A chef from the RM of Ste. Anne has recently returned from the 2016 Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany. Cameron Huley is a part of Culinary Team Canada who placed 8th out of the 52 countries competing.

Huley says he was invited to be a part of the national team after competing in the Bocuse d'Or in Quebec 2005. "The manager of the team saw me and invited me onto the team for the 2008 Olympics, the Culinary Classic in Chicago in 2007, and the Luxembourg Culinary World Cup in 2006."

Huley says the team took gold in each category, but finished in eighth place overall. In 2007, Huley notes the team finished in second place. In the Olympics, participants are competing at a 3 Michelin star level. He notes, each team has to bring all of their own raw ingredients, and every dish must be prepared from scratch.

"It's like a glass cube, everyone is watching you, cameras, judges coming and going, watching you and how you work."

Huley is the only member of the team not from the Vancouver area so he travels to BC for practice. Each competition costs approximately $250,000, so each time they compete, they raise money by selling plates of hot food for $200 to $250 per person. He says that gives the team opportunity to practice and raise money at the same time.

Huley says he loves to add a modern twist to classic dishes, and notes, he got hooked on cooking at age seven, while watching cooking shows on TV.