Faculty Member Dave Hawey Earns Prestigious Worldchefs Global Certification Posted on March 31, 2025 at 12:06 pm. 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 Posted on September 25, 2024 at 11:57 am. 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.” DC students cook up gold medal finish in culinary competition Posted on November 10, 2023 at 11:01 am. For the second year in a row, Durham College (DC) students have struck gold as they were crowned Canada’s best new student chefs at Taste Canada’s Cooks the Books Student Culinary Competition. This year, second-year Culinary Management students Miguel Alves Dos Santos Fonseca and Jess Dalziel were selected to represent DC and they plated up their winning dish of Brazilian beef hearts, farofa, pickled beets, glazed carrots, crispy tripe and chimichurri on October 29. Fonseca described the excitement of winning. “I heard my name and I screamed before everyone else started clapping,” he said. Before facing off in the competition kitchen, Miguel and Jess spent long hours perfecting their dish in DC’s state-of-the-art culinary labs to ensure they could execute it in the 45-minute time limit. They looked to their peers in the Culinary Management program to offer honest feedback as they developed their recipe. Part of the challenge was using sponsored ingredients including Canadian beef, California prunes, Club House spices and Tabasco sauce. Miguel incorporated aspects of his Brazilian heritage while Jess brought inspiration from Hungarian cuisine. For example, when incorporating the prunes, Miguel turned to a traditional Brazilian side-dish called farofa, which is a cassava flour toasted with a fat like butter or oil. But there are a thousand versions of the recipe including one that incorporates bananas. “I thought maybe the prunes would work because it’s sweet as well and with the meat, you know it’ll be a little spicy.” Chef Peter Lee, the DC faculty member who mentored the pair, congratulated the them. “The recipe is delicious,” he said. “The meaty flavour of heart is balanced well with the acidity of pickled beets and sweetness of California prunes. Each school had to choose a different cut of beef, we chose to showcase unpopular cuts as a challenge to ourselves and show they can taste great.” Lee said students selected to represent DC in culinary competitions are dedicated to training and sacrifice many hours to perform at a high level. “It allows eager students to show their passion for their craft,” he said. “It allows us faculty to push students to have success at a high level. I do not want to just participate in competitions, I want to win.” Miguel credits the Culinary Management program for setting him up for success. “What DC helps us do is really build that work ethic,” he said. “Many of our chefs, they really focus on that point and it’s really important.” Interested in a career in food? DC has career-focused programs that prepare students to succeed. Culinary Management Culinary Skills Horticulture – Food and Farming Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations Nutrition and Food Service Photo credit: Stephen Chu Durham College grad returns to Bistro ’67 for pop-up dining event following Top Chef Canada win Posted on February 24, 2023 at 1:48 pm. Trevane “Tre” Sanderson, winner of Top Chef Canada Season 10 and 2015 grad of Durham College’s (DC) Culinary Management program, returned to Bistro ’67 for a unique dining experience on Thursday, February 23. Part of a two-night pop-up event sponsored by RBC, the sold-out “An Evening with Tre Sanderson, Winner of Top Chef Canada” events offered more than 140 guests the chance to enjoy a delicious four-course meal made up of many of Tre’s most-celebrated dishes from the competition, as well as the opportunity to meet the Top Chef himself. Inspired by his Jamaican background and fueled by his passion to elevate Caribbean cuisine, Tre worked alongside current culinary students, sharing his skills and experiences and inspiring them with his success story. “It wasn’t long ago I was in the same situation as them, fresh and green, ambitious, eager to learn and not scared to challenge themselves,” said Tre. “Once you’re in a comfort zone, you’re not being challenged so being able to work with these young chefs and see them asking questions is humbling.” Funds from the RBC sponsorship will also support the Tre Sanderson Culinary Management bursary, which will help future culinary students pursue their paths at DC. “We’re incredibly proud to have played a role in Tre’s journey and grateful for his dedication to giving back to the next generation of young culinary professionals,” said Kelly O’Brien, associate dean, Faculty of Hospitality & Horticultural Science. “And with the support of our title sponsor, RBC, we were able to host an incredible event that not only