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Pursuing a culinary calling at Durham College

Graduate Spotlight: Ashley Sedgwick

With a passion for sustainability and a drive to learn, Ashley Sedgwick dove into a fast-paced 16-month journey through the Culinary Management program at Durham College (DC). From exploring the gardens at the Whitby campus to taking part in an unforgettable trip to Peru, she seized every opportunity that came her way.

Now, as she prepares for Convocation, she’s looking back at an experience that shaped both her career and personal growth. She spoke to us about how DC gave her the skills, support, and opportunities to thrive in an industry she loves.

Why did you decide to attend Durham College?

I was working in a kitchen and they decided to close once their lease was done. I was left with all of this free time all of a sudden, and I thought, why not try going to school? I’ve always been very driven, and I realized that a lot of the jobs I would enjoy working in would require a college diploma. DC is kind of my hometown college, so I picked it mostly because of location, but I’m really glad that I went with DC. There was a lot of emphasis on sustainability, which is my big focus in the industry. I’m really glad I got to work with all the field-to-fork principles.

What was your DC experience like?

It was really fun. There was a lot to learn. I really enjoyed going in and doing something completely different every day, and getting to see how I like catering and butchery and baking. There were a lot of different experiential learning opportunities, volunteer events and competitions, and a trip to Peru. I worked two different jobs on campus. There were just so many opportunities everywhere you looked. I did the condensed version of the program, so I had 16 months straight, and I loved every moment of it. Even when it was super stressful, it was always really fun. There were always things to look forward to.

How did your DC program prepare you for your career?

They gave us a lot of opportunities to see what we like in the industry and what we don’t, which I think is a huge part of preparing someone to go into it. Then you can go forward in an area that you know you enjoy. I think everyone left with a lot of skills that they didn’t have before. Being in school is a lot different from working, but it’s definitely good to have a toolkit for going forward and moving on in your career.

Would you recommend your DC program to other students?

I absolutely would. All of the faculty were really incredible. Everyone really cared about what you were doing, and wanted to push you. They really encouraged your growth. I felt like I personally knew all of the faculty, and all of the faculty knew most of the students, and there was so much guidance. All of the chefs in the Culinary Management program are very skilled. They all have a lot of experience in different areas, and they’re really great mentors. I had a lot of culinary growth in the program, but also a lot of personal growth just seeing how the chefs dealt with different challenges.

What is your advice for future students?

My advice to incoming culinary students would be to show up on time and be professional, ask questions, go to all the classes. What you put into the program is what you’ll get out of it. If you are not coming to classes and you’re not doing your best, you’re not going to get all the program has to offer you.

What do you love most about DC?

I loved sitting out in the gardens on the Whitby campus; getting to go out to the fields and see everything growing. I liked getting that field-to-fork, farm-to-table experience. I learned a lot about our food system and where things come from. It’s really special to go out to the gardens and pick something and bring it back to the kitchen. I think that’s a really unique experience.

How do you feel about graduating?

Really good. I’m excited. It’s going to be really fantastic to see everyone again. It’s kind of bittersweet, because we were seeing each other every day. I think we will all miss that a little bit, but it’s really exciting to be going forward. I know that everyone’s going to be moving on in their careers, and I’ll get to see people down the road and see what they’re up to.

What are your future goals?

I really loved school, so I definitely think that could be in the cards for me in the future. But right now, I have a job for the summer, and then I’ve got a job lined up after that. I’m doing work on a farm, dealing with food insecurity and waste mitigation, because that’s something I really enjoy doing. After that, I’ll be doing some admin work with a catering company, which will be really cool, because that’s another side of the industry that I haven’t seen. One thing I really loved about school is the variety, so I can’t really see myself settling into a job in the near future. I want to go from place to place and learn as much as I can, and really broaden my experience.

Every year, DC celebrates thousands of career-ready graduates. Read more grad stories about how DC has helped them thrive.

Durham College dad alum shares his love of learning with his three kids who are all DC students

For Attila Kovacs, lifelong learning isn’t just a philosophy – it’s a way of life. A proud Durham College alum, he has a sticker on his laptop with a quote from writer Isaac Asimov: “Education is not something you can finish.”

He has shared that mindset with his children and all three are following in his footsteps at DC, each pursuing their own dreams.

Originally from Hungary, Attila holds a high school teaching diploma and a mechanical engineering degree. A few years ago, after moving to Grafton and finding his commute of more than an hour and a half for his job as a tool designer far too long, he decided to pursue a new career path.

Inspired by his wife, a nurse for three decades, he opted for the weekend-delivery Practical Nursing – Flex Program at DC, graduating in 2021.

