Niagara College Canada

Dan was born and raised in the Niagara Region (St. Catharines). He started cooking early after finishing school and worked his way up through the kitchen ranks. Growing up in the Niagara Region and knowing what the Niagara has to offer, he got "the bug" and knew that he wanted to make cooking his career.

A graduate of Niagara College’s Apprenticeship program, he has worked in a variety of restaurants around the Niagara Region including the Fallsview casino (17 noir), The Gatehouse Hotel in Niagara-on-The-Lake, Liv at White Oaks Resort and many others. Dan has been with the Niagara Culinary Institute since January 2008. As well as working in the production kitchen, he also teaches part time at the College.

Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Avi came to Canada at the age of 10. At an early age he discovered his love for food and began working in restaurants. Upon graduation from high school, his passion for food lead him to his chose a career in the culinary field.

Avi attended the Niagara Culinary Institute and graduated with honours from the Culinary Skills program. At the same time, he completed an apprenticeship at the Gate House Hotel-Ristorante Giardino in Niagara-on-the -lake. To fine tune his craft, he spent five years working under chefs from Italy and Toronto. During this time he was chosen by the Italian Trade Commission to attend a regional cooking course offered by the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. To diversify his career, Avi worked at White Oaks Resort and Spa and became one of the sous chefs who were in charge of banquet facilities. During his time at White Oaks, he also opened LIV, a signature fine dining restaurant of White Oaks and obtained his Certified Chef de Cuisine designation. After White Oaks, he worked in one of the top winery restaurants in Niagara region, Hillebrand Estate Winery.

In 2003, he was part of the opening management team for Niagara Fallsview Casino and Resort. In 2004, he became the head chef of the signature restaurant of the Fallsview Casino, 17 Noir. During this time he began teaching part time at the Institute.

In 2007, Avi joined the Culinary Institute Team as one of the chef’s of the Niagara Culinary Institute Dining Room. He is now a part of a dynamic team of professionals and students who strive to serve the very best culinary artistry in the restaurant.

Sam Seaver grew up in in rural Markham, Ontario and realized that he had a passion for cooking at the age of 12, in inspiring him to attend cooking classes. Upon graduation from high school Sam temporarily moved to Vancouver to study and experiment with the styles of cuisine practised on the West Coast.

Sam returned to Toronto where he attended the George Brown College Culinary Institute, won numerous awards and graduated with honours.

After apprenticing at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Markham, Sam ran his own kitchen at the age of 21. His professional career began at the prestigious York Club in Toronto where he cooked for the Royal Family, Prime Ministers of Canada and other heads of state and dignitaries. Sam then joined the Oliver Bonacini family of restaurants and worked at Canoe and Auberge Du Pommier, two of the finest restaurants in Toronto.

Sam moved to Virgil in 2000 to work at Hillebrand Estate Winery and became an enthusiastic resident of the Niagara Region. He joined Niagara College in 2002 as a part-time Chef Professor while running at times a hotel and various restaurants in the Niagara Region. In 2007, Sam joined Niagara College as one of the full time Chefs in the NCI Dinning Room at the Glendale Campus. Sam is in the envious position of teaching and is practising one of his great passions in life: cooking.

His other great love is his family—his wife, Jacquie and son, Ethan. Ethan, at the age of 9, has shown a similar passion for cooking and may be the next generation of Seavers in the culinary field, or on the other hand, the next Prime Minister.