CLAYTON FOLKERS
Last updated March 2008.
School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
Edmonton, Alberta
This Canadian-born chef earned his Commercial Cooking Diploma in 1979 from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton, and was immediately invited by the Four Seasons Hotel to extend his work-study program with them into a permanent position. Looking to specifically enhance his pastry skills, Clayton attended the Provinciaal Hoger Instituut PIVA in Antwerp, Belgium from 1980 to 1984 where he completed a graduate program while gaining experience as Production Chef in a prominent pastry shop. Returning home to Edmonton, Clayton honed his skills as Assistant Pastry Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel, co-owner of La Favorite Pastry Shop and, since 1989, as Pastry Chef at the Shaw Conference Centre. The opportunity to combine that experience with his interest in teaching led Clayton to accept an instructing position with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Culinary Arts Program in 2007.To perfect his culinary art, Clayton has studied sculpture, adapting the principles of that art form to the marzipan, chocolate and sugar work that has become his specialty. Renowned for his stunningly intricate showpieces, Clayton's pastry-as-art has been appreciated by attendees at international diplomatic events as well as by fellow-participants and judges at competitions. Clayton has garnered many culinary awards since he began competing in 1978. In both individual and team competition, he has repeatedly shown a creativity and originality that has placed him at the top of his field. His expertise was acknowledged in 1991 when Clayton became the first Canadian-born chef ever appointed to a Canadian national culinary team. In addition, community recognition has come by way of Performing and Creative Arts Awards in 1989, 1991 and 1992 and industry recognition with the 1993 Dairy Bureau of Canada Grand Prize Food Service Award. In 2001 Clayton received the NAIT Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award and the Canadian Federation of Chefs and Cooks National Chef of the Year award. In 2001, Clayton decided to contribute to the development of Alberta’s culinary team in a new role: team coach. He now shares his years of experience as Team Member and Team Captain by helping and leading the next generation of Team Alberta chefs. A commitment to education has led to Clayton's involvement as a Visiting Chef at Johnson & Wales University and to his own studies as an Adult Educator in the University of Alberta Continuing Education program. Clayton has lent his expertise to Culinary Salons as a judge, and to food producers and processors as a product development consultant and workshop facilitator. |
|
1988 1990 1991 1992 1998 1998 1999 1999 2000 2001 2004 |
Frankfurt Luxembourg Chicago Frankfurt Singapore Luxembourg Chicago Basel Erfurt Glasgow Erfurt |
Team Alberta Team Alberta Team Canada Team Canada Team Canada Team Canada Team Canada Team Canada Team Canada Team Canada Team Alberta |
Member Member Member Member Member Member Co-Captain Co-Captain Captain Coach Coach |
Individual Grand Gold/Gold Individual Gold/Gold Second Overall World Champions Silver Gold Second Overall Gold Grand Gold World Champions Gold/Silver |
Contact Information:
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
11762-106 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5G 2R1
Phone: (780) 471-7803