Micheal D. Laird Memorial Scholarship

Michael D. Laird was a Red Seal Chef with a passion for Canadian cuisine. His culinary career took him across Alberta where he was inspired by Indigenous cultures and approaches to food and nature. Micheal’s menus reflected his unique, imaginative perspective on combining local ingredients (especially berries, which he recalled from his childhood on a farm) in new ways to create daring flavor profiles.

In Micheal’s memory, we have created the Micheal D. Laird Memorial Scholarship. Its purpose is to assist a student pursuing a career as a Red Seal Chef who shares Michael’s passion for farm-to-table cooking, and to raise awareness of mental health. The recipient must complete “Tough Enough to Talk About It” or similar mental health training. This award will help students build resiliency in dealing with the everyday demands of working in a high stress and high stakes environment.

Available to a student enrolled in the third period of the Cook apprenticeship program at NAIT. Awarded on the basis of academic achievement in the A18C0310 – Trade Math and Management course or the equivalent course containing menu planning curriculum. Recipients must have completed “Tough Enough to Talk About It” course, or other mental health resiliency training.

Students will automatically be considered for this opportunity.