James started his career in the kitchen with humble beginnings, as a donut finisher and dishwasher at 14.  He went on to earn his Culinary Certificate at George Brown College in Toronto, then completed his Baking Apprenticeship at NAIT and The Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton.

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​He has competed internationally for numerous years, including representing Canada at the 2016 Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie in Paris.

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Work took James to Asia for 5 years where he joined the Hyatt group as Executive Pastry Chef in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Taipei.

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With over 30 years experience in the professional kitchen, James loves working on chocolate and sugar showpieces, wedding cakes, artisanal baking, and teaching others the art of pastry.