This culinary arts diploma is really just an addition to the rest of your education isn’t it? What has led you to this point?

I came to NAIT and went into the business program and really had an affluence for accounting. I thought they make a lot of money and I’m good at it, so why not. I pursued that and six months into the field I decided it was awful and I hated it. I then came back to NAIT and took finance, because at least then I could interact with people. It was a great fit for me, and I even ran a financial planning practice for three years. I had great clients and made great money, even bought a house, but ultimately I was working for the money and not the love of the job. I decided that it wasn’t enough for me.

You must have big plans for the future with all this education under your belt.

My goal down the line is to own my own restaurant. It’s a pipe dream a lot of chefs have and chase after, but having a business background really helps. Once you move up to an executive chef or a chef/owner, having that business know-how becomes very beneficial. Although, I have other ambitions; I don’t want one restaurant, I want a handful of restaurants. I want to be able to really take the industry by storm. You get a lot of negative feedback from other people in the industry who haven’t been able to do it, but that’s not going to hold me back.

Good for you, I respect your ambition. Doing a program like this, do you get to eat a lot of the things you make?

For sure, any given day we’re doing anywhere from five to seven recipes. You have to try everything you make and even try it along the way. You’re always tasting your creations as a chef... It’s non-stop.

That doesn’t sound so bad. Are there any negatives to being a chef?

Although being a chef can be a great benefit for a single guy, no one ever wants to cook for me. I’m the easiest to cook for! I love everything!

Maybe this interview will change that for you...