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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, November 13, 2009 · 10 Oakville student helped prepare meal fit for a Prince By Christina Commisso METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP I t was a meal fit for a king, enjoyed by a prince and prepared by a couple of locals. Last week, Murray Zehr, head of Technological Education at Robert Bateman High School, and his student Anthony Eysseric, had the opportunity of a lifetime when they were asked to help prepare a special meal for Prince Charles during his visit to Niagara College. Thursday morning was just like any other said Zehr, head of the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program in Halton. "I was just answering phone calls, sending e-mails and getting classes ready when I got a call from a former student, Jason Treceira, who is working as the saucier at Niagara College." Treceira was one of the lucky students who met famed chef Gordon Ramsay after Zehr arranged for his class to make hors d'oeuvres for the crowd at Burlington's Indigo store during Ramsay's book signing in April 2008. Perhaps this was Treceira's way of repaying the favour -- asking his former teacher to assist in cooking for the Prince of Wales. Prince Charles visited the Niagara-onthe-Lake campus to commemorate the opening of its new Wine Visitors and Education Centre. This visit included a trip "I was beyond myself. I was the youngest one in the group, so I was a little nervous." Anthony Eysseric, Oakville student attending Robert Bateman High School in Burlington ERIC RIEHL / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER ROYAL CHEFS: Head of Technological Education at Robert Bateman High School Murray Zehr, left, and Oakville resident Anthony Eysseric, helped prepare a meal for Prince Charles when the Prince was touring the Niagara Region last week. to the barrelled cellar, seeing the grape cies, including quail breast with smoked crush and sampling food made by students bacon and wild mushrooms in a red wine demi glace, butternut squash gnocchi topped in the culinary program. The menu was to showcase local delica- with six-year-old Balderson white cheddar and sautéed honey crisp apples wrapped in phyllo pastry served with chardonnayThe YMCA of Oakville infused custard and candied grimo hazelnuts Board of Directors and staff -- to name a few items. invite you to attend the Zehr received the call at 8 a.m. and was told he could bring one student. "It's always hard to pick," he said of only being able to choose one of his 24 students. "They're all phenomenal, but a lot of opportunities come up all the time, and I try to give everyone a chance to participate in something like this," Join us Thursday, Nov. 26, Zehr, 32, explained. "Anthony is very dedicat2009 from 7:30 to 9:00 am ed. He comes in early and stays late, he's realas we celebrate Miss Molly ly passionate," he said of the 16-year-old Burke, our Youth Recipient of Oakville resident. this years Peace Medal for her "But if I could, I would load up my minifundraising and awareness van and take all 24 kids with me each time." efforts both for International The college's culinary instructors decided programs and The Foundation Breakfast for Peace upon the menu, but organizers thought an extra set of trained eyes in the kitchen would streamline the student-led initiative. Zehr's experience as a corporate chef in Toronto and nine years as an educator made him a good fit for the job. "We were in awe, we didn't have time to worry or plan for it," he said, adding the two were at Niagara college from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Eysseric said he was in shock during the drive from Burlington to Niagara. "I was beyond myself. I was the youngest one in the group so I was a little nervous." Eysseric helped prepare the dessert and the trout -- a skill he picked up during his apprenticeship at Rattlesnake Point Golf Club. "This weekend it finally hit me, I starting calling around and telling people the news." The situation was stressful in the campus' kitchen. "We were working with the government's head health inspector," explained Zehr. As the Prince's visit approached, the kitchen was put into lockdown and five helicopters surrounded the building. "Military security (officers) were everywhere; coming out of cornfields, popping from trees. Apparently they were there all night to make sure security wasn't breached," said Zehr, who managed to snap a few photos in the kitchen before all electronic devices were taken from the cooking crew. Zehr and Eysseric were about 12 feet away from Prince Charles as he was making his speech. "How many people can say they had the opportunity to cook for Royalty," said Zehr, who said these events help make his students more competitive in the workplace. "We're educators...we have to offer our students as many unique opportunities as we can. They work very hard and we have to encourage and reward that." Miss Molly Burke Fighting Blindness. Presentation: About TAG ­ Together as Girls Entertainment: Folk Singer Elyse Simpson and The Morden School Choir Sponsored by Tickets: $10 Purchase tickets at the Y at 410 Rebecca Street, or call Sabrina Casciani at 905­845­5597 ext. 331 for Visa/MC/Amex orders. 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