Chef Craig Youdale hails from our Nation’s Capital where he began his culinary career. His journey began as an apprentice at the prestigious Chateau Laurier and led to roles as Chef in many restaurants across the nation. This all led to him starting a career in Education for the past 24 years. Craig managed to complete his MBA at Guelph University, teach culinary students in Sichuan, China, and promote Canadian cuisine across the globe in Japan, Chile, Germany, France, UK and USA. His dedication to the highest standards led him to manage and mentor our National Junior Culinary team to 3 Olympics and 5 World Championships garnering 3 Olympic Gold Medals and a World Championship in Glasgow in 2007. Craig came to Niagara College in 2009 and has overseen the launching of programs in Baking Pastry, Culinary Innovation and Food Technology, Canada’s first every Brewmaster program and most recently Canada’s first Artisan Distilling program in the Fall of 2018. The Ontario Hostelry Institute honoured Craig with its Gold Medal in Education for 2017, and in 2019 Craig was inducted into both the Canadian and American Chef Federation as an honourary member for his contributions to the culinary industry.

Over the last few years, Craig has overseen the development of a new culinary public facility located in Aurora, ON. This new facility is a hub for part-time studies, corporate and social events, and so much more!

Jon moved to Canada in 1986 to help open the first brew pub in Ontario at the Atlas Hotel in Welland. Since then he has opened more than 125 breweries in the U.S.A., Cyprus, the Ukraine, Korea, Japan, the Caribbean and Canada, including the Niagara College Teaching Brewery. His work has been on mainly small scale craft / micro breweries, brew pubs and Brew on Premise facilities designing and installing breweries, training staff and developing beer recipes.

Jon has a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Birmingham and a diploma from the United States Brewers’ Academy in Chicago.

Beers that Jon has brewed and others that he has developed have won many Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at the World Beer Championship ( Spiced Beer World Champion 1996 ), Great American Beer Festival, U.S. Open Beer Championship, Dublin Beer Cup, Canadian Brewing Awards and the Ontario Brewing Awards. Jon is most proud of the accomplishments and medals that his graduates are earning today. Under Jon’s leadership, the Brewmaster program received a Gold Program Excellence Award in 2013 from Colleges and Institutes Canada.

Adrian Popowycz is a Professor and Program Coordinator at Niagara College’s Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management Program. He is a multi award winning brewer both Provincially and Nationally who has developed many unique beers that were firsts in the Ontario market. Adrian’s goal at the college is to instill the same passion and excitement that drove him to great success in Ontario’s burgeoning craft beer scene into his students, the future Brewmasters.

Adrian spent time in Germany where he earned his brewing credentials at the world renowned VLB in Berlin. From there, Adrian joined a small brewing start up in Oakville where he honed his skills and developed a positive reputation for his brewing knowledge and skill. He then went on to work with other well known craft brewers throughout the province.

Adrian draws on his extensive brewing industry expertise ( >15 Years in Ontario), and his highly successful track record and experience in the science and business sides of Biotechnology industry ( >10 years) where he strives to both teach the scientific fundamentals of brewing  but to also convey the hard learned lessons that only the school of hard knocks can teach. His experience of having worked in both very large corporations as well as start-up’s serves him well in this regard.

Robert is a Professor in the Brewmaster & Brewery Operations Management Program. Robert has over 15yrs of brewing industry experience and holds a BSc in Biochemistry, MSc in Brewing & Distillation Science, and IBD Diploma in Brewing.

Robert’s previous work experience had him working in all aspects of brewing from Quality Assurance, to Production & Packaging, R&D, Planning & Management, and Brewery Consulting.

Rob is also the founding member of High Road Brewing Company, est. 2014. To learn more about his venture, please visit www.canadianbeernews.com/2015/05/29/high-road-brewing-launches-in-ontario-with-bronan-ipa/.

David Dickson joins us from his position as head distiller at Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers in Beamsville, and will now bring his experience and leadership to Niagara College’s Artisan Distilling program as the College’s distiller.

As NC’s distiller, Dickson will oversee the operations and process of all distilled products, and will teach practical distilling and other courses.

