One to Watch
A featured Canadian Guest Chef this month is Alumna Yva Santini (Class of 2009), Executive Chef of The Starlight, Stratford. Chef Yva's culinary adventure kicked off at an early age, receiving her culinary training here at the Stratford Chefs School. She has played a key role in many kitchens in the Stratford restaurant scene, most notably as Head Chef at Pazzo and at Café Bouffon.
When this award-winning ‘30 under 30’ chef isn't cooking up delicious new dishes for her curated small plates menu for The Starlight, you can find her cooking up a storm at The Flour Mill in her hometown of St. Marys. Inspired by her travels, local ingredients and her many chef pals, Yva is definitely one to watch.
The Starlight Vibe
The Starlight is rooted in the rich tapestry of Stratford's history and culture, from the locally sourced ingredients in Chef Yva's curated small plates menu and the carefully selected list of hyper local craft beers, to the live music nights showcasing local talent. The Starlight strives to celebrate the essence of our community in everything they do.
The warm glow of the cozy motel chic ambiance welcomes guests, whether they're unwinding after a long day at work or catching up with friends over live music combined with drinks and small plates. Expect late nights, live music, great times and the best of company!
"Chef Yva's ingenuity and talent in the kitchen is unparalleled and we are beyond thrilled to get the opportunity to work with such a kind, hardworking hospitality pro!" -Megan and Tim, Owners, The Starlight
Culinary Inspiration
Our Canadian Guest Chefs Dinner Series takes place every February at the School. Prestigious Chefs from around the province, and from our own backyard, are invited to bring their cuisine to Stratford Chefs School. This unique Program is a valuable feature of Stratford Chefs School’s professional cookery curriculum. Each School year, a diverse group of Guest Chefs, many of whom are Graduates of the School, are invited to lead Student Chef Dinner Labs, working with our Level 2 students to prepare and serve exceptional, multi-course, prix fixe dinner menus for the public.
Hospitality Professionals
Guest Chefs are experts working in the hospitality industry who come from varied cultural and culinary backgrounds, and share real-world experience while working alongside our student chefs.
Valuable Mentorship
The Program provides once-in-a lifetime opportunities for students to experience a mentor’s cuisine while working and learning alongside them. The mentor relationships that are forged during the Program can also lead directly to internships, employment, and other invaluable networking opportunities for our students.
2025 Guest Chefs
Guest Chef Dinner Labs
The fantastic Guest Chefs who are bringing their menus to the School in February 2025 and inspiring our student chefs are (above starting at top row, left to right) Jonathan Gushue (The Gate), Aldous Cheung (Richmond Station), Jack Beers (The Bruce Hotel), Alumnus Eli Silverthorne (Stratford Chefs School), Alumnus Mike Booth (The Prune & Stratford Chefs School), Alumna Randi Rudner (The Prune & Stratford Chefs School), Rafael Covarrubias (Hexagon), Alumna Yva Santini (The Starlight), Hani Firin (Cambridge Mill), Dacha Markovic (Elora Mill Hotel & Spa), and Alumnus Matt Sullivan (Corporate Brand Chef - Recipe Unlimited).
Learn More | Reserve your Table: https://www.exploretock.com/stratfordchefsschool/
Special Thanks to Maureen & Bill Henderson, 2025 Canadian Guest Chef Dinner Series Partner