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Austrian Exchange Students Immersed in Canadian Culture

Oct 8, 2016 | 10:08 AM

LETHBRIDGE – Ten students from Austria’s Semmering Tourism School are visiting Lethbridge College on the trip of a lifetime.

It’s part of a culinary student exchange between Lethbridge and the small town of Semmering, which is located about an hour southwest of Vienna. The school focusses on all aspects of hospitality education, including culinary arts and hotel management.

They travelled with instructor, Manfred Lissey, to learn all about Southern Alberta culture, as well as other Canadian foods and cooking styles over a ten day visit. In order to be chosen for the trip, students in their third to fifth year of schooling must apply and demonstrate good grades.

Mark Dieser, Lethbridge College’s Food and Beverage manager, explained that the exchange is designed around sharing food, education and culture. He says the students toured the Bonduelle vegetable processing plant, a local aquaponics system and even went out to Waterton with learning centred around those experiences.

The students were then tasked to prepare a five-course meal, featuring Austrian delecacies, that was served during a sold-out dining experience at the College.

Dieser says the exchange started in 2011 when Lethbridge College connected with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) in Edmonton, that has since discontinued its exchange program.

Ten students and two instructors from Lethbridge visited Semmering in May 2015 to tour its local food facilities, and offer a five-course meal using Canadian foods and techniques.

More local students will be chosen to go back to Semmering next year for the annual exchange.