Matthew Gene

Background

About Matthew Gene

I fell in love with cooking when I was 4 years old, helping my grandmother in her kitchen. By 10, I was helping my mother to bake and sell cakes professionally. However, come my teen years, other pursuits took me away from the kitchen. After taking many science courses in high school, I continued my education at the University of Toronto. While studying science, the culinary itch came back and I volunteered at Caffiends, a student-run cafe at Victoria College. I dabbled in sports writing at The Varsity, and wrote comedy at The Toike Oike, becoming the Senior Staff Writer in 2018. I helped to re-launch The Toike Oike's digital media wing and mentored young writers. While studying full-time, I also took a Technology Sales Associate position at Staples where I worked across all departments. After 4 years of full-time studies, I graduated with High Distinction in 2020. The urge to jump back into the kitchen overcame me and I enrolled in the Culinary Management Program with Integrated Learning at George Brown College. Among the courses I've taken are Sustainability, Nutrition, Foods of the World, and Baking and Pastry. The fire in me burns brighter with every course I take. While studying, I've worked as an online tutor, helping high school students to succeed academically - I suppose I couldn't shake the science bug either! I can't wait to take the next step in my culinary journey alongside you!