Buddy Wolfe
Culinary Arts Program Chair
Born and raised in British Columbia, Buddy attended The Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kapiolani College in Honolulu, Hawaii. After graduation he moved to New York where he worked at a variety of French and Japanese restaurants. In 2003 he moved back to Canada where he took on Sous Chef responsibilities at Coco Pazzo, Cardero’s and the Sandbar Seafood Restaurant. Buddy was the Executive Chef at Seasons in the Park restaurant, where he stayed until moving to Vancouver Island in 2011. Buddy continued working for Sequoia Company of Restaurants as purchaser, chef consultant and POS manager. He opened JAM Café in Victoria to critical acclaim. Buddy has been on the TV Food Network and on Breakfast Television. He’s published food articles in YAM magazine. Throughout his career Buddy has cooked for celebrities, athletes, and visiting military and political dignitaries. Buddy began his career at VIU in 2017 where he happily shares his passion and knowledge for cooking with the next generation of chefs.
Email: Buddy.Wolfe@viu.ca
Jason Lloyd
Culinary Arts Instructor
Chef Lloyd completed the Professional Cook Training program at Malaspina (now the Culinary Institute of Vancouver Island) in 1993, and received his Red Seal Certification in 1996. He completed his apprenticeship at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver under Chef Ernst Dorfler before moving on to help open the Creek Restaurant on Granville Island as Sous Chef under Corporate Chef and Bocus d'Or competitor Robert Allen Sulatyky. He was the opening Sous Chef at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport, and spent more than nine years catering to Vancouver's most affluent business people, politicians, celebrities and world leaders at Vancouver's premier private business club, The Terminal City Club, as Executive Sous Chef along side then Chef and Future CEO David Long, and was eventually promoted to Executive Chef. He had the opportunity to cook for the Canadian Government and their extensive list of world leaders, royalty and celebrities for two months during the 2010 Olympic Games and Paralympics. Chef Lloyd feels Nanaimo and Cowichan are fast becoming equal to other west coast communities because of their exceptional cuisine and emphasis on locally produced products.
Email: Jason.Lloyd@viu.ca
Joerg Gabler
Culinary Arts Instructor
Chef Gabler began his culinary career in Germany, starting his pre-apprenticeship training in Realschule Soest. Upon moving to Canada, he followed his goals and finished his apprenticeship in British Columbia, completing the Canadian Journeyman’s Red Seal in 1990. He has worked in Victoria at the prestigious Empress Hotel, and the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort. He was involved in the re-opening of the Latch Country Inn in Sidney BC, the opening of the Water club Restaurant in Victoria, and worked at the Blue Peter Waterfront Pub and Restaurant. He also worked in Germany at the Restaurant La Marie in Wassenberg, and as a chef at the Sport Hotel Muelhausen.
Email: Joerg.Gabler@viu.ca
Jenny Aronson
Culinary Arts Instructor
Originally from Thetis Island, BC, Chef Aronson got into cooking because her whole family loves to cook and eat! She graduated from VIU’s Culinary Arts Program in 2000, apprenticed under Chef Edward Tuson at the Sooke Harbour House, and in 2007, achieved her Red Seal Certification. She has worked in Verduno, Italy. She enjoys teaching and meeting the different personalities of the students, and she loves seeing the look of accomplishment on student’s faces when they achieve success.
Email: Jenny.Aronson@viu.ca
Christine Godlonton
Culinary and Pastry Arts Instructor
Raised on Haida Gwaii by a family of commercial fishermen, Christine spent many of her days as a young girl foraging for food and learning how to process what she gathered with family and friends. After graduating from cooking school in Vancouver, BC and working in the culinary field for many years, she moved to Salt Spring Island to work at the Hastings House Hotel where she worked primarily as the pastry chef for many seasons. After leaving Hastings House Christine opened a full service catering company on Salt Spring, catering to many different events although weddings were her specialty. Although Christine initially completed her Red Seal certification in the Culinary Arts she also has her professional baking Red Seal as she learned that her passion was in baking. Christine began working at VIU in 2012 and continues to love teaching the culinary and baking students who challenge her to learn ways to always be better instructor. Christine considers it a privilege to have this venue to share her love of food.
Email: Christine.Godlonton@viu.ca
Andrea MacLean
Culinary Arts Instructor, Cowichan Campus
Andrea first studied Culinary Arts and Pastry at the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Ottawa, and went on to continue her professional chef training at The Pacific Institute for Culinary Arts in Vancouver. Since graduating Andrea was hired by the Fairmont Vancouver Airport and started her culinary apprenticeship under Chef Iain Rennie. Andrea continued her apprenticeship at the Terminal City Club under Chef David Long and achieved her Red Seal Certification. Andrea worked her way up to Sous Chef and then became Restaurant Chef before moving on to work at many of Vancouver’s’ premiere private member clubs. During her career Andrea competed in several cooking competitions winning the title of Iron Chef in 2004 and 2005. After many years in the industry cooking for Vancouver’s elite, politicians, dignitaries, celebrities and royalty, Andrea started teaching at VIU in 2021. Andrea loves meeting the new generation of chefs and sharing her passion for food and enthusiasm with them.
Email: Andrea.MacLean@viu.ca
Daniel Ross
Culinary Arts Instructor
Daniel started his training in Winnipeg where he enrolled in a 3-year food service program in high school. There he had the chance to compete in various competitions and work with Team Manitoba prior to and during the 1998 world culinary Olympics in Frankfurt Germany. Through his high school years Daniel worked at the Old Swiss, Werner’s Restaurant and the Winnipeg Convention Centre. Following graduation, he spent a year working at Chateau Lake Louise and then one year at HY’S Steakhouse in Ottawa before moving to Calgary, where he landed an apprenticeship at the Westin Hotel in Calgary with renowned chef Fred Zimmerman, former Team Canada captain and Manager. Moving west in 2000, he worked in the film industry and later started his own film catering business before moving to Nanaimo, where he took on the Executive Chef role at Berwick Retirement Community. Daniel recently started teaching at VIU in 2021 and loves sharing his knowledge and working with students.
Email: Daniel.Ross@viu.ca
Francois de Jong
Culinary Arts Instructor
Raised on the west coast in a food focused family, at an early age, Francois knew he wanted to be a chef. He graduated from the Culinary Arts program at The College of New Caledonia, did his apprenticeship and earned his Red Seal Certification at La Belle Auberge under the watchful eye of Chef Bruno Marti. There Francois learned the joys of culinary competitions and started networking with chefs in Canada around the world. Francois has a wide range of culinary experiences from small farm to table restaurants, Hotels, private chef, opening restaurants in China, to camp cooking for major Hollywood movies. Having moved to Nanaimo in 2006, he enjoys an active outdoor life style with his family and friends where most activities either start or finish with food. Teaching in the VIU Culinary Arts department has been a natural transition from working in restaurants and creates a space for him to work with, mentor and train alongside the next generation of cooks. For more information feel free to contact Instructor Francois de Jong.
Email: Francois.deJong@viu.ca