Becoming

a Chef
a student’s story
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❤
first contact
The Stratford Chefs School looks like a great place to learn to be a chef.
I checked out the website: stratfordchef.com.
Apparently the admissions officer can come to my school and do a
presentation for teachers, students and/or parents. I also have the option of
going to Stratford for a campus tour, which I signed-up for. It is a two-year
program; each session runs from mid-October until the beginning of
March. Between the first and second year students are required to work in
restaurant kitchens to gain experience. The classes are small and students
get to work with top Canadian and international chefs.

You will not be able to find

another school in the province
that teaches you so much in
such a compact amount of time.
Laura Edwards, 2016 Alumna

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personal visit
I spent a day at the Stratford Chefs School. Wow. The students start at 8:00
in the morning with a four-hour cookery class, taught by a chef from a
local fine-dining restaurant. They have theory courses in subjects like Food
Costing and Gastronomy in the afternoon. In the evening they either serve
in the restaurant where the second year students are cooking dinner for
the public or take another practical cooking class. All student manuals and
recipes are on iPads; students use them everywhere. I got to help a couple
of students prepare Entrecôte à la Béarnaise in Cookery class. They’re very
precise about everything: measuring, knife cuts, stirring, seasoning.
I’d love to have skills like these students – and they’re only in first year!
The admissions officer took me out to lunch and answered every question
I had; my parents were impressed as well. They admit 45 students to the
first year of the program. For cooking classes they split into groups, so
there are never more than 15 students in the kitchen at a time. The chef
instructor moves around, watching to make sure the students are preparing
their recipes correctly, and coaching them. At the end of cookery classes,
they eat all the food they’ve made. It was delicious! I’ve decided Stratford
is the school for me.

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 #stratfordON #DTStratford #Stratford356 #SavourStratford

moving to stratford
Stratford is a small town, very
beautiful, with swans on the Avon
River and a heritage feel to the
downtown core. You can pretty much
walk everywhere. The school does not ...few places
have a student residence, but there are in Ontario are
lots of places to live in town during lovelier and
the winter, when the theatre is closed.
The school provided a list of potential more alive with
accommodations. After contacting the culture and
owners/landlords, I visited several and character
decided to live at a B&B: the rent was
reasonable, the room large.

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prepatory course orientation week

Since I did not have the required During Orientation Week, we
restaurant experience, I enrolled in learned about Stratford Chefs
the preparatory course – a ten-day School (SCS) policies; they are strict
intensive course in cooking basics. about punctuality, attendance,
It gave me a chance to develop uniforms and academic honesty.
my knife skills and gain some I now own a set of fabulous
confidence in the kitchen. I also knives and an iPad, loaded with
got to know a dozen other first all my course manuals. During the
year students in the same boat – evening welcome event, we got to
and became familiar with one of know each other over food and
the kitchens in which we will be drinks. I’ve met lots of people who
learning. The instructor was patient love cooking and food almost as
and extremely knowledgeable. much as I do! In the first week, we
By the end of the course, I felt completed the required sanitation
ready for school. course, so we know how to work
I can’t wait to get started! safely in the kitchen.
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 #culinaryeducation

theory classes
Unlike community college programs, SCS offers an enriched program, which
includes a range of academic courses in both Levels 1 (L1) and 2 (L2).
So when you graduate, not only do you have excellent cooking and service
skills, you also understand culinary history, ingredients and nutrition
and you know the fundamentals of public speaking, food writing, kitchen
management, restaurant design and business plans.
The academic courses include:
BUSINESS An introduction to the business management techniques needed
to become a professional chef/restaurant owner. I can imagine this
information being super useful when I open my own restaurant. (L2)
COMMODITIES An in-depth study of individual ingredients. Fascinating. (L1)
COMMUNICATIONS How to design and deliver speeches and effectively
community in the kitchen and dining room (L1 & L2). Terrifying but my
confidence has grown so much.
CULINARY MANAGEMENT A study of current and historical professional
kitchen practice; culinary terminologies and processes; the duties and
organization of a kitchen staff. A lot of history, but all kitchen and
restaurant related (L1).
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 #culinaryeducation

FOOD COSTING Math as applied to recipes and cost control (L1).

GASTRONOMY The history of cooking from the classical era to the early
20th century (L1); food politics and 20th century culinary leaders (L2).
LAB PACKAGES A major L2 assignment completed by student chefs for the
particular menus they will be preparing for the public.
NUTRITION Modern nutritional theory and its application to menu planning
in restaurants. Helpful when dealing with diner allergies and food
sensitivities (L1).
RECIPE SPECS A series of assignments analyzing recipes in detail: a fair bit
of work but I understand recipes much better now (L1).
RESTAURANT DESIGN A study of restaurant design concepts, which looks
at the impact of decor, food and drink presentation, background music,
lighting, flowers, style of service and graphics (L2).
WINE The fundamentals of wine terminology, service techniques, label
information and appellation concepts – also wine tastings(L1 & L2)!
WRITING How to write restaurant reviews, food blogs, marketing pitches,
menus, cover letters and resumes (L1).

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 #culinaryleaders

❤
practical classes
These intensive courses, usually four hours in duration, are taught in groups
of 12-15 students per instructor, and include:
COOKERY A daily hands-on class in fundamental cooking methods, using
classical and modern recipes, taught by experienced practicing chefs. We
learn to prepare a vast range of dishes with precision and accuracy
(L1 & L2). Really demanding/exhausting, but worth it.
PASTRY A practical course pastry and bread-making: delicious! (L1 & L2)
SERVICE We learn the basics of serving food and wine, how to hold trays
and plates, pour wine, and place glasses, cutlery and dishes. Service is
regarded as very important at the school, as it can make or break a
restaurant (L1 & L2).
LARDER This is like Commodities, only hands-on, in the kitchen, cooking
with the ingredients! The course covers the basics in butchery, fish and
shellfish preparation and garde-manger work: pâtés, terrines, sausages,
curing, preserving, cold and hot sauces, molecular gastronomy and
cheese (L2).