showcases Tre’s talents but also how Durham College’s programs can lead the way to a bright and inspiring future.” Bistro ’67 opened its doors once again on Friday, February 24 for the second event. The food, service, ambience and décor all received rave reviews, and another sold-out crowd enjoyed a sumptuous meal designed by Canada’s Top Chef with precision and passion. “This menu is the dream,” he said. “It’s my dream, to elevate Caribbean cuisine.” DC grad named Canada’s Top Chef Posted on December 7, 2022 at 1:02 pm. Canada’s new Top Chef is a proud Durham College (DC) graduate. Trevane ‘Tre’ Sanderson, a 2015 graduate of DC’s Culinary Management program, claimed victory last month on the hit show Top Chef Canada. Facing off against 10 of Canada’s best chefs, Tre needed all of his culinary knowledge and passion to come out on top. “This moment, this win, was so memorable,” he said. “It was a proud moment and a big accomplishment.” Studying the culinary arts at DC was an easy choice for Tre, who has nurtured a love of food and cooking ever since childhood. His timing couldn’t have been better, as he and his classmates were the very first to learn their trade at the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food. Tre cited the unique education he received there, including DC’s field-to-fork and sustainable business practices, as a big factor in the success he has achieved so far. “DC gave me the confidence to get out there and go into my industry.” The up-and-coming chef’s career has been on the rise ever since he graduated, with successful stints at notable Toronto restaurants like Baro, Hotel X and Vela. Fresh off his Top Chef triumph, he hopes to return to DC in the near future and give back to the school and its students. Plans aren’t finalized yet, but he’d like to work with the current Culinary Management students, and even set up a pop-up restaurant, hopefully in time for Black History Month in February. He’ll have plenty of advice to offer to the young chefs at the Whitby campus. “Always challenge yourself, and never stay comfortable,” he said. “The moment you’re comfortable, you stop learning.” As for his own future, Tre has big plans, and opening his own restaurant will be just the beginning. “I want to start this culinary empire I’ve always dreamed of since I started cooking…keep pushing the boundaries and working with different chefs. I want to be a world class chef who people can look up to.” By becoming Canada’s Top Chef, Tre has demonstrated that anything is possible when you work hard, dream big and can lead with way with a great education. DC pair leading the way as Canada’s best new student chefs Posted on November 17, 2022 at 12:26 pm. Durham College (DC) is home to the country’s best new student chefs, according to Taste Canada. Second-year Culinary Management students Adreanna Russell and Sahil Ahuja took home the top honors at the 2022 Taste Canada Awards Gala in early November. The pair beat out teams from seven other schools to win the Cooks the Books student cooking competition. “I can’t even tell you how big that moment was for us,” said Ahuja. As the winners, Russell and Ahuja split a $3,000 educational bursary, along with over $2,000 worth of prizes. “Once we realized we won, we were in shock,” said Russell. “It was such an honor for us, and a great opportunity.” The students were tasked with designing a dish featuring a cut of Canadian beef. Under the skilled eye of faculty member Peter Lee, they chose corned beef tongue with mustard jus, pickled cabbage and glazed carrots. “We chose beef tongue because we wanted to try something different, use an underutilized cut and show everyone it can be delicious,” explained Lee. “If you look at a raw beef tongue, even a cooked tongue, it doesn’t look very appetizing. But it’s absolutely delicious.” In addition to showcasing their culinary talents, the event was also a great networking opportunity. The DC chefs made the most of it by connecting with students and instructors from other college’s, including the second-place team from Top Toques Institute, as well as professionals from the Canadian food industry. Both students credit the experimental learning they have received at DC for pushing them to new heights as they prepare for their careers. “I’ve enjoyed every second here at Durham. All the chefs are industry professionals who have given me the best experience,” said Russell. “They’ve connected me with people outside the college for job opportunities; those have been the best jobs I’ve had in my life and career.” Ahuja considers himself lucky to be at DC, having come all the way from India to study here in the hopes of one day opening a restaurant. If a career as a chef appeals to you, check out DC’s in demand food and hospitality programs.
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