Food services gets a facelift with new exec chef who is eager to shake up the old tired menu with zesty new ideas and major changes to the chow

Food Services hired a new executive chef, last month who is cooking up some changes in the food court.

“The idea is to prepare the best possible product that suit’s the majority of people’s needs including, health, financial and taste,” said Russell Wier the new executive chef. The position is responsible for all of the food services, throughout the campus.

While there are a lot of upcoming changes for the food at the school, Wier has already implemented some you can see in the food court right now, such as the homeade soups in the market place produced from all natural products.

Wier said students can look forward to more gluten free options in the near future as well as a new food service facility in the yet-to-be constructed student commons building. Another task food services is hard at work on is providing nutritional content for their products.

No stranger to Algonquin, Wier has been both a student and a teacher. He graduated from the culinary program in 1978, and accredits the program at Algonquin for keeping him passionate. “It has kept me interested in cooking for the last 30 years.”

The kitchen now used for food services is where Wier had classes as a student. He describes the cafeteria back then as “a typical cafeteria with steam tables and no options, students would line up at the trough.” He also says now that we are able to cater to people who have allergies and people who want to eat healthy. Students are choosing those items, but french fries, gravy and hamburgers are just as popular now as they were back then.

Wier says is his favourite part about cooking is “the opportunity to create…and above all else, knowing you can make someone happy when you do a good job.”

Wier has an extensive resume outside of Algonquin as well. Besides working at the Sheraton Hotel downtown for 12 years, he has competed nationally, receiving many awards and recognition for his commitment to the culinary arts, including being named Chef of The Year in 2011 by his peers in The Canadian Culinary Federation where he serves as vice president.