Chef Darrell Janes Won Canned Pear Challenge

The Cal Poly executive chef took first place in the national culinary contest held this past August.

Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Food and Drink

Bold vector editorial illustration of French toast slices topped with pear halves and caramel sauce on a rustic plate. — Executive Chef Darrell Janes of Cal Poly secured first place in the Pacific Northwest Canned Pear Service CAN DO Challenge with his zero-waste French toast recipe. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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In August 2026, Executive Chef Darrell Janes of Cal Poly secured first place in the Pacific Northwest Canned Pear Service CAN DO Challenge. His winning creation, a Baked Caramelized Pear French Toast Casserole, was selected for its excellence in flavor and presentation.

Why it matters

The competition challenged culinary professionals to innovate with pantry staples while emphasizing food waste reduction. Janes achieved this by incorporating both the fruit and its juice into his recipe to maximize ingredient utility.

Janes secured his victory by scoring highest across 3 evaluation categories: plate appeal, flavor appeal, and creative appeal. The competition saw 3 total winners announced in August.

The players

Darrell Janes

He is the Executive Chef at Cal Poly who developed the winning pear-based recipe.

Cal Poly

This is the university where Darrell Janes is employed and where the winning dish will be added to the dining menu.

Pacific Northwest Canned Pear Service

This organization hosts the annual CAN DO Challenge to promote culinary innovation using canned pears.

The details

Janes employed a zero-waste cooking strategy by utilizing both the canned fruit and the accompanying juice in his preparation. He refined the final version of the dish following multiple feedback sessions during the sampling process.

Contest submissions opened in January 2026.
Submissions closed in May 2026.
Finalists were officially announced in June 2026.
Winners were announced in August 2026.
Students will sample the winning dish on November 3, 2026.

Industry Dynamics

This achievement highlights the growing trend of institutional dining programs prioritizing creative sustainability in menu planning. By participating in the CAN DO Challenge, university chefs are increasingly showcasing professional-grade culinary talent within public campus settings.

The winning dish will be officially added to the regular Cal Poly dining menu following the victory. Students and staff will have the opportunity to taste the entry firsthand during the scheduled event at Vista Grande.

The takeaway

Innovative cooking often stems from simple constraints like food waste reduction requirements. Home cooks can look for similar ways to repurpose juices and peels to enhance flavor and efficiency in their own kitchen routines.

What happens next

Students at Cal Poly are scheduled to participate in a sampling event of the winning Baked Caramelized Pear French Toast Casserole at the Vista Grande facility on November 3, 2026.