Dickson holds an Honours Specialization in Biology and a Master of Environmental Sustainability, both from Western University. He also holds a certificate in Absinthe Distillation from Moonshine University, an artisan distillery and education centre in Louisville, KY. He was also instrumental in the creation of Ontario’s first legal absinthe.

A Niagara native, Dickson has also led the creation of a variety of unique, local fruit-infused spirits that have added a distinctly Niagaran flair to his craft – something he hopes to bring to the College’s distilling program.

Andrea holds a Bachelor of Environmental Science from the University of Guelph, a Winery and Viticulture Technician diploma from Niagara College, and an MBA in the Global Food Industries from Royal Agricultural University. She has obtained her WSET Level 3 as well as Master Taster and Winemaking Certificate from Niagara College. With over 10 years of experience in the wine and spirits industry, Andrea has won the Ontario Hostelry Institutes prestigious Top 30 Under 30, the Moet & Chandon Scholarship from WSET Level 4, the Royal Agricultural University Book Prize, as well as the Reach Award from Moet Hennessy for her contribution towards innovation. She worked in wine production in the Niagara region and wrote for national wine publication VINES magazine until she jumped over the pond to London, England where she worked for LVMH in the Moet Hennessy sales sector across the luxury wines and spirits portfolio. After missing production, she dove into distilling at Thames Distillers as Project Distiller where she helped to craft dozens of different spirits which were shipped across the globe. This inspired her to open her own virtual distillery, Northern Landings Spirits. Having worked in multiple markets and facets of the industry as well as having forged her own brand and products available in the LCBO, she enjoys sharing her experiences with her students and preparing them to make an impact in the spirits world.

Peter has worked in restaurant management, the international wine trade, winery consulting and wine education for over 35 years in both British Columbia and Ontario. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Hotel and Food Administration from the University of Guelph (1989), is a certified sommelier (International Sommelier Guild 1991), and is a Certified Specialist of Wines (Society of Wine Educators). Peter also holds the prestigious Wine and Spirits Education Trust Diploma which he completed in 1998. Peter As a professional sommelier, Peter finished 3rd in Canada at the Sopexa Grand Prix du Sommelier in 1997 and was named best sommelier in British Columbia in 2000 and best sommelier in Ontario in 2006. Peter is a Fellow of the Ontario Hostelry Institute and was awarded VQA Promoter of the Year for Education in 2009.

Raised in the Ottawa Valley, Gavin Robertson studied the Humanities before moving to Europe where he encountered wine culture at the ground level, picking grapes to fund his travels and developing his palate by tasting great wines at every opportunity. On his return to Canada, he enrolled in the Winery and Viticulture Technician program at Niagara College in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, and expanded his education through the Wine and Spirits Education Trust program and the Court of Master Sommeliers. Having worked in a variety of vineyards and wineries in Ontario, Australia and New Zealand, he is currently employed as a full-time faculty member at the Niagara College Teaching Winery at Niagara College. He is also an instructor for the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers. He is co-owner and Cidermaker at Garage d’Or Ciders and is currently finishing a Nuffield Scholarship in which he is studying global models for viticulture education.

Emily discovered her passion for wine while completing a doctorate in chemistry. She moved to the Niagara region to study winemaking before starting her winemaking career as a lab technician and assistant winemaker at Tawse Winery.

Emily then travelled to work wine harvests in Australia, New Zealand and British Columbia. In 2015, she returned to Ontario and joined the winemaking team at Trius Winery with Andrew Peller Limited. In 2016, Emily spent a year as a postdoctoral researcher at Brock University studying the effect of harvesting grapes following severe frost and the impacts on wine quality. Emily returned to Trius Winery, where she has been making premium wines for the past six years.

In her new role at Niagara College, Emily is dedicated to nurturing a new generation of beverage alcohol professionals who understand not only the chemistry of wine but also its cultural significance and the artistry that goes into every bottle.

As a professor of Beverage Alcohol Science (wine emphasis), Dr. Emily Aubie’s presence is a testament to the intersection of science and artistry that defines winemaking. Her journey from academic exploration to hands-on experience has equipped her with a profound understanding of the craft, making her a cherished addition to the Niagara College community and an inspiring guide for those who seek to explore the captivating world of wine.