Meet John, a graduate of our Culinary Management program from 2014. He's now the proud owner and chef of Ernie's, a long-standing downtown establishment.
Encouraged by his professors, John competed in the Ontario Skilled Trades competition in southern Ontario which later scored him employment alongside international chefs at highly rated restaurants. His passion for the craft did not stop there.
Finding Success Through A Challenging Time
In 2020, during the height of a pandemic, John took the leap to purchase Ernie’s Coffee Shop located in downtown Sault Ste. Marie. His risk paid off as he managed to transform the quaint diner into a refined eatery serving professional family-oriented cuisine.
John loves his hometown and always wanted to find a way back here. The timing couldn't have been better with an opportunity for John to own his own restaurant right here. His menu is simple, true seasonal and local - with ingredients sourced in Algoma, or in Ontario and Canada. John focuses on creating dishes using what is available seasonally from the ground up.
Before his venture as restaurant owner, John worked as head chef at Union Restaurant in Toronto which offered a farm to table menu and where he learned from the best.
John reflects on his time at Sault College and how his professors were talented and amazing professionals from the industry. He felt as if they were invested in him. That investment paid off.
Today, you will find John planning his weekly menu and sourcing local ingredients for his great dishes. What an amazing story for an amazing chef.
Learn more about John's amazing restaurant and his available menu.