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Questions about Canada

post #1 of 10
2/18/05 at 8:14am
Thread Starter 
From working in kitchens over the years I realized that if I were ever to move, finding a job wouldnt be particularly hard since most restaurants are always looking for cook's in some degee. This was only reinforced in my mind when I up and moved to Aspen with no real job prospects but found a decent job and made a nice living for myself out there. I am considering another move to Toronto, Canada and, customs concerns aside, is that area have a large restaurant to popluation ratio? Are good chef's in demand up there, etc. I notice from most regular posters that they are from the states, but maybe someone could provide some insight?? Thanks!
"Non-cooks think it's silly to invest two hours' work in two minutes' enjoyment; but if cooking is evanescent, so is the ballet." -Julia Child
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post #2 of 10
2/19/05 at 11:21am
Greatings From the Great White North!

Most major Canadian cities (Montreal, Toronto, Vancover) have some great restaurants. And yes there is a demand for qualified staff, but as always there is the question of money. The right gig will pay you well, but there are lot's of under paid chefs here as in the US. An other consideration is the Canadian Rockies, with a large number of resorts and large hotels there is some good money to be made. For specific info (from a review stand point) on restaurants in Toronto check out torontolife.com . You may also want to check out the Canadian Culinary Federation at CCFCC.CA.

Good Luck!
Chef Bob


"Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch?" ~ Orsen Wells (1915-1985)
http://www.frappr.com/cheftalkcafe
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post #3 of 10
2/24/05 at 5:57pm

Canadian info

Hey there, I lived and worked in Canada for couple of years (Ottawa) and I can only warn you about the lack of quality pay. Not to mention the fact that as an American, you will be hard pressed to get a work permit. I actually worked under the table. Oh wait did I just say that? I think bob has a good point about the resort areas paying better. Toronto and Montreal have some excellant restaurants. Hey, what could you tell me about cooking in Aspen? I used to live in Vail but I understand Aspen is quite different? Any advice would be great. Thanks wengersak@hotmail.com
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post #4 of 10
3/18/05 at 6:33pm
Dear Chef Douglas,

Yes resorts, Banff and Whistler at the best... there is also the new Vancouver Trade and Convention Center slotted to open it's new facility in 2008 in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics, big massive kitchen in the making- BC hotel staff is unionized, better pay and benefits.

Vancouver is also doing really amazing things with food right now. In fact, our very own Chef Rob Feenie of Lumiere Restaurant just beat Chef Morimoto on Iron Chef America!

In the East well Montreal, Quebec city, and Halifax boast some serious cooking. Toronto? Yes very talented people there.

Come for a visit, get to know some Chefs in good restaurants... you never know ;)

Good luck...
This lady's name is 'Dude' !
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post #5 of 10
3/20/05 at 9:39am
Chef Douglas,
I am a Toronto Chef, and here there are plenty of opportunities.
As one of the previous Chefs mentioned the quality of pay is always a question.
A great source of information are websites such as www.hcareers.ca or www.workopolis.ca.
Here you can punch in your job serch parameters, whether it be for cook, chef or Kmanager, and find out what's in the city and most of the time the rate of pay.
Good luck, and if you still need info., let me know.
Your friend in T.O. :chef:
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post #6 of 10
3/25/05 at 9:09am

Working In Toronto

Toronto is a great Restaurant city
While it is rather difficult for an outsider to get a great job here
there are the odd great one that pops up once in a while
Toronto Restaurants seem so give priority to Local Culinary Grads
when the acheive the Red Seal Certificate they usually start at the bottom
of the ladder
Usually as a Garde Manger or a Station Chef
The Average Start-up pay is around $15.00 Per Hour [Cdn]
there are a few Executive
Chefs who actually Make $100,000 per year
the average pay for an executive chwf is betwen 40K - 60K

I am a graduate of ACI Hyde Park NY Campus and the reason I got a great
Job Right away is that I got Transferred By the Hotel Chain out of Chicago
I was making 40K a year over 20 years ago and as strange as it may seem
wages for Exec Chefs haven't gone up by that much

Now I Run and Operate onr of the Top Catering Groups in Toronto and Southwest Ontario
Our revenues last year was a touch over 3 Million Dollars
and we have 10 Full time Site Chefs on staff
with another 22 Chefs on call
We pay our catering chefs 15.00 to 28.00 dollars depending on venues

Most of our Yemp Chefs have their own gigs and moonlight with us
hope this helps you
Best Regards
Chef Murray
RSVP - Encore Hospitality Group
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post #7 of 10
3/25/05 at 11:47am
I don't have the Red Seal, and most chefs I know do not. I've been inthe industry for 4 years now and I'm sous for a multi-million dollar operation. It's never been an issue, and no one has ever suggested I get the red seal to earn more money. I think this becomes an issue with hotels and other institutional places.

There aren't many restaurants that start you off at $15. Particularly high end. There is still this terrible mentality in the city that if you work for a high end chef, you should feel privileged, and therefore accept a lower pay.

That said, there are ways to make some seriously decent money in this industry. You just have to prove yourself and ask for it. Sounds silly but too many cooks are affraid to ask.

So $15-28, you say? Wow! I should give you a call! :)

Hmm... Seriously, I should..
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post #8 of 10
4/18/05 at 3:49pm
How did you land sous job of that volume with only 4 years experience and no red seal?
I work in a top end restaurant and get paid a very nice salary. It all depends on where you go. And of course your qualifications
Whenever we cook we become practical chemists, drawing on the accumulated knowledge of generations, and transforming what the Earth offers us into more concentrated forms of pleasure and nourishment.
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post #9 of 10
4/27/05 at 3:54am

Ottawa this summer

[QUOTE=markswill]Hey there, I lived and worked in Canada for couple of years (Ottawa) and I can only warn you about the lack of quality pay. /QUOTE]


I am going to Ottawa this summer to take a pastry class at the le Cordon bleu. i'm sure class will be great but i'm more interested in learning some french, seeing some beautiful cityscapes, rivers, and working in some restaurants. Any serious restaurants there that are worthy of staging at???

Thanks!!!
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post #10 of 10
4/27/05 at 5:14am
Not being from Ottawa, I don't know restaurants there but I know Ottawa has some fine hotels like the Le Chateau. You may also want to look into Montreal, they're primarily French speaking and have a good tourism industry with a night life. Work there shouldn't be too difficult to find.
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