Celebrating Life and Thanksgiving

Hello All - Just wanted to reflect on Thanksgiving.  This is the one day a year I eat turkey and stuffing, it's a great day to spend with family and friends, for me it symbolizes the true end of summer - it's rain straight through until May now (hopefully not straight through).  However, the true reason for Thanksgiving - is just that - giving thanks for all of the people we have had the pleasure to know over the past year.  It's a time to reflect on how fortunate we are. 

This Thanksgiving it was hard to feel fortunate or thankful as we had one of our students, Tiffany Williams, taken from us in a tragic accident the week before.  On Saturday I attended Tiffany's Celebration of Life along with her Culinary teacher, Chef Karen Gin and many of Tiffany's fellow culinary students, three of whom spoke about their fond memories of Tiffany in the program, and prior to the program, as they had known her for a number of years.  The students of the culinary program all signed Tiffany's Chef's Jacket and prepared food for Tiffany's family last week.  As I listened to the heartfelt stories from family members and friends about Tiffany growing up, camping and fishing I felt truly thankful to have known her, at least a little while.

Earlier in the year I was inquiring about Tiffany's progress in the culinary program to Chef Karen.  Chef's response to me was that Tiffany was one of the best students in her program and then went on to say that she never had to ask Tiffany to do anything because Tiffany had already anticipated what Chef would ask and had done it already - I can think of no higher praise from a Chef than that!

I know Tiffany is in a better place now, however I will always feel sad that Tiffany never got the chance to fulfill her desire to be a Chef.  She would have continued to make amazing contributions to the culinary program and to the restaurant team she would have ended up being a part of. 

Tiffany, I will miss you and will look upon the patches that the culinary students have decided to sew onto their Chef's jackets in honour of your memory with fondness.