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Kathy knew she wanted to work in the culinary arts since beginning Grade 9 vocational training at Sir Robert L. Borden in Scarborough. After graduating in 1978, she entered the apprenticeship program offered by George Brown College (now George Brown University) at a time when there were few women in the program. She recalls actually being told by a chef early in her apprenticeship that the kitchen wasn't a place for a woman. Kathy remained determined, however, and despite the long hours, which required her to work six days per week, and the large amount of written work, including course book readings and testing, she completed the apprenticeship to become a Chef. Looking back, Kathy can see it was the discipline learned during her apprenticeship that helped build her strong work ethic, which keeps her focused and organized today. Now an owner of a catering business she runs with her husband in Bowmanville, Ontario called Kings Court Catering, Kathy employs about 60 people and provides food production services to companies whose names read like a list of who's who. Clients have included Makita, CIBC, Sobeys, Big Brothers Association, Mosport, Whitby Senior Centre and St. Mary's Cement, to name just a few. Kings Court Catering offers complete event planning and co-ordination, as well as decorating and bartending services, in addition to providing referrals for other services including florists, disc jockeys and photographers. Reflecting on the scope of services offered by her company, Kathy says it's sometimes hard for her to believe where she is today. "If someone had told me in 7th Grade I'd be running my own company, I wouldn't have believed them." Kathy manages a large staff of 60 employees, 30 are which are considered casual labourers who work as needed, loading and unloading trucks or serving food to guests at functions. She also employs an on-site Wedding Co-ordinator, an Event Planner, a Customer Service Manager, a Corporate Account Manager, an Office Manager and a Bookkeeper, who is her husband. She enjoys working with the large group and enjoys working with people of all ages. Some of her casual labourers are students while others are retired mothers wanting to earn some extra money. Comments Kathy on the working environment, "Everyone here is appreciated. We are like a family and that's just how I want it." For her, being a Chef and running a catering business are the perfect combination. "After all," says Kathy, "I'm good with a knife and I'm organized." She's also good at improvising, a realization that has come after a few incidents of arriving at a hall or home only to discover breakers have blown or power is completely out. During the blackout of August 2003, she even had to order several refrigerated trucks so that the food she had been preparing for three different weddings wouldn't spoil. No doubt, a job planning menus and creating meals isn't for everyone but it's right for Kathy. She admits the hours are still long, though, with her day starting at 7am on weekdays and 5am on weekends if they are preparing breakfasts. It's also not unusual for her and her staff to prepare food for four or five weddings per weekend. "With so many deadlines," says Kathy, "you definitely feel the pressure and there is rarely a break in the action." As challenging as it gets planning out menus and ordering food for each week's events, however, seeing everything come together is extremely satisfying. Explains Kathy, "There's nothing better than being thanked by 1,000 people after the successful completion of an event that we've been a part of." That they have a chance to touch so many lives is also very rewarding. For anyone exploring a career as a Chef, Kathy would want them to recognize that it's a tough business that requires weekend work. There's the likelihood that as an apprentice they'll be given the least popular shifts. She also cautions that in order to succeed you have to be willing to work as a team. Kathy, for one, creates the menus but says she never feels that she is too important to help with food prep. Knowing these things in advance means all an apprentice has to do to succeed is, as Kathy says, "buck up and do what needs to be done." She adds, "If you are willing to learn, work hard, work as part of a team, and are good with a knife, you will succeed. If you are oriented to work on your own, then this field may not be right for you." She thinks the outlook for women in the trade is bright. Kathy notices many more women involved in apprenticeships now, and in fact, employs two in her business. She also sees being a Chef as a way to earn a living while travelling. "A Chef can work anywhere, whether it's in a restaurant, a catering business or on a cruise ship. I even recently saw a job ad for an all-expenses-paid position as a Chef at an exclusive resort in Barbados." Overall, Kathy says there are significantly more opportunities for women to serve as Chefs than there were 25 years ago and she can't think of any better way to make a living. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
®1999 DURHAM REGION LOCAL TRAINING BOARD | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
