Programs: Chef Aurelio

Passion, dedication and an undeniable love for food best describe Aurelio Gualtieri – owner of Cuisine Culture, and executive chef of the Fuel for Gold program.

Aurelio was born and raised in Montreal in an Italian household where all family members had a passion for food. After working in French, Italian, Lebanese, Spanish and Greek restaurants for many years, he enrolled in the Chef the Cuisine program at L'institute de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Quebec (ITHQ) and spent seven years perfecting his trade in baking, fine cuisine and hotel management.

In 1997, he took a major step and packed his bags for Calgary. Aurelio worked as the executive chef of "Il Girasole" then moved on in 1999 to become the executive sous chef at "La Caille on the Bow", one of Calgary's most renowned restaurants.

After the birth of his two children, Aurelio felt it was time for a change - he missed discovering, creating, tasting and playing with food. He decided to create his own food lover's "playground" and started Cuisine Culture, which offers a variety of services from private dinners to large corporate events.

Throughout Aurelio's culinary career, he has always been interested in challenging high fat, traditional recipes to make lighter meals without compromising taste. When approached by the Canadian Sport Centre Calgary (CSCC) to participate in the Fuel for Gold program for Canada's top athletes, he immediately jumped at the opportunity.

Through extensive planning with the CSCC strength and conditioning coaches, dietitians and the athletes themselves, he has been able to develop a menu that satisfies not only their specific physical requirements, but their palates as well. "I want to make them excited about eating; it's all about how you fuel your body for competition." "I am committed to creating world-class food for world-class athletes."

Chef Aurelio Gualtieri has been supplying Calgary's elite with ready-made meals for the past two years. He truly loves what he does, and is energized to be involved with motivated individuals on a daily basis.

For more information on Chef Aurelio Gualtieri, please visit
www.cuisineculture.ca

"Fuel for Gold has made such a huge difference in my and my teammates performance. It has definitely become a part of our daily routine. After morning training we often ask each other, "Are you fuelin' today?" I personally love the fact that I can have a hassle free lunch with an affordable $5 price tag. The food not only tastes amazing, but it's great to know that I'm getting a balanced meal that is full of the nutrients I need to help me train at my best." ~ Kyle Shewfelt, Gymnastics Olympic Gold Medallist