Bermudian Chef Obtains ‘Red Seal’ Certification
Local chef Kieshe Simmons has obtained the prestigious ‘Red Seal’ Certification, achieving the honour at 21-years-old, just four years after she began pursuing a career in the culinary arts.
Ms Simmons was 17-years-old when she first approached the Department of Workforce Development seeking advice on how to pursue her dreams of becoming a chef.
The Department quickly found her a trainee placement position with the Fairmont Southampton.
Today, Miss Simmons, now 21, has just completed her ‘Red Seal’ Certification and is Second Chef at the Fairmont Southampton’s Ocean Club where she works from 10am until 2pm and 6pm until 11pm on designated days.
“This August I will have been with the Fairmont for four years,” said Ms Simmons.
“My assigned officer from the Department of Workforce Development, Mr. Noel Cann, still comes to meet with the Fairmont Manager on the second Tuesday of every month. He also comes to visit us trainees and see how we’re doing. He’s very helpful.
“At the Fairmont they teach us all of their recipes; every restaurant has a different recipe book. Each restaurant, for example, will even have a different way of making their Caesar salad dressing!
“I like it when I can put my own twist on certain dishes. I love making pasta, French cuisine, or anything with fish, although I am starting to branch off to Italian dishes.”
Ms Simmons jokes that the senior chefs have put “more pressure” on her in the kitchen since she became ‘Red Seal’ certified.
The Red Seal, which is short for Red Seal Interprovincial Program, is a universally recognized and highly prestigious certification of apprenticeship in Canada. The program covers 52 skilled trades, including cooking.
To obtain the certification in cooking, you have to complete a formal apprenticeship program of three years, which consists of 6,000 hours of work experience and three six-week blocks of technical training which Ms Simmons completed at Holland College, Prince Edward Island. At the end of the program, you must pass a written exam.
“Red Seal is basically your Bachelors Degree in cooking,” Ms Simmons said. “You learn the management side and theory of being in a kitchen. For example, you learn about food costing, which is helpful to know if you want to start your own business, which I do one day.
“Eventually I want to open up a Bermudian restaurant. There isn’t much around in terms of places that offer exclusively Bermudian food.”
In 2013 Ms Simmons won the Rising Chef of the Year Award from the Bermuda Hospitality Institute.
Ms Simmons hopes to go back to school to obtain a degree in hospitality, while still working at a Fairmont hotel overseas.
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Congratulations Chef Kieshe Simmons
This is an impressive achievement and a great example of how one can succeed with hard work.
Congratulation Miss Simmons!
very cool
kudos
Well done – the future will look a lot more like this and this young professional is clearly ready.
Very very well done young lady. Congratulations.
This young lady is such a hard worker, so polite, respectful and eager to learn from her senior colleagues at Fairmont. I have no doubt that this won’t be the last time we hear of her accomplishments in the food and beverage world. Some of our young people need to take her as an example that hard work and honesty can pay off in a rewarding career.
Good on you Ms. Simmons
Go Kieshe !!! I know your dad’s very proud of you ! One day , Head Chef will be your title !
Congrats girlfriend! You have an amazing talent.
Well done, Chef! I am surprised Workforce Development did not channel you to Bermuda College ‘s Culinary arts programme, since it costs the taxpayers plenty of money for the few graduates it produces each year. I wonder if there is a reason for that. Nonetheless you got excellent training and education on the job. Maybe this could be the way forward for all trainee chefs.
Keep up the good work and fight on for your next level of accomplishment.
I need a woman like you in my life! I love a woman that can cook!