WATCH: Susan Hay has the story behind the Inclusion through Culinary at Humber College, a program that provides students with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to gain a culinary education and practical hands-on job skills.
TORONTO – The Culinary Inclusion Program at Humber College provides practical training for students with intellectual disabilities to prepare them for their future careers.
Students in the program gain a culinary education and hands-on training under the direction of Chef Michael Teune.
“They’re going to be doing all their basic knife skills. We’re going to teach them a lot about sanitation because cleanliness is uber important,” said Teune. “We’re going to be doing basic things like cooking bacon and eggs, making salads and sandwiches and all those kinds of tasks that every kitchen does.”
The goal is to provide students with everything needed for successful employment in entry-level positions at food establishments.
“I’m doing a work placement at Casey’s,” said culinary student Dori James.
The program, a partnership between Humber College and Christian Horizons, gives students like James the skills needed to be employable by the end of the nine-month program.
“It’s a little exciting for me to move on and go on one step at a time,” said James.
But, she said, someone with a disability is likely to stay at a workplace five times longer than the average employee’s stint.
Both Christian Horizons and Humber College believe that for those students who complete the program, it will allow them the opportunity to live as independently as possible.
“There’s no place, there’s no job, there’s no hospitality business that can’t benefit from this, let alone the students themselves,” said Teune.
“The first day they came to college, their parents brought them here and took their picture, because they didn’t think that their kids would go to college.” said Moore. “And here we are. They’re graduating!”
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