George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
Capping off an impressive string of accomplishments, including winning gold in 2025’s Skills Ontario and Skills Canada competitions and serving as a judge at Skills Ontario this year, George Brown Polytechnic is thrilled to welcome star Chef Assad home from the recent 48th WorldSkills Competition with her well-earned Team Canada Medal of Excellence.
Assad achieved a world-class standard score in the Cooking competition, ranking seventh out of 43 competitors worldwide.
“The Chef School is so proud of Luca,” says Tara Ferguson, Associate Dean. “The amount of training, and dedication displayed by this competitor has been a joy to watch. The coaching team, and all of our colleagues that supported along the way, made the journey to Worlds so worthwhile.”
WorldSkills is the culmination of global competitions for young professionals in vocational trades, held every two years, with over 1400 competitors this year. It raises the profile of the skilled trades and exemplifies their standards, while recognizing the high-quality talent of the next generation of journeypersons. As the demand for skilled tradespeople rises all over the world, this spotlight on technical precision, timed competition, and expert mentorship shows how rewarding these paths can be. With four days of intense competition, 68 participating countries, and 45 competing in Culinary, achieving an eighth-place ranking is a remarkable achievement for our first entry at WorldSkills.
“It’s incredible to see Luca’s commitment, professionalism, and creative drive honoured on the global stage,” said Dr. Ana-Rita Morais, Dean of the Faculty of Business, Creative Industries, and Culinary Arts. “We are proud to see her represent not only Canada and George Brown but also the emerging world-class culinary talent among our graduates. Congratulations, Luca!”
After years of preparation and competitions, Assad can now look back on the experience as a whole.
“WorldSkills was fantastic. It was a shock to be so far from home, but once I locked in, I was really in the groove. It was the ideal kitchen environment, everything set up so nicely, and everyone was so kind, I loved it,” she says. “Seventh in the world is pretty good, but I felt like the real win was the two years of practice leading up to the competition. That felt like the win. The people that I met, the hard work that I put into it, that was great.”
The road to Shanghai
When we last spoke to Assad in February, she was deep in a year-long training plan for WorldSkills, all while she was busy with classes and working at the Michelin-recommended restaurant The Wood Owl. Her naturally competitive drive keeps her fuelled, but she also spoke of the doors George Brown has opened for her and the connections she’s made that got her to this point.
“George Brown offers you so many paths to further your education and go the extra step ... and it pays off,” she says. “Building your resume with clubs, activities, and competitions can help you go above and beyond if you really want to. If I only went to classes, I’d have a different experience.”
Assad’s approach coming to school is something she recommends for future students: be kind to yourself.
“I think people get too focused on perfection,” she says. “Don’t compare yourself to so many people and just have fun. You’re going to school to learn. You’re not supposed to know everything that you want to know going into it.”
Do you want to achieve culinary dreams like Luca? Check out all the programs our Chef School has to offer.