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 #scsdinner

RESTAURANT LABS In Level 2, students work in set groups throughout the

year preparing meals that are served to the public. Students rotate through
all the kitchen and front-of-house positions three times in the course of the
school year. Chef instructors and guest chefs supervise, and each student
gets three opportunities to act as student chef, organizing and directing
activity in the kitchen for that meal. This is the most challenging and
exciting part of the SCS experience (L2).

My favourite thing about

Stratford Chefs School was
working with peer and
Chef instructors with many
different histories and
experiences.
Donna Borooah, 2016 Alumna

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 #culinaryleaders

dinner labs
Dinners are served Tuesday through Saturday. Pre-prep for dinners begins
the night before. Early in the year, the dinners feature simple four course
menus that may become SCS Classics. Later on, dinners highlight menus
from the restaurants of famous international chefs and visiting chefs.
Students are also given the opportunity to create their own dinner menu
and execute the service to the public. The standards for these dinners
are very high. Student performance in the kitchen and the dining room is
evaluated by a team of instructors. Students are invited to dine at the Labs
three times each year.

extra-curricular workshops
The school runs Tuesday through Saturday, so our weekend is Sunday and
Monday. In additional to the already full schedule, each semester, students
are offered the opportunity to attend extra-curricular workshops on a
first come first serve basis. Workshops are held outside of class time and
are a great opportunity to explore a culinary technique in more detail.
The workshops change every year but classes may include ethnic cooking
(sushi, Mexican or Indian), ice cream making, food styling and charcuterie.

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 #sscguestchef

❤
international chefs in residence
Twice a year, the school hosts an international chef for one week. These
chefs in residence, from internationally acclaimed restaurants, design the
dinner lab menus and lead the students in the kitchen. It is a chance to
learn from chefs at the top of their game. Some students even manage to
obtain stages at their restaurants afterwards!

canadian guest chefs

For the last few weeks of the year, a series of Canadian Guest Chefs
come to the school to showcase their signature menus. Many of these
chefs are SCS alumni who have opened their own restaurants in different
parts of Canada. They are inspirational and it’s fascinating to experience
their different approaches to food. Students also get a chance to build
relationships with these chefs and open the possibility of working in their
restaurants after graduation.

joseph hoare gastronomic writer in residence

All of the SCS students are passionate about cooking but some are also
keen on writing. Every year an acclaimed food writer comes to the school
for two weeks to share his or her expertise with the students. We get a
chance to hone our writing skills on various projects and the writer-in-res-
idence provides us with feedback.
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 #culinaryarts

events
Throughout the year students participate in various events.
Needless to say, most of these feature foods prepared and
served by the students. It provides us with an opportunity
to gain professional experience in different venues.

Stratford Chefs School

taught me kitchen
skills, teamwork and
to trust my own
creativity
Angie Mohr, 2016 Alumna
❤
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 #communityevents

SEASON OPENER CANADA COOKS THE BOOKS

Just before classes start, patrons Hosted by Taste Canada, three
of the school are invited to an lucky students are selected to
informal event to launch the participate in this competition in
season. Level 2 students are guests Toronto, cooking a recipe from a
at this event. We get to eat and new cookbook.
drink and mingle with folks who
are regular diners at the Labs. A COMMUNITY EVENTS
fun evening for all! Every year, the school volunteers
itself to help with local events
FUNDRAISING EVENTS in our community. Whether it
Throughout the year the Stratford is roasting nuts at the Outdoor
Chefs School community joins Christmas Market Downtown or
together to host fundraising selling pastries at the Slow Food
functions for the school. Perth County Sunday market, we
Collaboratively students, staff, are always looking for ways to
faculty and board members meet new people and grow the
participate to host and execute good food community.
these exquisite events. Multi-course
meals and auctions are a must.
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graduation
Graduation takes place in early June. Many of us have been away working
for a few months by then, so it’s a chance to reconnect with classmates
and, of course, get our diplomas! We elect a class valedictorian at the end
of the school year and the ceremony closes with that person’s speech.
Our celebration began with the sparkling wine and hors d’oeuvres
immediately after the class photograph and continued for some time…
elsewhere. We’d made it!

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 #stratfordchefalumni

alumni
Now I am part of the school’s amazing The Stratford
network of alumni, who work in
restaurants across the country. These
Chefs School was
contacts will be so helpful as I build a life-changing
my career; I can’t wait to meet people experience.
who’ve trained at the school and gone It’s where the
on to become great chefs.
best chefs train.

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 Where the
BEST CHEFS train
The Stratford Chefs School is an internationally
renowned private, non-profit educational
institution. Established in 1983, the Stratford
Chefs School has set the standard of excellence
for culinary training in Canada, graduating over
700 alumni who now contribute to our distinctive
Canadian cuisine. Our unique program provides
students with a thorough grounding in the theory
and practice of classical cuisines and the business
elements of operating successful restaurants in
today’s market. The Stratford Chefs School is one
of Canada’s most successful and respected culinary
institutions and is continually evolving to meet the
needs of its students and the culinary community.

To learn more about becoming a student

at the Stratford Chefs School please contact:
Robert Friesen Admissions Officer
bfriesen@stratfordchef.com

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192 Ontario Street

Stratford, ON Canada N5A 3H4
t: 519.271.1414
f: 519.271.5679
e: admin@stratfordchef.com

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Stratford Chefs School is supported by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
and Employment Ontario. Charitable Number #119199958 RR0001 © 2016 Stratford Chefs School
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