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At one time, Chef James Stewart was learning how to draft blue prints
and design buildings. Then one day, he decided he would rather cook
instead.
Stewart's parents owned several coffee shops where he first
got a taste of the chef's life. Stewart wanted more so he left the
architecture program he was enrolled in and started on
his way to becoming the executive chef he is today.
"I
met a really good chef and he saw some potential in me
so he set up an apprenticeship for me at the Regal Constellation," recalls
Stewart.
Like all apprentices at that time, Stewart went to George
Brown College for the in-class portion of the program.
"The culinary knowledge that we learned was always very interesting
and we
could take that back to the kitchen,"Stewart
says. "They also taught us about food costing which was
very good because as apprentices we didn't have much
to do with that aspect."Upon graduation in 1987, Stewart
did something that young
chefs just starting out don't usually do — he landed an
executive chef position at the Glen Abbey Golf Club in
Oakville.
"I guess I was at the right place at the right time,"says
Stewart of his good fortune. Luck may have gotten him
the job in the first place but his talent and dedication is what
sustained him for nearly a decade
at Glen Abbey.
Stewart went on to work for the Royal Connaught
Hotel in Hamilton and for ClubLink at various golf courses
before owning a successful fish and chip restaurant in
Oakville.
He is now the executive chef at the National Club, a
posh private club in downtown Toronto.
After putting
in his time, he now has what would be considered a dream
job by industry standards — he
works Monday to Friday and the odd weekend which leaves
him plenty of time to spend with his family and his garden.
"I find it a challenge to motivate the kids into this
industry because it is hard to make a living and it's
not very forgiving,"he says about the young cook apprentices
who work with him at the National Club. He tries to keep
them inspired and motivated by showing them what kind
of an impact their talent and hard work
can have on people.
"When you bang out a banquet for 200 people and you get
letters thanking you the next day, that's what makes
it worth it,"Stewart says. Above all else, he tries to
be honest with them about what being a chef is really
like. I just tell them to make sure they look at all avenues, talk to
people,
get a job
in
a kitchen and find out for themselves."Stewart recommends
the apprenticeship route as he found it was the best
way to learn.
"I had a really great chef when I was apprenticing
and the in-class part at George Brown was good too,"he
says. "Everything played a small part in [my career]."In the
20 years since Stewart finished his apprenticeship,
he has accomplished much of what he set out to do.
"Teaching would be the next level for me,"he says.
"I've reached all my goals as an executive chef and I've had
my own restaurant. Teaching the craft of cooking would
be really cool."
Read more stories from George Brown Graduates...
We encourage you to visit the Alumni Association.
To learn more, visit the George
Brown College Alumni page.
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