Kennesaw State Culinary Program Welcomes Canoe

Staff Report

A new apprenticeship site is now on board for KSU’s Culinary Apprenticeship Certificate program. Canoe, a fine dining
restaurant based in Vinings, joins the growing list of prestigious metro Atlanta establishments that partner with the College of Continuing and Professional Education for its nine-month Culinary program.

During the course, students serve about 15 hours a week for their apprenticeship, rotating through the venues which include catering companies, restaurants and special event facilities. This hands-on training lets them put into practice what they learn in the classroom and get a behind-the-scenes look at how a restaurant operates.

“We’re so pleased to have Canoe partnering with us as an apprenticeship site,” said Pam Moss, Culinary program manager. “This is a five-star restaurant famous in the Atlanta area for its exceptional cuisine and service. We know our students are going to learn a lot while there — lessons they can take with them throughout their career — and that’s exciting.”

Canoe opened in 1995 and has since claimed a number of honors, including being ranked a four-diamond restaurant by the AJC and one of the top 100 restaurants in America by OpenTable. The executive chef is Australia native Matthew Basford. He has worked with Canoe since 2005, working his way up from sous chef to executive sous chef and finally to chef de cuisine.

He understands the value of apprenticeships for culinary professionals. While completing his own apprenticeship, he placed in a number of cooking competitions in Australia.

“Canoe is thrilled to be part of this partnership with KSU’s Culinary program,” Basford said. “We look forward to a bright future together helping students continue to learn more about the culinary arts.”

For more about the Culinary Apprenticeship Certificate, visit ksuculinary.com.