Education/training

Humber grad becomes youngest chef on Parliament Hill

Ashley Stenabaugh knew she was destined to be a chef.
[ 2007-06-13 ]

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Ashley Stenabaugh is a Humber graduate.

By the time she turned 14, Stenabaugh was working in the restaurant industry in her hometown of Huntsville, Ont.

"I started as a dishwasher, but I slowly worked my way up and I was eventually put in charge of appetizers and desserts," Stenabaugh said.

After finishing high school, Stenabaugh enrolled in the two-year Culinary Management diploma program at Humber.

"Humber's curriculum focuses on a lot of important theory that still remains with me today," Stenabaugh said. "The hands-on learning I experienced transferred directly to the workplace."


COMPETITIONS

While at Humber, Stenabaugh was at the top of her class and was selected to participate in various culinary competitions.

In 2006, she won the silver medal in the Knorr/Canadian Culinary Federation (CCFCC) Junior Culinary Challenge.

She found the competition to be a great networking event.

Judson Simpson, a competition judge and executive chef at the House of Commons in Ottawa, was so impressed by her professionalism and skills that he hired Stenabaugh to work as part of his culinary team.

"Since joining my brigade, Ashley has continued to develop her skills and has a demonstrated a passion for food that is infectious," said Simpson, who is also the president of the CCFCC. "I congratulate Humber for producing another fine culinary graduate with excellent competencies."

"I'm currently the youngest chef working at the House of Commons," Stenabaugh said. "It's a very high stress environment; you have to be an excellent problem solver. But that is why you need to be passionate to work in this industry."



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