CHEFS OF THE KAWARTHAS
By Karen Irvine
CHEF JUSTIN LADOUCEUR
Justin Ladouceur, Chef at One Fine Food, has been cooking professionally since he was 15 years old.
“I’ve always had a passion for fresh food. My mom cooked the freshest meals and did it on a budget. I love people being happy, enjoying their food and walking out with a smile on their face”, he says. Justin has been the Chef at One Fine Food for the past 1-1/2 years. Before that he was at Peterborough Golf and Country Club and also worked at Black Bean Steak House in Port Hope. “I’m from Huntsville and I worked at a lot of resorts and restaurants there.” Justin moved to Peterborough to attend Fleming College for a Culinary Management Degree. That’s also where he met the love of his life. He says, “The plan is to get a house and then have kids. I can’t wait to cook with a little kid around. I’m super excited.” I asked Justin where his passion for cooking came from. “My mom is Polish Ukrainian. She always produced gorgeous home cooked food and I work with those kinds of recipes as well. I love using things that my mom taught me, and I think it really comes out in the comfort food that I produce. When I left home my mom gave me a recipe book with all the recipes that she made for me.” Justin continued, “I always had a passion for food and I found a chef who was willing to work with me. You need experience to get a good job and at the same time no one wants to hire someone without experience. At One Fine Food we work with co-op Page 6
students and people who are fresh in the industry. We provide that path to give them a better knowledge of food.“ I a s k e d J u s t i n w hy h e s t ays h e re. “ I l ove Peterborough. The atmosphere and food scene is
