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Faculty Member Dave Hawey Earns Prestigious Worldchefs Global Certification

Chef Dave Hawey, Faculty Member in Durham College’s Faculty of Hospitality and Horticultural Science, has been awarded the prestigious Worldchefs Certified Chef de Cuisine certification, underscoring his expertise, commitment to sustainability, and dedication to culinary excellence.

To earn this globally recognized level of achievement, Hawey provided evidence of his years of experience, his job duties, and previously earned credentials. The process also involved responding to detailed questions covering topics such as food safety, customer service, and his philosophy on zero-waste food production. Additionally, he developed and presented three original, complex recipes as part of the evaluation.

“As a believer of both lifelong learning and professional certification, I’m proud to be certified by Worldchefs,” said Hawey. “Obtaining this certification shows my culinary management students that regardless of your age or level of experience, possibilities of personal and professional goal achievement are possible because of organizations such as Worldchefs.”

A Faculty Member in the Culinary Management program at DC for nearly 15 years, Hawey is passionate about hands-on learning and professional development.

“Teaching in the kitchens and classrooms, alongside my colleagues, is what I enjoy the most,” he said. “The Whitby campus has evolved tremendously over the years, and with our state-of-the-art facilities, we can offer a top-tier culinary education. The support from management and my fellow faculty has allowed me to engage in professional development activities that enhance our program, including charcuterie production, butchery, and cheese making. These elements differentiate us from other culinary programs and keep our curriculum dynamic and industry relevant.”

Kelly O’Brien, Associate Dean, Faculty of Hospitality and Horticulture Science, emphasized the impact of Hawey’s achievement on students and the program.

“Recognizing Dave for his Worldchefs Certified Chef de Cuisine global certification highlights his expertise, dedication, and commitment to sustainability within our programs,” she said. “His achievement not only reflects his pursuit of culinary excellence but also strengthens the program’s credibility and alignment with global industry standards.”

For students, this recognition offers direct value—learning from a chef with deep industry connections, a strong focus on sustainability, and an adaptive approach that ensures the curriculum evolves in response to industry demands, said O’Brien.

“Dave serves as a role model, exemplifying continuous learning, innovation, and professional excellence. His expertise enhances the student experience, equipping them with relevant, forward-thinking, and globally recognized skills.”

Students shine at successful Harvest Dinner

An iconic Durham College (DC) tradition continued on September 19, made possible by our talented and hard-working students, staff and faculty members.

Each year, the Harvest Dinner marks the arrival of fall with a unique dining experience under the stars at our Whitby Campus. It’s the result of countless hours of preparation in the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food’s (Weston Centre) fields, labs and classrooms, and an invaluable opportunity for experiential learning.

Students in DC’s Culinary programs worked tirelessly in the Bistro ’67 kitchen to prepare the delicious food that was served at the event, and those from the Horticulture programs harvested all of the produce that was featured on the menu. Event Planning students helped set up and provided terrific service throughout the evening, while Hospitality volunteers handled bartending and serving duties.

“It was such an incredible example of teamwork,” marveled Lori Saint, Weston Centre General Manager. “It was so rewarding to see it all come together.”

The evening was particularly rewarding for Paige Daniel and Ashley Sedgwick, two Culinary Management students who jumped at the chance to take part in the popular event. Both were given the unique opportunity to introduce different courses of the meal to the eager attendees, describing each menu item in delectable detail.

“Harvest Dinner is so fantastic for bringing together students and faculty”, exclaimed Sedgwick, who helped out in the kitchen. Being part of the Harvest Dinner was an opportunity for the student to further immerse herself in the field-to-fork-to-field philosophy of DC and the Weston Centre, which she enthusiastically supports.

“The focus on sustainability we have here is something that really speaks to me personally,” she said. “Zero waste and sustainability is super cool and I love learning about it.”

For Daniel, who interacted directly with the guests as a server, the highlight was seeing the happiness and satisfaction on their faces.

“The atmosphere was beautiful,” said Daniel. “I was very thankful to be part of an amazing event and see it come to fruition.”

Weston Centre Interim Service Manager Megan Simmons had a unique perspective on the event, having taken part in it during her time as a DC student. The Event Management alumna came full circle by overseeing the front-of-house operations at this year’s dinner, working with current DC students to ensure everything went off without a hitch.

“It’s a good demonstration of how everything works together, and gaining that experience of accomplishing a shared goal is really valuable,” she said. “Coaching the future generation of hospitality and event professionals has been an absolute honour.”