Chef Elaina Ravo, CCC
Chef Elaina Ravo,CCC is the Director of Liaison College Kitchener Campus as well as one of the Chef Instructors. For 16 years, she made a reputation for herself as the Executive Chef and owner of Mediterranean Mermaid Catering in Hamilton. However, Elaina has a long standing relationship with Liaison College as she was a Chef Instructor at the Hamilton Campus for 5 years, as well as the Catering Chef.
In 2003 Chef Elaina was awarded the Certified Chef De Cuisine** status (Canada’s highest and most prestigious culinary designation) by the Canadian Culinary Federation.
Elaina is proud to be able to serve in the community, and share her passion, knowledge and skills with her students. Her students will certainly benefit from her many years as a Chef Instructor, and diverse background in international cuisine.
Her hobbies include furthering her expertise by taking professional culinary courses, reading, and traveling to seek new food adventures and cultures to share with her students.
Chef Dean Michielsen
Working with food has been a life long pleasure for Dean Michielsen. His childhood appreciation for food led to an apprenticeship in Niagara-on-the-Lake when he was a youth. Since then Chef Dean has been working toward his goal of becoming a Certified Executive Chef**.
A graduate of George Brown, Chef Dean has worked at some of the most prestigious hotels and restaurants in Canada, including the Ritz Carlton Montreal. He was Executive Chef at Arowhon Pines, Algonquin Park and at Whistlebear Golf Course, and co-owner of a restaurant in Sault Ste Marie.
Asked what drives him, he says simply that he “just loves foods, loves the business.” But those who know him say it’s the thrill of making something from nothing. Chef Dean is a perfectionist driven to impress his guests by creating something beautiful with food that blows them away! “Being a chef is an art where you learn something new every day.”
Sharing knowledge is also important to Chef Dean. For many years he has been involved in Skills Ontario as a Judge and Mentor, and he is President of the Waterloo Branch of the Canadian Culinary Federation.
Now a Culinary Instructor at Liaison College, Chef Dean continues to develop new menus while building his professional career. His emphasis remains on quality in the people he works with and in the food he serves.
Chef Tekin Guroluk
While cooking with his mother as a young boy, Tekin developed a love for food and cooking at a young age. He later took the Food & Beverage course at Conestoga College which sparked a passion of the culinary world and provided a good foundation for cooking. He left for Toronto and secured a job at the esteemed Oliver & Bonacini’s Canoe, where he began his apprenticeship while attending Humber College’s Cook apprenticeship program.
After returning to the area and working at several of KW’s featured restaurants including The Rude Native and The Blackshop, Tekin attained his Red Seal Certification. To observe diverse cooking styles, he travelled to Britain where he secured a position at the respected Bonham Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he honed his skills as a professional Chef. After 2 years abroad, Tekin was offered the Executive Chef position at KW’s historical Ali Baba Steakhouse where, for 5 years, he continued the tradition of fabulous steaks and seafood with a twist.
Recently, Tekin graduated from the Diploma of Education program at the University of Western Ontario and became an Ontario Certified Teacher with the goal of inspiring and enlightening young cooks.
** The Certified Chef de Cuisine designation is the highest professional culinary recognition and accreditation in Canada. It represents the culmination of the highest standards of managerial and administrative responsibilities, culinary skills and dedication to the cooking profession.