A student from NAIT brought home a bronze medal from the Culinary Olympics.
Hizarrah Rosenally is a member of NAIT’s Culinary team. The team flew to Germany to compete in the 2020 IKA Culinary Olympics back in February to represent Canada. They came back two weeks later and brought home a bronze medal. Hizarrah is a key member of the team because she’s in charge of the team’s desserts because specializes in baking and pastries.
“I feel like through baking, I can express myself. I get to express my creative side, I get to show myself through my work,” said Hizarrah.
The members of NAIT’s culinary team had to go through an extensive process before being selected to be a part of the competing team.
“We actually had to apply for it and then went through a whole interview process. Then there was a skills appraisal where you had to show off your skills through many kitchen tasks. And then they just pick you from there,” said Hizarrah.
Hizarrah found her passion for baking through the Skills Canada competition. Her talents were discovered by her high school teacher and now mentor, Kelly Hobbs. Hizarrah was in her high school baking class creating simple chocolate garnishes like the rest of her classmates. Kelly Hobbs saw her skills and asked if she wanted to compete in Skills Canada for the baking category.
“I started from the high school culinary challenge and I competed twice in a row. We won both years. Then I competed in Skills Canada as well. Started from regionals, went to provincials as well as nationals,” said Hizarrah.
Kelly Hobbs, now the instructor for NAIT’s Baking and Pastry Arts program described Hizarrah as someone who has the most incredible work ethic. Hizarrah credits most of her success to Hobbs.
“She’s quiet but she’s passionate. She’s determined and just a kind human being. I know that she is going to do wonderfully because that’s just who she is. She deserves everything that she got because she’s worked so hard for it,” said Kelly Hobbs.
Hizarrah is close to completing the Baking and Pastry course at NAIT. She then plans to open her own bakery shop in the future.
