Stratford Chefs School immerses students in hands-on culinary training with Practical courses that build real-world culinary skills, but also teaches Theory courses such as Food History, Communications, Nutrition, Gastronomy, and more. Exploring these multiple aspects of cuisine contributes to the development of skilled, well-rounded, thoughtful chefs.
Critical issues facing our food systems, sustainability, and the roles food and cooking play in modern culture are examined in Level 2 Gastronomy, taught by Randi Rudner. When asked to reflect on the food world around them and investigate a current issue in Canadian food production of personal interest, a number of thought-provoking essays were submitted by our Level 2 Students. We are pleased to share the Gastronomy report "Make Lakes Great Again", by Jenny Duong (Class of 2025), which examines the impact of an invasive species on fish populations of the Great Lakes.
Read on our blog: https://stratfordchef.com/blog/gastronomy-make-lakes-great-again/
With the 2025 Gala event now in the books, our Class of 2025 Level 2 Students have officially completed the demands of the 32 Week Apprenticeship Program. They now have a well-rounded foundation for success in a wide variety of specializations within the hospitality industry. We wish them all the best as they pursue the next stage of their careers. CONGRATULATIONS to all!
Photo: Terry Manzo
Pictured - back row, left to right: Wine and Service Instructor Alexandra Evans, Lab Service Instructor Christopher Cantlon, Seth Chow, Andrew Gardner, Chef Instructor Mike Booth, Jenny Duong, Evan Richardson.
Front row left to right: Elizabeth MacDonald, Amelia Dunham-Vaillancourt, Jessica Wilson, Chef Instructor and Program Manager Randi Rudner, Lab Service Instructor Conor Scully, Gustavo Garcia. Absent: Sophia Trettin
It was a glorious Gala! Our Gala Dinner and Auction fundraiser at The Elora Mill on Sunday, March 9 was a huge success. Thank you to everyone who attended, to our generous Sponsors and Auction lot donors. Some lucky guests went home with fantastic and unique Auction lot packages after plenty of exciting bidding action, all in support of the School.
Full re-cap and photo gallery on the blog: https://stratfordchef.com/blog/gala-dinner-2025-recap-photos/
Grateful for the wonderful Canadian Guest Chefs who graced our kitchen last month and inspired our students, thank you Chefs! Special thanks also goes to Canadian Guest Chef Dinner Series Partners Bill and Maureen Henderson for their generous support of this program. Photo Collage by Terry Manzo From top, l-r: Mike Booth (The Prune), Yva Santini (The Starlight), Randi Rudner (The Prune) Hani Firin (Cambridge Mill), Jonathan Gushue (The Gate), Jack Beers (The Bruce Hotel) Rafael Covarrubias (Hexagon), Dacha Markovic and Elora Mill team, Matt Sullivan Eli Silverthorne (Stratford Chefs School), Aldous Cheung (Richmond Station)
With the arrival of March, our full-time Apprenticeship Program breaks until October, and Open Kitchen cooking classes launch for another season. Wine Classes are also on offer. We hope you can join us! Register now to secure your spots, capacity is limited: https://www.exploretock.com/stratfordchefsschool
