Testimonials

I have nothing but great things to say about Northwest and its grads! I first met its founders when they opened the school in 2004. My restaurant, Aurora Bistro, was a few blocks away. They had me in to do cooking demos, which led to students doing internships, which led to many hires! One of the early grads is now my sous chef. I will continue to hire grads from Northwest. They have always been great cooks who have been prepared for the realities and rigours of the industry.

Jeff Van Geest

Executive Chef, Miradoro at Tinhorn Creek Winery, BC

I’ve been a huge fan of Northwest Culinary Academy from day one. I have been invited several times as guest instructor where I personally worked with the extremely professional staff and wonderful culinary students. Their students are always eager and passionate, and the best thing about Northwest is they teach the students skills to adapt in our tough industry and the expectations for the field they are about to embark on.

Angus An

Award-winning Chef/Owner, Maenam, Longtail Kitchen, Fat Mao Noodles, and Popina Canteen

Love the synergy between our restaurant and your cooking school. Northwest has done an awesome job preparing students to step into opportunities in the industry right away.

Alex Chen

Executive Chef, Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar, Sutton Place Hotel, Vancouver BC (2018 VanMag Chef of the Year)

I am currently the chef at Le Mary Celeste in Paris. This year, Le Fooding, the biggest food publication in France, named us the best bar/restaurant in Paris.

Before taking on my current job I spent six months in various kitchens in Paris, and also spent a year and a half in Copenhagen where I staged, and ultimately ended up becoming chef de partie at two different Michelin star restaurants: Kiin Kiin and Kokkeriet. From my first job after graduating from Northwest was at Maenam restaurant where I learned to season things and think of dishes in a much more complex way than a Western-trained chef. Just before leaving for Paris, I spent time working in Toronto at Enoteca Sociale with Grant van Gameren. It was a brief stay, but in terms of thinking about how to get the best possible product to the customers, it was probably the most influential place I have ever worked. Attention to detail and a real loathing and disdain for things done sloppily and without care is what I got from that experience.

But, of course, this journey into the professional world of cooking all started at Northwest. It was there I learned the technical fundamentals that set me on the right path in my career. For me, though, the most important, lasting things I took from school were the messages instilled in me through the curriculum and the Chef instructors: 1) be humble 2) You should always think of yourself as a cook before you think of yourself as a chef, and 3) success comes to those who sacrifice and work hard.

Chef HaanPalcu-Chang

Chef at Le Mary Celeste in Paris

As a chef who has practiced in Vancouver for over 27 years, I am in a position to happily endorse Northwest Culinary Academy. I have taught both professional and amateur cooking classes, judged culinary competitions, mentored cooks and participated in many industry initiatives, so I understand the needs of this demanding industry.

I was fortunate to gain my culinary skills at the highly acclaimed Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School and recognize many similar attributes with Northwest. Their culinary programs have consistently produced a high calibre of graduates who are well trained, disciplined and passionate.

Culinary Capers Catering values our partnership with the Northwest and are committed to hiring their talented graduates.

Chef Margaret Chisholm

Ex-Executive Chef of Culinary Capers Catering

As the owner of Savoury Chef Foods, I have hired many graduates from Northwest. They enter the workplace with excellent practical skills and a realistic approach to the industry. I’m always pleased with their work ethic, and their eagerness to grow and build upon the skills they’ve developed during their schooling. I’m also proud to say I am a graduate of Northwest.

Chef Taryn Wa

Graduate of the 1 Year Program, Owner/Chef of Savoury Chef Catering

Amazing program from day 1 through graduation and BEYOND. This is the best culinary program Vancouver has to offer. The class structure and curriculum paired with right instructors ensure that you are industry ready upon graduation and that you will have ongoing support and guidance whenever needed. I can’t say enough great things about this place. I owe my career to NWCAV.

Andrew H.

I am from Boston, USA. After many years of selling the world’s greatest and nearly great wines, I was compelled to gain a greater understanding of fine dining. I arrived at Northwest hoping to fill in my knowledge gap. Through the superior instruction and the well-focused lesson plan, my need/desire has been expertly achieved! The level of instruction at Northwest has inspired me to contemplate formalizing my Company’s own educational and outreach programs.

