Red Seal Chefs

We're proud to have over 100 culinary employees involved in the Red Seal Program. Our Red Seal chefs spend roughly 5,000 hours (that's 3 years, if you're counting) apprenticing and perfecting their craft in our kitchens.
We are the only hospitality company recognized as an industry training provider.

About the Red Seal Program

The Training We Provide

Formally accredited as a Designated Trainer by the Skilled Trades BC, White Spot is involved with all levels of culinary training:

  • Professional Cook 1
  • Professional Cook 2
  • Professional Cook 3/Red Seal

The program combines theory and intensive hands-on instruction.

The Chef Behind the Program

White Spot’s Corporate Chef, Training and Development, James Kennedy, a Certified Chef de Cuisine, heads up the program at White Spot’s state of the art Culinary Training Centre in Vancouver.

Scheduling is Structured So You Can Keep Working

Classes for select White Spot culinary leaders and future leaders are held weekly and spread over several months. This innovative format was developed instead of the traditional block release technical training, which requires the apprentice to be away from the workplace for long periods of time.

Advanced Program Entry Opportunities for Culinary Employees

Culinary employees who have some technical training, including successful graduation from the high school Youth Train in Trades program, or more extensive technical training or certification, can be admitted at advanced levels within the 3 level program.

"Recruiting talented people with culinary credentials is quite difficult in today’s labour climate. Through the Red Seal certification programs, White Spot chefs are given the opportunity to learn and grow on the job while working towards a nationally-recognized and well-regarded certification. White Spot’s investment in its Red Seal programs speaks volumes about the restaurant’s commitment to its employees and the caliber of food offered to its guests."

Arlene Keis, CEO of go2.

Our Red Seal Chefs

Dillon Penman

Garett Weston

Dillon Penman

“If you’re a cook, or you’re a chef, if you like cooking, if you like eating – that means you want to be involved, and the most important part of that is trying new things. That’s why our training program is important. It gives people the chance to work with ingredients you don’t see every day. It gives people opportunity. Our training programs at White Spot are phenomenal. We’re one of the only private institutions that can offer a Red Seal designation to our cooks. James does a great job, and he has the whole team behind him supporting him. The passion that goes into it isn’t really something you can put into words.”

Garett Weston

“The Red Seal program is completely unique, even for the trades industry. The way we’ve structured it means our chefs don’t have to take time off from their work or their lives. During the program they’re coming to us one day a week, then back to their stores. At the end of the day, we’re helping them achieve the goal of getting their Red Seal. We’re really the only people doing this. I’ve grown my career at White Spot for 13 years. Starting as a deep fry cook, I moved into the Red Seal program and was able to evolve into a Kitchen Manager and now Regional Chef. When you tell people you work at White Spot, there’s this passion behind our brand. White Spot’s been around for my entire life, and I’m proud to be a part of something like that for our guests.”

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