Cooking School  

Bio Dave Nugent

My first job was in the food industry at age 15.  Some how I managed to continue working in the industry until I married.  I had experienced the long hours in front of a hot stove and the low pay and I swore I would not make a career out of it. 

I managed to find white collar work for 23 year at a local distilling company but never really felt it was my niche.  Ten of the happiest years working there, were in the executive dining room, as a steward.  I would spend many hours picking our European, executive chef’s brain.  I was fascinated by his professionalism and skill.  During my stint there, I had the opportunity to attend the Culinary Institute of America in New York. 

I loved food and everything about it and this only fired me up even more.  I somehow started to cook for other people just for the love of it and began to make some money doing it.  After a company re-organization I found myself in a position of forced growth.  I decided to follow my passion and get back into the food business with both feet.  I took my outplacement money the company offered and put it towards tuition in the culinary program at St. Clair College.  Because of my experience, I challenged the first part of the program and moved directly into the second.  I landed a job as a kitchen manager and apprenticed while doing that.  I wanted some professional credentials, so I wrote my red seal.  I took a part-time Chef de Parti position at the Hilton Hotel in Windsor for a while but found that managing a restaurant, catering and going to school was getting too heavy. 

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