Stanley Townsend
Program Chair, Culinary Arts Diploma, NAIT School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts
Chef Stanley Townsend’s portfolio includes overseeing NAIT’s Culinary Arts Diploma Program, coordinating special events and high school activities. A diverse teaching repertoire includes innovative culinary programs at the Jasper Park Lodge, Aboriginal Education, pre-employment courses and teaching to a captive audience at the Edmonton Institute, a maximum security penitentiary. He has taught a full range of apprenticeship and culinary arts programs.
Chef Townsend’s Culinary education includes certificates and diplomas from Northern Lights College, Vancouver Community College and NAIT. Initial experiences involved remote site catering on the British Columbia Railway and working as a swing cook at Cominco Mine in Faro, Yukon Territory. This position involved working all positions and shifts in a large production kitchen.
After moving to the west coast and additional training at Vancouver Community College, Townsend did stints at notable Vancouver restaurants, including Hy’s at the Sands, Gazebo and the Gillnetter. Returning to his hometown of Dawson Creek, Townsend assumed the position of chef de cuisine at the Deluxe Evolutionary Alaska Café, a colourful northern eatery featured in Where to eat in Canada (published every June by Oberon Press). A position as executive chef at the George Dawson Inn followed, where he implemented the first apprenticeship training program in Northern British Columbia. Further experience involved working as a consultant for Aboriginal hospitality ventures.
Professional affiliation includes:
- Skills Canada National Technical Committee
- Toque Demagny Culinary Competition
- CCFCC High School Culinary Challenge
- CTHRC Cooking Qualifications Advisory Board
- World Skills Try, a Trade Coordinator
Awards include an Honorary Associate of Arts Degree from Northern Lights College and The Canadian Culinary Federation Edmonton’s 2010 President’s Award.
Extensive travels to Europe, Asia and Latin America have influenced Townsend’s culinary repertoire. Well known for his culinary demonstrations, Chef Townsend has taught at NAIT for over 22 years.