I received an email recently with the subject "The Stratford Chef School Brings Oaxaca to Stratford through Acclaimed Chef Pilar Cabrera Arroyo", which made me really excited. Last time Chef Pilar had been in Canada I had not had the opportunity to attend any of the events, but had heard of their great success. Pilar comes from a town called Oaxaca, an inland town surrounded by mountains in Southern Mexico, in a region considered a culinary destination in Mexico. She was being brought for a stint as Celebrity Chef-in-Residence at the school in Stratford, and on her way through Toronto would be teaching some high school students at Danforth Collegiate and Technical Institute.

This was a great opportunity to see a renowned chef in action, and also check out the facilities that exist for students in Toronto who are considering a career in the culinary field, and that is something I’m very interested in. Chef Pilar once taught Rick Bayless, an expert in Mexican cuisine, how to cook authentic Oaxacan food; one more reason to be excited for this opportunity to watch Chef Pilar instruct and create.

Chef Pilar runs a restaurant called La Olla (The Pot), where she serves the regional dishes of Oaxaca, the dishes taught to her by her mother and grandmother, including the complex moles for which Oaxaca is known.

There were students from 4 schools present in the kitchen, and when I arrived there was a buzz as they all prepared to get started on a 4-hour journey with Chef Pilar, while various members of the media gawked, photographed, and drooled.

It was a great experience to watch the students interacting with each other and Chef Pilar, and made me wish that we had had programs like this available to us when we were in school. I really respect the dedication and perseverance of the teachers who make these programs happen.

We sat with some of the Danforth Tech students discussing their future, food, and life in general. The 7-course lunch, and the company of the chef to my right, really made for a fantastic morning and afternoon.

The Stratford Chef School has been in operation since 1983, and is run by industry professionals, with a star-studded faculty. Training is done in restaurant kitchens, giving practical and hands-on experience to the young students, and sees 100% of their students find placement upon graduation. Pretty impressive.