dish cooking studio

Pam Pridham

After 5 years as the school director, Pam has taken over the reins or should we say ‘apron strings ’as owner of dish cooking studio/dish Kitchen. Having grown up in New York and worked in the financial services industry there, Pam made her way through all of the great restaurants and food emporiums NYC has to offer. An avid traveler augmented with a 2 year stint living in Hong Kong was fundamental to shaping Pam’s passion for world cuisines. “There is nothing better than exploring a country through the local markets and then bringing these treasures back to share with family and friends”. Global travel coupled with the love of entertaining inspired Pam to become a self taught home chef. Pam is hands-on when it comes to menu design and searching for the perfect products to stock the dish shelves. “Food is a focal point in all of our lives and we, at dish, want to share that with you... from the dish Kitchen to yours”.

Lisa Paul

There's only one thing Lisa loves as much as cooking and eating, and that’s teaching others how to prepare food they'll enjoy. After graduating from the Stratford Chefs School, Lisa slaved over a range of hot stoves, from Domus Cafe in Ottawa to Lemon Meringue in Toronto, before landing at Dish in 2004. Also studying journalism at the time, she veered into food writing on the side, doing restaurant reviews for NOW magazine and penning gastro-features for a variety of publications. Her approach to cuisine incorporates the "field-to-fork" ethic, and is inspired by the wonderful, worldly meals she shared with gracious hosts during her travels.

Paula Bashford

Paula is a bubbly, energetic presence in the kitchen. She comes to us from the Ottawa Valley area where she began her cooking adventure as a dishwasher - the most crucial spoke in the wheel of the kitchen! Her passions are adventure and excitement which led her to George Brown College right out of High School to complete the 2 Year Culinary Management Program. There she was given the opportunity to train in Mexico as an apprentice where great knowledge was shared and friendships were made. She returned to George Brown for the Small Business Course where she learned the responsibility and insight on running her own restaurant - her ultimate goal. Her career eventually led her to dish where she now teaches classes, develops some of the tastiest salads and stews that the café has to offer, and even caters weekly breakfasts and lunches for a certain professional hockey team in town! Where will her cooking career take her next? She has no idea, and to Paula, that is simply amazing!

Michelle Curnock

Michelle Curnock grew up beside the beach in her native Australia learning how to cook fresh, tropical food and light, Asian-inspired fare. As an adult, Michelle has lived in Japan and cooked and travelled extensively throughout Asia and the South Pacific. Michelle has a Chef's Diploma from Niagara Culinary Institute and a Master’s Degree in Human Nutrition from Deakin University, so her culinary creations are always tasty and healthy. In Toronto Michelle has worked in restaurants as a cook, a purchaser and an executive chef’s assistant. She now writes a blog at www.cookingtoronto.com and shares her skills in healthy Asian cooking with clients in Toronto.

Carrie Rau

Newly transplanted in the city of Toronto, Chef Carrie Rau comes to dish hailing from the boroughs of picturesque Stratford, ON. As a graduate of the Stratford Chef's School and work placements in some of its finest restaurants, Carrie is embarking on a new culinary adventure exploring the city's purveyors of fresh, seasonal ingredients and products. When she is not in dish's kitchen helping to create its high quality line of prepared foods and teaching classes she is also keeping herself busy enrolled at George Brown for Culinary Tourism and Food and the Media classes.

Danielle DeRoo

Growing up on the prairies watching her grandma baking and cooking with garden grown ingredients led Danielle to take up a career in the culinary arts. After apprenticing under members of the Canadian Culinary Olympic team, and earning her red seal, she went on to work at the Delta Bessborough Hotel and various restaurants in Saskatchewan and beyond. Her travels took her to over 25 countries around the world before settling back down in Saskatoon with her husband Brian. There she became pastry chef at the Saskatoon Club and competed in regional and national culinary competitions. Danielle loves her home Toronto, saying "this is such a fabulous city for a foodie!" she is also enjoying the diversity of her job at dish where she is able to "do it all", cook, bake and share her love of food with customers and students in the classes that she teaches.

Karla Kulak

Karla Kulak was born and raised in the beautiful wine country of the Okanagan Valley. She spent time traveling in Mexico and Africa where she became passionate about other cultures, traditions and the many cuisines she encountered on the way. In 2006 she moved to Toronto and fell in love with food in a whole new way. She decided to change careers and spend every day doing what she loves most, cooking! She is a graduate of George Brown and spent her culinary apprenticeship food styling for Food Network Canada. She has been fortunate to work for great Chefs that have been dedicated to the support of local and sustainable foods, such as Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar and Provenance Regional Cuisine, and will continue to spread her passion for good food and continue to help make cooking one of the most enjoyable and necessary life skills anyone can have!

Angie MacRae

Angie MacRae is a Chef and co-host of the tv series "This Food That Wine" which airs on Food Network Canada and in 30 other countries around the world. Angie is a graduate of Stratford Chefs School, although her "food education" stretches far outside of the classroom. When she's not co-hosting, Angie shares her knowledge with other passionate foodies by teaching, consulting, writing, catering and working at various interactive kitchen spaces with her friend and co-host Stacey Metulynsky. Angie is now also featured on MSN.ca offering tips and tricks in the kitchen, and, she has co-authored an exciting new cookbook and wine pairing guide also entitled “This Food That Wine” which was released in stores in 2007.