[McB]

This is only my 2nd post here. I've been cooking for well over 10 years now. I did a culinary program ages ago, but never actually wrote my red seal! Most of my time has been spent in small bistro type restaurant in Toronto (were papers have never really been required) but I've done stints in BC and France aswell. Now with a young family I absolutley MUST move away from the restaurant scene. I'm now moving toward teaching at the college level. So obviously it is time to write the exam. I've submitted my hours and school docs to the apprenticeship office and I'm about ready to write. So anyone got any tips for the Canadian exam? Any words of wisdom? Anyone know of any sample exams on line, or good study guides???

Thanks to all for your help.

[Steve A]

McB - I'm going to copy your link and email it to a bud of mine in Muskoka and another in Ottawa. They'll likely be better able to help you out than me.

Good luck on your test (and Go Leafs!).

Ciao,

[chefdave]

hi there McB; I was asked by Steve to send you any info on the TQ exam. We had two apprentices write their tests recently; the main thrust these days is on sanitation!!! go figure and on food theory.
My advice to you is to look to those areas as well as grounding your self in the costing and menu planning modules.
Search out any people that you know in the industry that have recently done the test and ask them what they thought of it. Also get hold of Skills and Trades Ontario for some info- not too specific but should give guidlines.
I did myCCC exam last year and found it similar to the cooks test in how broad it was, not so much depth for that advanced.
good luck
dave

[McB]

Thanks for the tips guys. Nice of you to find time to reply during such a busy time for everyone! If most of the focus is on basic food theory and food safety I don't think I've got to much to worry about. I guess some things however might be stuff I do with out even thinking about. So might be worth reviewing. I wonder if the length of time I've spent away from school might be a challenge versis someone only two or three years out??

[Steve A]

Dave! Thanks for popping in and answering. I knew you'd know more about it than I.

Ciao bro,

[Headless Chicken]

Hello McB, I was schooled in George Brown College in downtown Toronto. I know a number of chefs there and all of them have papers, a few wrote them recently. You could always pass by there, talk with a few of them and I'm sure they'll be more then happy to give you a few pointers.

Good luck and cheers!

[chefdave]

anytime Steve; Glad to help a fellow culinarian
McB let us know how you did...bye the bye why do you want to teach and don't they require CCC accreditation nowadays?
The life of a working cook vs. a teaching cook is so much more varied and full of vigour!
have many friends that moved to the college teaching post and still do two or three shifts a week in the restaurant, not for want of money either!
anyway good luck with the exam and all your choices'
d

[MISNO]

To teach at the college level, the CCC designation is required.

[chefdave]

hey McB have you gotten around to setting up an appointment for writing yet? done any research into the teaching accreditation needed?
let us know what is going on.

[mizz]

im starting my apprenticeship in the spring im a dishwasher for now.. >_< but anyways some of my past coworkers have talked of a author his last name is gislin and the book is known as the gislin its a book to use to study for the red seal test but ive tried google searching and i can find any info on it if any of u know any books i can use to study for the red seal exam i'd like to know cuz i dont anything about food theory or the temperatures for storing the food and all that stuff thanks a lot ahead of time ^_^

[tsblo]

Originally Posted by mizz

im starting my apprenticeship in the spring im a dishwasher for now.. >_< but anyways some of my past coworkers have talked of a author his last name is gislin and the book is known as the gislin its a book to use to study for the red seal test but ive tried google searching and i can find any info on it if any of u know any books i can use to study for the red seal exam i'd like to know cuz i dont anything about food theory or the temperatures for storing the food and all that stuff thanks a lot ahead of time ^_^

Well, thats part of an apprenticeship mizz. You have to complete 6000 hours to get your seal in Canada. If after your 6000 hours, you do not understand about temperature, you have no hope in achieving your red seal.
To study for my seal I used On cooking, and the professional chef volume 8. I also tried to use everything I read.
Get out there, get dirty, and get ready to learn.

[mizz]

lol my chef told me to do the food theory class at college... and im getting the 5th edition of professional cooking by wayne gesslin its used to study for the red seal but like ive been asking liek to every1 what is the red seal exam on? my chef said there will be questions about like the different knives how to make a vinaigrette sanitation food theory what else is my question? and are u sure its 6000 hours he said it was liek 3000 or something im going to be doing the apprenticeship fulltime 5 days a week so how long would that take for the whatever amount of hours for the apprenticeship to be done? he told me a year and a half

[soup_dictator]

Assume you work 40 hrs a week
Assume you work 50 weeks out of the year
40 X 50 = 2000 hrs/yr
You are required 3 blocks/yrs to write the cook's red seal exam.

[mizz]

ok assume he bull***** the red seal ppl and says i worked a lot of doubles i dunno my friends who are chef de parties said it can be done so i dunno

[soup_dictator]

You might be able to cheat it a little but whats the point. Take your time, explore the vast world of food and above all enjoy it. Learn as much as you can but you can't learn it all at the same time.