Breakfast, snack, lunch, and dinner down in Marion Hall; a communal space where we gather as a school to laugh, chat, and connect. Coming back from summer, I remember talking with my friends about how I was so excited to have regularly scheduled meals and hang out with the kitchen staff. They are some of the nicest and kindest people at the School – for any incoming students, my top tip is to become friends with them; you will find a community of caring people who work hard to make the best meals for our School. At Shawnigan, meals are the pinnacle of daily life. In an attempt to spotlight why this is, I’d like to take you on a journey through the Shawnigan kitchen. 

 

I typically start my Shawnigan mornings with a quick breakfast – grabbing one of the freshly baked muffins (banana chocolate chip being my favourite) and a piece of fruit and then off to the rest of my day. However, you can count on the fact that I will always sit down for a full meal whenever pancakes or waffles have made it into the breakfast rotations. Those are the days when my plate is loaded to the top with oatmeal, cantaloupe, berry compote, and pancakes. Nothing beats a big Shawnigan breakfast.

 

And yet, dinner somehow manages to be the best part of my day. While everyone has a different opinion on the “top” meal at Shawnigan, I hope to highlight some of the favorite and most popular dinners and give some insight into our evenings in Marion. For me, my top three meals always change around. Currently, my favourites are butter chicken, mushroom stroganoff, and adobo chicken, with an honourable mention to Yorkshire pudding nights. 

 

Many new students wonder about what the food at Shawnigan is like, and while there are always nights where you might prefer getting instant noodles from the Commissary, no one ever skips butter chicken night. When students see butter chicken on the menu, it is big news. Butter chicken night is a dinner where everyone is lined up as early as possible to get into the kitchen; the line is out the Marion Hall doors and the smell of garlic naan is wafting into the dining hall. Students are always rushing back for seconds, and the kitchen team always has a fresh tray of butter chicken drizzled with cream on top ready to go.

 

My dinner bias other than butter chicken are the nights when Yorkshire puddings are on the menu. I do not think I had ever had many Yorkshire puddings before coming to Shawnigan, but something about a light and fluffy pudding doused in beef or mushroom gravy with mashed potatoes and roast beef just makes any evening better. For any vegetarians or vegans out there, it is worth noting that the Shawnigan kitchen takes special care to have options for any dietary restrictions or needs available with every meal. I know that many of my friends are big fans of the tofu served! 

 

And it would be a crime not to mention the amazing array of desserts offered with every meal. From tiramisu (my favorite, despite being lactose intolerant), peach crumble, Nanaimo bars, and more, the kitchen produces deliciousness for every occasion. Our resident baker also makes the bread we have with our meals – the garlic bread with our lasagne or spaghetti meals is the hottest commodity. 

 

If you haven’t already gathered, meals at Shawnigan are one of my favourite things about the School. The appreciation that I and the other students have for our kitchen team is beyond measure – they are incredible people who genuinely care about the students and the food they are making. They ensure that we are having well balanced meals and take every extra measure to make students happy.

Attached below you’ll find some of the recipes for the favorite meals above. I hope you’ll enjoy them and find some of the joy that Shawnigan students experience when eating Shawnigan food!

• Banana bread and pumpkin loaf
• Butter chicken marinade
• Butter chicken sauce
• Carrot cake
• Pumpkin spice cupcakes and ginger snap cookies
• Flourless brownies