“I worked during the week and studied on the weekends,” he explained, adding the flexibility allowed him to support his family while studying. “I was commuting to work from Grafton to Scarborough, so it was on the way home from work on Friday evenings, I would just stop at the Oshawa campus and then went back on Saturdays and Sundays.”

After graduating, he enrolled in the RPN to RN Bridging program at Ontario Tech University and is due to complete his Bachelor of Science in Nursing this spring, all while working at two long-term care facilities in Cobourg and Port Hope.

“The college nursing program is hands-on and patient-centred, focused on bedside care,” said Attila. “They taught us how to perform procedures so I really liked that.”

He’s an example for his kids, who are all finding their own career paths at DC.

Matthew is in his second year in the Welding Engineering Technician program, Adam is in his first year of Culinary Management, and Szandra is a first-year Paramedic student.

Szandra entered the paramedic program directly from high school and says that the best thing about being a DC student is the tight-knit community that developed in the program and how people really help each other.

“I really like the lab space here too,” said Szandra. “Durham College is the only college that has a 24-hour lab space, so I can go and practice scenarios at midnight if I wanted to, as long as I have my friends with me.”

Adam is also a first-year student, but took a gap year after high school. He said he decided to pursue a culinary career because he always enjoyed helping his parents in the kitchen. He participated in the culinary Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) in high school, so he was familiar with DC’s kitchens.

He said the teachers are the best part of his program.

“I can learn so much from all of them. They’re all wonderful chefs who have worked in the industry and that’s how people learn—having someone teach you who has gone through it.”

Matthew is due to graduate from the welding program this spring. He got a chance to try welding at his father’s former job on Take Your Kid to Work Day and it’s something that remained at the back of his mind. As an adult, he likes that his trade is in demand in many different industries.

“I really like that with one skill set, there are so many different directions I can take things,” he said, adding that his favourite part of the program is working hands-on and practicing in the weld shop at the Whitby campus.

“Our teachers encourage us to try and see what works for us, they give us direction on a good place to start—although welding is joining two metals together, there’s more than one way to make that happen, so you need to find a way that works for you and will be effective as well.”

All three students say they take inspiration from seeing both their parents continue on a path of lifelong learning.

“My dad is going to school and improving his life and our lives, it’s shown me it’s worth it, and you have to work for success,” said Adam.

“The number of roles are just endless”: How DC is preparing students for in-demand jobs in the food and beverage industry

The food and beverage industry is on a hiring spree and Durham College (DC) students are gaining the hands-on skills and experience employers are looking for.

Food Processing Skills Canada reports that roughly 300,000 people work in the industry and that number is expected to grow to 325,000 by 2030. However, with more than 65,000 people set to retire and existing vacancies, the industry needs to attract 142,000 workers in the next seven years, causing companies across the country to begin hiring.

“The number of roles are just endless,” said Wendy Smith, a food science and technology professor in DC’s Food and Farming program. “If you look on a job website like Indeed right now, there are so many positions for quality control technicians, quality assurance technicians, product development and production management positions, machine operators, and process technologists—it just goes on and on.”

On the horticulture side, potential jobs include farm supervisor, labour supervisor, jobs in agritourism and much more.

Smith explains numerous DC programs prepare students for food and beverage industry jobs including Culinary Management and Horticulture – Food and Farming but also programs like Biotechnology and the skilled trades.

“If you talk to the skilled trades people, millwrights machine operators, electricians, HVAC workers, and plumbers, they're all going to have roles in food manufacturing,” said Smith.

Kelly O’Brien, Associate Dean for the Faculty of Hospitality and Horticultural Science at DC says it’s important for prospective students to understand the large number of pathways in the food and beverage industry.

For example, a culinary graduate may not become a chef.

“We hired a new faculty member in the fall and he’s like I need three people now, stat, to work in food production and manufacturing and he was looking for culinary students,” she said.

Entrepreneurship is also a major pathway for students in the Food and Farming program with about 25 per cent launching an entrepreneurial endeavour.

Smith is a DC alumna and was part of the first graduating class of the Food and Drug Technology program. She went on to a career in research development and product development with companies like General Foods (now Kraft) and Nestle. She said when she speaks to people in her industry, they often say they fell into a career in food science. She believes there should be more awareness of the great career possibilities.

“My whole career has been in food science, and I'm really happy with the career. There have been so many different types of opportunities and I've been able to grow creatively and also in terms of management and leadership skills.”

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Careers in a bottle

It can take up to 24 different careers to create DC ketchup including chefs, horticulturalists, food safety technicians, food product developers, sales and marketing and so much more! Explore DC’s Story of Food and imagine the possibilities.

