Carleton to train masters in food

A new program is coming to Carleton in the fall, adding to a growing list of food-related programs on campus.

 

Carleton, in partnership with Le Cordon Bleu, will offer a master’s in gastronomy program.

 

Gastronomy is the study of food and culture. The program will include studies around nutrition, hospitality management, and health and well-being, according to Carleton.

 

Le Cordon Bleu is a culinary, patisserie, baking, hospitality and restaurant management school considered to be the master of classical French technique. The original school was established in 1895 and has a culinary school located in Ottawa.

 

The program will join another food and nutritional program which is nearing the end of its first year at Carleton.

 

According to Carleton professor Bob Burk, Carleton’s months-old food science and nutrition program is already competing against other older and well-established food science programs.

 

The program started in the fall, and received 100 applicants. According to Burk, there were 19 students in the program this year, including one student completing an honours thesis.

 

Burk said he thinks 100 applicants is great for a new program that is in competition with older, well-established programs food sciences programs at the University of Guelph and McGill University.

 

“The fact that we got any [applicants] was great because we are up against Guelph who has been doing this for a hundred years,” said Burk, “right now [students] are weighing old status at Guelph with a new, more interesting program at Carleton.”

 

According to Burk, the program differs from other schools because Carleton offers a solid base in food science, but also incorporates the policy side of the food industry into its teachings.

 

“Carleton has a very strong school for public policy and to bring those two things together is very important because Health Canada and the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) told us they want someone who understands the science, but someone who can also operate at the interface between the government and the food industry,” said Burk.

 

Catherine Carver, a student in the program, said she hopes the degree will lead her into employment in the field of dietetics. An athlete herself, Carver said she knows the importance of nutrition and hopes her employment will allow her to pass this knowledge on to children, or fellow athletes.

 

 “Although Carleton’s program has not, as of yet, been accredited by the Dieticians Association of Canada, it follows quite closely to the structure of the other accredited programs at other universities. I’m sure it won’t be long before it receives its accreditation,” said Carver.Graduates of the program will be eligible for membership in the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology. The combination of science and policy opens students up to numerous employment options, said Burk.

 

Students in the program are required to take a range of science courses, economics, and regulatory and policy-making economics.

 

Therefore, they are exposed to areas of study, namely legislation and risk management, that aren’t usually offered to food scientists at other universities, said Burk.

 

As of yet, there is no formal co-op attached to the program, but according to Burk, the CFIA and Health Canada put out a call for 15 students to work in their labs this summer.

 

“We didn’t think it would happen this quickly that they would pick up our students, but we’ll probably make it into an official co-op now,” said Burk.

 

Ottawa is a great spot for food science students because of the access to the CFIA and Health Canada- the “really big players” in the food industry, said Burk.