Dynamic Toronto, Ontario Canada Cooking Schools

Toronto outpaced Montreal a number of years ago in population and is now the largest city in Canada. Cuisine-speaking the city symbolizes a melting pot of international foods. Ethnic neighborhoods cling closely together and their solidarity only fuels the richness of their native foods, sometimes influenced with traditional Toronto cuisine and some traditional American.

Toronto neighborhoods that inspire culinary exploration:

• Kensington Market- funky, eclectic and must be explored on foot
• Thorncliffe Park- international best describes the residents. Ethnic backgrounds (and cuisine) largely Asian and African.
• Eglinton West, or Little Jamaica- seek out Caribbean fare.
• The Danforth, or Greektown- home of annual Taste of the Danforth festival and boasts huge number of restaurants in its environs.

There are more ethnic neighborhoods, but this list should get you started on eating and tasting your way through Toronto’s cuisine.

Plunge headlong into Toronto’s uncompromising upscale food scene, as well. Some of the best restaurants could be where you’ll finally apprentice and learn the ropes of a tried and true professional cook.

A few acclaimed Toronto restaurants and chefs include:

• Scaramouche, executive chef Keith Frogget, pastry chef Joanne Yolles
• North 44, executive chef Mark McEwan
• La Maquette, chef/owner Ange Kanavas

Becoming an Official Chef Apprentice in Ontario

The job of chef is competitive and many Canadian culinary schools recommend apprenticeships and oversee them. Chef apprenticeships are a key avenue to earning your degree and getting a good chef job. Before you can be a professional chef apprentice you need to earn the industry Red Seal Certificate for Cook, which requires you have 1 or more years of culinary experience under your belt. But you must also make sure the chef/instructor responsible for your sojourn into an apprenticeship is properly certified as well with the Certified Chef de Cuisine seal of approval from the Ontario Cook Industry Committee.

Like many other spots on the globe, the hospitality and tourism industry is thriving in Toronto. What does this mean for you? Chefs – well-educated, skilled chefs are in high demand.

Popular Culinary Arts Schools in Toronto

Liaison Culinary College -- When you check out potential cooking schools consider how well prepared you’ll be to hit the job market. Liaison Culinary College offers grads career assistance and boasts a 90% placement rate. The downtown Toronto campus is one of two LCC locations. Choose from the following culinary arts diploma programs: Cook Basic, Cook Advanced, Personal Chef. The diploma in personal chef program is unique to many other culinary schools. At LCC learn in a campus kitchen – menu planning, management of kitchen staff, cost and inventory control, and guest engagement. The very popular Chef of the Day program puts a student chef at the head of the kitchen, where he or she plans, directs and delivers a three-course meal to the public.

George Brown College -- George Brown College in downtown Toronto is one of the region’s most popular career colleges. GBC’s Chef School program almost guarantees you success in the field. The school makes every effort to align itself with the regional and national food service industry, to forge solid community connections that get you into excellent externships and help you land a chef’s job following graduation. GBC offers a few of the most unique cooking programs going. Choose from diploma, post-diploma, certificate, and apprenticeship programs in:

• Culinary Management
• Culinary Skills
• Baking and Pastry Arts
• Patissier Apprentice
• Cook Apprentice

If you’re a seasoned pro chef you can also choose from advanced professional courses:

• Culinary Arts Italian
• Culinary Arts French