A high school cooking class Jan Hansen took in the hopes of getting an easy mark ultimately launched a 30-year career that has seen him running top kitchens in the city and now guiding SAIT students toward successful careers of their own.
Hansen, who earned his Professional Cooking diploma at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) worked in Denmark and Edmonton before moving to Calgary where he helped lead the kitchens at the Calgary Golf and Country Club, the Glencoe Club and Heritage Park where he oversaw the redesign and redevelopment of the entire food and beverage program, including a million-dollar kitchen renovation.
Ready for a change after two years as executive chef at Hotel Arts, he joined the School of Hospitality and Tourism as an instructor in 2017.
It’s a natural fit for the chef who has focused on mentorship in his kitchens and through his involvement with the Chaine des Rotisseurs, an international association that celebrates food, wine and hospitality. His work as council culinaire saw him running competitions for young chefs — many of whom were SAIT students.
Awards and achievements:
- earned level two diploma from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust
- 2020 Instructor of Excellence award
When I retire I want to: own a vineyard and make my own wine.
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Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit'ada, Tawnshi, Hello.
SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.