Transitioning to a fresh career: How Prince Francis found his place in the kitchen

Growing up, Prince Francis would often find himself replicating the delicious Caribbean dishes his mother prepared. So, it was no surprise when he found himself switching from an education in HVAC to one that included cuisine.

Prince, a Durham College (DC) Culinary Management student is also one of the 2023 DoorDash #Blackfoodenergy culinary scholarship recipients, an opportunity exclusively available at DC.

We caught up with Prince to ask him about his experience at DC and what life is like after receiving the $20,000 scholarship.

What inspired you to apply to the Culinary Management program at Durham College?

My mother instilled a love for cooking in me and when she saw I was at a crossroads, really deciding what I want to do with my life, she told me everything she had heard about the Culinary Management program at DC and I haven’t looked back.

What does it mean to you to have been awarded the DoorDash #Blackfoodenergy scholarship?

It means a lot to me. Not having to worry about student debt is one major part, but also the experiences and connections so far because of the scholarship have really made this culinary journey way more fun than I imagined. It also means a lot to me that DC employees saw my potential and I really appreciate how much they support me and involve me in as much as possible.

What’s your favourite part of your program?

I like the environment of my program. There’s an understanding that we are all here to learn and get better. The chefs are constantly giving tips and tricks as well as offering opportunities for extra curriculars. The environment helps me de-stress and find comfort.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about taking Culinary Management at DC?

That there are plenty of opportunities here, people who care about your success, and people who make you feel seen (not just someone lost in the sea of students). I would also mention the accomplished chefs who that we have as professors and the students who have gone on to see success.

What do you like best about DC?

Honestly, I like the people at DC, from my classmates to the faculty and chefs. Everyone I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with has been really nice and supportive. Everyone wants you to be your best, and in an environment like that I feel like it’s impossible to fail. It really allows me to be comfortable, and you can ask anyone in my classes, I’m always smiling and laughing.

If you could summarize your experience so far in one word – what would it be?

I would say it’s interesting. I’m never bored and there’s something that piques my curiosity every class. The fact that sometimes we change the recipe on the spot, figuring out the most efficient way to do things, hearing the different opinions of the chefs, the skills and thought processes that they are teaching are things that will help us even beyond the culinary realm.

What are you looking forward to doing while studying at DC?

The two things I am most looking forward to in my program besides the cooking are my placement and all the future culinary theory classes. I’m really excited for my placement because it will give me a chance to see how a catering business is run and will introduce me to new flavours. I’m also very excited for my culinary theory classes because I find it really interesting and cool to hear the science and reasoning behind cooking as well as the experiences and opinions of seasoned chefs.

What is your dream career?

My dream career is to own and run my own catering business that serves elevated Caribbean dishes based on my mother’s recipes that I grew up on and serve a unique dessert each month. I’d also really like to curate a social media account where I can show some simple inexpensive recipes, talk about my life and what cooking did for me, and of course promote my business.

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Discover DC’s field-to-fork philosophy and find your perfect program inside the Faculty of Hospitality and Horticultural Science.

Fascinated by food, culinary management grad headed back to DC

Graduate Spotlight: Liv Domik

Though she’s crossing the stage and picking up her diploma in Culinary Management, Liv Domik is not quite finished with her DC journey.

That’s because she’s continuing on in the Horticulture—Food and Farming program where she will pick up skills, training and experiences that naturally complement her culinary management background.

“I dream of becoming a food product developer on a corporate level or becoming a chef at a food and drink magazine,” said Domik. “I love to be creative with food and I think an environment like that would be my perfect place.”

Her journey began during the COVID-19 pandemic when she was selected for the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), a school-to-work program that allows secondary school students to complete their high school diplomas while gaining experience in the skilled trades. She began attending DC in February 2021.

“In my second year, I hit the ground running with experience in the industry under my belt and a fire in me to become the person I wanted to become,” she said. “This drive got me a job at The Springwood right out of college.”

Located in Whitby, The Springwood restaurant focuses on locally sourced food and seasonality.

Based on her experiences at DC and working at the restaurant, Domik decided to return to college for the Food and Farming program.

She said she learned key culinary skills for her industry at DC.

“I also got to learn many different cuisines and service styles which felt unique to this program.”

Domik encourages potential students to consider the culinary management program.

“People take the program for multiple reasons,” she said. “Some people take it to learn the language of food and have a deeper appreciation for it while others take it to become great chefs and own their own restaurants.”

Any advice for future students?

“I want you to remember that tough times don’t last, tough people do. Love yourself and just remember we are all a work in progress.”

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Are you looking to make a career out of a love for food? Check out these popular programs offered at DC in the Faculty of Hospitality and Horticultural Science: