Chef Donald Guthro – An Inspiring Canadian Feature
Chef Donald Guthro was born and raised in rural Canada. He received his Commerce degree and professional Chef training at George Brown College in Ontario. Don then set out to refine his skills and educate himself internationally in Europe, working throughout France and Italy while learning the trade and traditions from old-world culinary pioneers. He also witnessed life in impoverished regions with high unemployment which would later become the catalyst or motivator for an entirely new way of looking at business. When Don returned to Canada, he worked as Chef and Executive Chef in some of Canada’s top restaurants across the country as well as working chef at the Olympic Games. In addition, he formed a catering company and restaurant consulting firm where he assisted other restaurateurs to become successful in their businesses. Chef Don Guthro arrived in Vancouver as an executive chef before becoming the director of a renowned local and international culinary school. However, the high cost of culinary tuition, lack of affordable housing and skilled entry-level cooks in the area left Chef Don Guthro to ponder social enterprise as the vehicle to educate Canada’s top cooks.
In 2010 he created the NS Culinary Educational Society becoming D.I.C.E.D Culinary School. Through his own initiative and resources, he is fulfilling his dream to help aspiring cooks get the education and training for a successful future in the culinary industry. After 40 years and counting in the culinary field, Chef Don Guthro shows no sign of slowing down. His abundant experience has led him to create an innovative, self-funded socially good business model investing in people. Proceeds from his catering company, restaurant and culinary consultations are used to support D.I.C.E.D Culinary School by providing affordable education for all and full sponsorship for those that qualify. While Chef Don Guthro plans to continue his direct involvement in the day-to-day running of the company, he hopes to find time to author educational texts that support culinary growth and success in all communities.
We are a social purpose business situated in Vancouver, BC. We currently operate a restaurant (NSCS Discovery), catering company (Culinary Choreography), condiment line, and run meal programs for the at-risk and homeless.
What do we do? With the proceeds of these ventures, we offset the cost of our culinary training program so that it is accessible to anyone interested in pursuing a career in the culinary industry. We recently put the school online so that we could not only lift the financial restrictions of culinary training but the geographical ones as well.
Our School: DICED (Diverse Innovation in Culinary Educational Development). DICED is an online educational program that allows students to complete the required course work over a 40 week period while working and gaining experience simultaneously. We offset the cost of the tuition so that the amount owed by the student is minimal. It is our hope that by graduating without debt, we will strengthen the skilled labour force of the culinary industry. As it stands right now, only a fraction of culinary school graduates remains in the industry due to exorbitant debt load. They are forced to seek out higher-paying jobs and in doing so, give up on a career they are passionate about, which means the industry loses prospective talent. Our online program is a win-win for both students and industry alike.
He runs a social purpose business situated in Vancouver, BC. He currently operates a restaurant (NSCS Discovery), catering company (Culinary Choreography), condiment line, and runs meal programs for the at risk and homeless.
With the proceeds of these ventures, he offsets the cost of the culinary training program so that it is accessible to anyone interested in pursuing a career in the culinary industry. He recently put the school online so that he could not only lift the financial restrictions of culinary training but the geographical ones as well.
DICED (Diverse Innovation in Culinary Educational Development). DICED is an online educational program that allows students to complete the required course work over a 40 week period while working and gaining experience simultaneously. He offsets the cost of the tuition so that the amount owed by the student is minimal. It is his hope that by graduating without debt, there will be a strengthened skilled labour force in the culinary industry. As it stands right now, only a fraction of culinary school graduates remains in the industry due to exorbitant debt load. They are forced to seek out higher-paying jobs and in doing so, give up on a career they are passionate about, which means the industry loses prospective talent. D.I.C.E.D’s online program is a win-win for both students and industry alike. Learn more about DICED here.
