From mentoring students to making kids laugh, Eric King has some set ideas about life, love and food.
ERIC KING OF Stephenville, NL, lives by his father's philosophy: "When you give the best away, you'll get the best back." Considered by his peers to be one of the best-known chefs in the province, Eric talks more about the talents and accomplishments of the students he teaches in the cooking apprenticeship program at the College of the North Atlantic than he does about his own accomplishments.
"He thrives on results and will do whatever it takes to ensure his students gain the maximum amount of knowledge during their time in the commercial cooking program," says former student Carl Pear, now a co-worker at the college. Behind this comment lies Carl's affection and respect for the man he has valued as a teacher, mentor, peer and friend during the past 20 years.
Eric is one of seven instructors at the college-five of whom he taught as students. From an average class of 60 students, at least 90 per cent will find employment in the culinary industry. He's proud of that.
Eric grew up in Buchans, NL, in a home where his parents, Harold and Bessie, both loved to cook and bake. After receiving his journeyman's papers, he began his career with the Canadian Armed Forces in Gander, NL. That was in 1976, but it wasn't until after he was married and had a child that his real culinary education began.
Eric credits his wife, Marilyn, with being both his greatest critic and biggest supporter. Occasionally he has taken a break from cooking at various hotels and restaurants-for a time running his own restaurant, catering company and bakery-and returned to school to upgrade his qualifications. He earned his Red Seal in Commercial Baking, as well as a post secondary teaching diploma from Memorial University.
Thus qualified to teach, he remembered the advice of his own much-loved mentor, the late chef Alex Clavel, Nova Scotia's passionate culinary pioneer: "Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost." Taking the advice to heart, Eric joined the teaching staff of the Western Community College, now the College of the North Atlantic, and settled into the career he loves.
A lesson often repeated is that the most important ingredient in any recipe is love. "If you don't love to cook, find another profession," he tells his students.
Over the years Eric has competed in local, regional, provincial and national culinary competitions, winning several gold medals. Many of his students have also gone on to win medals at the same levels.
Barb Ryan is a co-worker and friend who praises Eric's passion-and priorities. "He approaches all aspects of his life with the same vigour and zest, but when at home with his wife and boys, all his attentions are centered around them, and only them."
Eric and Marilyn, who have been married for 33 years, have two sons-Jonathan, who lives in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley, and Keith, of St. John's. The couple are well matched: Marilyn feels the perfect house is one without a kitchen, and Eric is happy to do all the cooking for family and friends.
Throughout it all his sense of humour is key and, in fact, it can be said that Eric is a clown-a registered clown with the International Shrine Clown Association. He volunteers many hours of his time tying balloons and making kids laugh. He's also involved with the Masonic Lodge, Lions Club, Western Newfoundland Chefs Association, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Restaurant Association-they're all ways and means of giving back.
"My Dad told me that for every good deed you do and every time you give to somebody in need, it will come back to you tenfold. So far it's worked for him." And it seems to be working for Eric, as well.