Phil Minervino

Culinary Program

I was born in the Philippines, grew up outside Washington, D.C., and have a Food Science Degree from Cornell University. I would recommend Northwest to anyone looking for an intense program to get themselves into the food industry in a short period of time. The professional programs do a great job of giving you a solid foundation of skills and techniques that you can build on once you enter the industry. Northwest also gives you plenty of opportunities to hone your skills outside of class through amateur class assisting, special event volunteering, and shadowing at restaurants and other venues that are connected with the school.

Casto Unson

1 Year Diploma Program

I am from Montreal, Quebec. I was an Olympic athlete most of my life. I really enjoyed Northwest. The instructors were professional, knowledgeable and most of all wanted you to succeed. The days were well organized and intense. The school tries to stay current with what is happening in the real world so you get a taste of everything, from traditional French cooking to vegan, to an introduction to molecular techniques. I definitely learned a lot!

Douglas Vandor

Culinary Program

My time at NWCAV was a life-changing experience. In culinary I learned discipline, skills, and speed. In pastry, I learned how to be patient and precise. By combining the skills from those two programs I feel now that I can take on anything that comes at me. I also learned how to work as a team with the people around me. This school has laid the foundation for my future, I feel more certain now than ever that I am on the right path in life. I apprenticed for 1 year at Muraritz, San Sebastian, Spain and opening a restaurant in Alberta.

Erica Vliengenthart

1 Year Program

I’m from Charlottesville, Virginia, but now work in Salt Lake, Utah. My time at Northwest was probably the most intense, challenging, and most of all–FUN, 15 weeks of my life. I went into the program knowing I liked to cook, and left thrilled about the seemingly endless opportunities the future held. While I had some industry experience prior to attending school, learning the fundamentals in such a well-organized, intense environment from such passionate chef instructors helped me grow immensely. I was pushed to work hard and held to high standards, and as an end result, I feel like I have much more confidence when looking to apply for jobs in the field.

I would recommend NWCAV over other schools because of the small intimate class size and phenomenal network and roots it has developed. I found that the connections that Northwest have formed was amazing. I was able to stage at very small and large restaurants, and this gave me a bit more of a taste of the “real-world”, helping me figure out where my interests and future may lie. By attending Northwest, you not only leave with a top-notch education but a tight-knit network of like-minded people that support and help each other succeed in the field.

Grace McGowan

Culinary Program

I am originally from New York, but now run a farm in Idaho, USA. For me, the Northwest experience was a door held open to endless possibilities. Coming from a total lack of industry experience, the school exposed me to a huge variety of options for a person going into this field. When I did stints in restaurants toward the end of the term, I was surprised to find how comfortable and prepared I was to pitch in after just a few short months in school. Northwest also created a very strong community with which to build upon our schooling. It was clear from the beginning that alumni of the school have the opportunity and desire to build and retain strong bonds with the staff and students.

Northwest felt to me like a liberal arts version of culinary school. The student to teacher ratio is small, so individuals get the attention and instruction that they need or want. The chefs have taken amazing care in balancing the personalities and skill sets of the staff, so you gain a different bit of wisdom from each chef on each topic. The experience was challenging, rewarding, and fun all at once. I highly recommend the course.

Emily Levine

Culinary Program

The instructors are phenomenal! They get you kitchen ready better than any other school. They don’t sugar-coat anything. They tell you right from the beginning how the industry is going to be… stressful environment, long hours, standing on your feet all day, hot kitchen, etc. Yet you still maintain your enthusiasm to dive into this because they inspire you to be the best you can be every day. They taught me to be tough, but to still show heart in what I do. The chefs care about you immensely and will continue to care long after you’ve graduated.

Each day is jam-packed with content. There is no downtime at NWCAV. You get two days to make a cake, not three weeks. You wouldn’t get three weeks to make a cake in the industry! The classes are intimate and personal, allowing you to get one-on-one feedback more often. This school rivals, if not exceeds, the most expensive schools out there.

Carrie Kwok

1 Year Professional Program

I’m from Sandy Hook, Manitoba. The time I spent at Northwest was deliciously exciting and inspiring. I was challenged in ways I could have never anticipated, but these challenges forced me to grow both personally and professionally. It was truly a pleasure to learn from such talented chefs who show so much patience and compassion for their students. They taught me that being a good human being goes hand in hand with being a good cook. The chef instructors have created a family of alumni at Northwest – you’ll always be greeted with a big hug if you pop in for a visit.

