Tim Matthews, Certified Chef de Cuisine, Program Coordinator

Tim Matthews grew up in a small coal mining village in Yorkshire, England.  While attending school, he worked weekends peeling vegetables at Monk Fryston Hall, a small hotel nestled in the countryside.  This early exposure to kitchen life developed into a passion for cooking.

Tim took his apprenticeship and attended Thomas Danby College in Leeds in the north of England.  At the age of 18, Tim had his chef’s papers and landed a job working for Silvano Trompetto at the prestigious Savoy Hotel in London.  After 2 years working with 120 chefs and 4 departments of the Savoy kitchen, he got the opportunity to work in the pastry shop at the Hotel Kempinski in Berlin.   He entered a pulled sugar display at the Berlin Culinary Salon in 1978 and won his first gold medal.  After one year, Tim took a chef du partie position at the Loews Hotel in the south of France and a junior sous chef position at the Sheraton Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden. 

Tim came to Thunder Bay in 1980 and worked at the Airlane Hotel as a dining room chef and with C.P. Hotels as executive chef.  In 1986, he joined the hospitality team at Confederation College and coordinated the Culinary Management Program. 

In addition to being a Certified Chef de Cuisine and earning his chef’s papers in England and Canada, he is a graduate of Confederation College’s Culinary and Hotel Management Programs.  He also has a degree in Business Administration.  Tim has received recognition for chef of the year in 1991 (association of Chefs de Cuisine) and he has received a recognition award for outstanding service in 1996 (Confederation College).

In May 2001 and May 2008 Tim was awarded the NISOD Teaching Excellence Award from the University of Texas and Confederation College’s Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. 

Tim had a weekly cooking show on CBC radio for 21 years and has written over 500 articles on food preparation and cooking.  In his career, he has won 13 gold medals and a number of challenge trophies for his outstanding food exhibits in Germany, Ireland, the United States and Canada. 

Check out his latest cookbook "Flavours of Northwestern Ontario"

Ken Veneruz - Faculty

Ken was born and raised in Thunder Bay and attended Fort William Collegiate Institute.  He attended Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario where he received a diploma in Chef Training.  He holds a journeyman's certification as a chef and also has the Interprovincial Red Seal.  He also has a diploma in Hotel Management and Culinary Management from Confederation College.  Ken has numerous awards from food shows across Canada including the Taste of Canada.  On a number of occasions, Ken has been a judge for various food shows with the Canadian Chef's Federation.

Ken has held various management positions in hotels and restaurants including the position of General Manager of a large hotel in Thunder Bay prior to joining the Confederation College team in 1999.  He has held various positions in the Canadian Chef's Association, Thunder Bay branch and was the past president of SKAL in Thunder Bay.

Currently, Ken teaches in the Culinary Management and Chef's Apprentice Programs.  He enjoys passing on his extensive knowledge of international cooking which includes Italian, French, Japanese and Peruvian.

In his spare time, he enjoys spending time at his lake side cottage, water skiing, competing in Ironman triathlons, golfing and of course cooking.  He spends a lot of time exercising with his two children.

Bill Gregorash - Faculty

Local to Thunder Bay, Bill attended Fort William Collegiate Institute and then attended Sault College to graduate in 1976 with a diploma for chef training.  He has an Ontario journeyman's certificate with the interprovincial seal and was the recipient of the outstanding achievement award, from the Ontario Government.  Bill has worked in various hotel kitchens as well as in hotel and restaurant management across Canada including Canadian Pacific Hotels and Kelsey's Restaurants.

He founded Giorg Ristorante in Thunder Bay which opened in 1987. Giorg Ristorante is a fine dining northern Italian restaurant featuring fresh food, vintage wines and great service.  It has won numerous awards:  'Award of Excellence' Wine Spectator, 'Three Diamond Award' CAA, AAA, 'Top Three Hundred Restaurant in Canada' Enroute Magazine. 'Where to Eat in Canada' Guide Book.  Giorg Ristorante also offers seasonal cooking classes to the general public for recreational cooks.

In his spare time Bill likes to entertain at home and enjoys training for triathlons like Ironman Canada, which he has completed five times.  In the winter he likes to ski downhill and is also an avid ice climber.  Bill has mountain climbed to 20,000 feet in South America.

Shane Warwick - Faculty

Shane began his culinary career more than 20 years ago while still in high school and subsequently enrolled in the apprenticeship program with a Thunder Bay hotel. Immediately after completion of his training, he entered the Taste of Canada competition, and earned a silver medal. After successfully writing his journeyman cook's papers, Shane traveled to Toronto and worked in a number of varied and eclectic restaurants including Le Paradis, the Law Society of Upper Canada, and Janet Lynn's Bistro in Waterloo. Shane accepted a job offer as Pastry Chef at the Valhalla Inn and returned to Thunder Bay in 1992. In 1995 he helped open the Good News Cafe which grew to be Thunder Bay's premiere caterer. During this period Shane also found time to successfully write his Patissier papers and hone his teaching skills with a variety of private cooking classes.  Shane now teaches food theory and baking in the Cook Apprenticeship and Culinary Management Programs and he is happy to share his varied experience and accumulated knowledge with Thunder Bay's future chefs.

Tony Sgambelluri - Faculty

Tony Sgambelluri was born and raised in Thunder Bay. His love for cooking began at an early age as he watched his mother and grandmother spend their days in the kitchen preparing wonderful, yet simple Italian dishes.

Tony is a journeyman chef graduating from George Brown College and specializes in Italian cuisine.  He gained much of his knowledge of Italian cooking by working in Siderno, Italy for many months.  Tony has also worked in many hotels and restaurants throughout Thunder Bay as a head chef.

Becoming a culinary instructor was an important goal for Tony, as he now gets to pass along his passion for cooking to the culinary students and have them share their goals of becoming a chef with him.

Rod Coates - Faculty

Rod introduces all hospitality students to the microcomputer as a business tool. Presently, he teaches in the Travel - Adventure and Ecotourism Program and in the Hospitality Management and Culinary Management Programs.  Rod offers his students both his knowledge and business advisory skills, which he has gained from working in the tourism industry for over 20 years.