number of culinary competitions, including
a bronze award in the national television competition The Next Great
Chef. More recently,
Cheng placed first in both Ontario Challenge Cooks Competition and Sobey's
Hot and Spicy Iron Chef Competition III.
When he's not winning culinary
competitions, Cheng is the tournant / saucier in the
kitchen of Toronto's Auberge du Pommier. The upscale
French restaurant, owned by Oliver Bonacini,
has been named one of the 10 best restaurants in Toronto.
Cheng is also apprentice to Auberge's Executive Chef
Jason Bangerter. Born in Hong
Kong, Cheng moved to Toronto as a high school student
and started working at Auberge on a co-op term. He was
hired full-time upon graduation.
Mentored by Bangerter, Cheng entered the Culinary Management
program at George Brown, where he kept up a gruelling
schedule, attending classes
from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then working full-time at Auberge
from 2 p.m. until midnight or 1 a.m. While preparing
for The Next Great Chef competition, he added
a nightly practice session lasting till 4 a.m. His hard
work has paid off. Besides placing third in the national
television competition, Cheng
has since added several other culinary victories to his
credit.
 Calling culinary competitions incredible opportunities
for learning, Cheng says
he will continue to enter any contests that come his
way, but his primary focus is on his development as a
chef. Wishing to follow in the footsteps
of his two mentors, Bangerter and George Brown Chef School
director John Higgins, Cheng plans to move to London,
England next year to further
refine his culinary skills. His goal is to someday be
executive chef of a well-known fine dining restaurant.
Cheng credits George Brown for
launching his cooking career and his success on The Next
Great Chef.
Read more stories from George Brown Graduates...
We encourage you to visit the Alumni Association.
To learn more, visit the George
Brown College Alumni page.
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