For the past year, I have been working as a Sous Chef for Cooking Journeys, a personal chef service here in Vancouver. I am also currently finishing my schooling to become a Registered Holistic Nutritionist with the intention of offering our clients nutritional consultation in addition to the personal chef service.

Courtney Swegel

1 Year Program

I am from Pune, India. My experience at Northwest has been phenomenal. There was a lot of drama, effort, drive, determination and passion that got me here. My learning at Northwest was not confined to efficient cooking skills but also managing oneself emotionally, physically and a better understanding of how to deal with people in a hot kitchen.

I would recommend this school to anyone and everyone who has a love for food and passion to serve people.

Gaya Desai

1 Year Diploma Program

I attended culinary and pastry school in 2011 at Northwest where I discovered why this path was such a perfect choice for me, and just what I was able to offer the industry. It was here that my pastry identity came to life and that I developed a sense of purpose, thanks to the guidance and training from the best team of chef instructors in town. I stand behind the program 110%. As soon as I graduated, I was industry-ready for my first job as Pastry Chef and bread baker at award-winning Italian restaurant La Quercia and La Ghianda in Kitsilano. After that, I worked as Sous Chef at the beautiful Cadeaux Bakery in Gastown.

Andrew Han

1 Year Program

I am from Chicago, USA. I could not have found a better school than Northwest to further my culinary interests. The instructors were caring and the programs were intensive and challenging. Northwest changed the way I see food and opened up so many more opportunities to the culinary and pastry world. Classes are small and intimate, the instructors are always there to listen and to provide advice. The school feels like a close-knit family that extends even after graduation.

Kwokmun Lee

1 Year Program

I’m from London, England. I cannot speak of Northwest and all of its staff highly enough. I had researched many schools in several countries and chose Northwest because, simply put, it spoke to me. There are very few credible schools where the owners are also your Instructors. They genuinely care about getting to know you and go out of their way to ensure your development as a cook. Northwest turned me into a more proficient Cook than I could have reasonably expected, made me “kitchen ready” and perhaps more importantly also helped me become a more rounded individual than when I first walked through the front door.

Robin Scott

1 Year Program

“…best learning experience we have had in a while…” – Ashley L
★★★★★

“…so impressed by my educational experience…” – Jenny S
★★★★★

“…atmosphere was very relaxed and inviting…” – Xiao Y
★★★★★

“…have never taken classes that are so informative, detail oriented, and fun!” – Natasha W
★★★★★

“…encouraging, caring and kind…made me feel comfortable and confident…” – Katie G
★★★★★

Basics 1

“…has changed my life, seriously…” – Gildwin B
★★★★★

“…far exceeded expectations…” – Emma
★★★★★

“… actually learn a lot of the ‘why’s’ of what you’re doing…” – Jim G
★★★★★

“…The classes were so informative from the tips to the science behind cooking…” – Susan R
★★★★★

“…Absolutely amazing experience…you will not be disappointed…” – Helen Y
★★★★★

Basics 1

As an adult educator myself, I really valued how all the chefs taught with so much patience, humour, passion, and mastery of the subject area…which is pretty much as good as it gets in education. The personal stories (and rants), scientific explanations, historical references and sharing of food values really made the experience special and memorable. I also really appreciated that you all took the time to get to know us a little and to check-in with us throughout each week.

Polly

Master Camp

I loved the experience, realized right away how little I knew and know now how much more I need and want to learn.  The instructors have very different personalities and teaching styles. That provides for a lot of variety and keeps the days and weeks interesting. I also really appreciated that they always made themselves available to provide individual coaching during and also after the daily classes. And thank you for slowly leading us up to a seven-course menu development (The Big Night) over several weeks. Thank you so much for all your teaching and sharing! You are a fantastic group.

Carola

Master Camp

The facilities are first class, the curriculum provides the students with incredible exposure to the art of cooking and the worldly knowledge of the chefs, their energy, and dedication to making the daily experience “serious fun” simply incredible!  For me personally, Northwest has delivered its promise of changing one’s view of the culinary world making it accessible, challenging and very exciting.  The course has energized me to continue exploring, being creative and taking chances in the kitchen as well as honing some skills.

Ernie

Master Camp