When you walk into Uxbridge Secondary School, the first thing you will notice is the smell of focaccia bread filling the hallways. When you head towards the cafeteria you will walk into what you may mistake as a professional kitchen. The equipment these students have access to is incredible, and this all came to fruition because of advocate Mr. Dave Brown, Head of Culinary at Uxbridge Secondary School.  

Mr. Brown says, “The program started very small, it began as just one classroom and now has grown into eight.” 

Mr. Brown is a huge advocate for the trades. “We train the students for careers in the culinary world, whether it be cooking or baking. It teaches the students respect for the industry, as well as job skills; one of the students has already received a job offer because of this program”.  

Mr. Brown and his talented staff work with students from grade 9 all the way up to graduation, preparing them for a career in the culinary arts. Uxbridge SS offers the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program which provides students a customized and enhanced learning option to focus on a career path that matches their skills, interests, and meets their individual learning needs.  

Jetlyn Nobes and Noelle Hobor, past students of Mr. Brown’s culinary program say they are “really fortunate to have such a great hospitality program, and such passionate teachers who really love their students and nurture their talents”. One of the best parts of the program Nobes and Hobor say, “is that the students in the culinary program make the food that is fed to their peers at lunch. They feel great knowing that they are feeding fellow students healthy, farm fresh options, that is not only good for them, but supports the community as well”. 

“If you stepped foot into Uxbridge SS Culinary program, you could see the incredible work ethic of these students, the incredible knowledge that they have been able to accumulate in such a short time being back in schools” says Jennifer Parrington, Facilitator for SHSM. “It’s our partnerships with Skills Ontario and Skills Canada that allows us to elevate these programs to the next level for our students” says Parrington.  

It’s these experiences such as the culinary program at Uxbridge SS that enhances students’ high school experience, as well as prepare them for post-secondary, whether that is college, university, or the workplace for a career in culinary arts. Hands on experience as well as unmatched equipment is a culinary student’s dream, and the students at Uxbridge SS have Mr. Brown to thank for such a unique opportunity.