On Friday, May 3, the College’s School of Business and Hospitality supported the 2024 Spark Soirée with a donation of 450 chocolate truffles made by AC learners.

Held this year at the Infinity Convention Centre, the annual Spark Soirée helps to support the Ottawa Network for Education’s School Breakfast Program in its efforts to provide more than three million breakfasts to students across the city.

This year’s event — which comprised of a silent auction, dancing, a photo booth and a gourmet “breakfast for dinner” menu — raised more than $65,000 for the program. The donated truffles, handmade at the College’s baking lab, were crafted by learners in the Baking and Pastry Arts Management program and sold by the event in boxes of two for $20, with one box containing a token for a special prize. The donation served as a gesture of kind support for an organization that is making an active difference in the lives of Ottawa’s youth.

The Baking and Pastry Arts Management program teaches students how to turn a passion for baking into a profession, providing them with hands-on experience under the guidance of professional chefs in industry-standard baking and pastry labs. Community events like the Spark Soirée allow students to gain real-world experience and industry contacts in the baking industry. Graduates from the program have made an impact in the Ottawa community and beyond as professional pastry chefs, bakers, chocolatiers, bakery owners and more.