about us

Dana Shortt, owner and founder of dana shortt gourmet, received her formal culinary training at George Brown College. Along with her Culinary Management Diploma, she also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Hotel and Food Administration from the University of Guelph.

Before starting her own business, Dana worked for several of Toronto's top catering companies, including Catered Affare and Dish Cooking Studio. She has also taught and assisted cooking classes at venues in Toronto, including the Upstairs at Loblaws Cooking School, and Dish Cooking Studio.

In 2003, Dana was delighted to receive the Fairmont Hotel and Resorts Culinary Excellence Award, presented to her for outstanding achievement within the food industry.

In 2006, Dana was honoured to receive the Young Entrepeneur of the Year Award from the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce.

In 2007, Dana was nominated for the Retailer of the Year Award from Junior Achievement of Kitchener Waterloo & Cambridge.

In 2008, Dana was thrilled to receive the Waterloo Chronicle's Readers' Choice Gold Award in the catering category. 2009 brought DSG the Readers' Choice Platinum Award for catering, followed up by the Diamond Award in 2010, and the Platinum Award for catering in 2011 & 2012.

Dana is a member of the International Caterers Association, the Women's Culinary Network, and the K-W Chamber of Commerce.

Watch for Dana's column: Shortt Stories, every two weeks in the Waterloo Chronicle. Go to our "news" page to read her past articles.

education

• University of Guelph, Bachelor of Commerce, Hotel and Food Administration
• George Brown College, Culinary Management Diploma
• Canadian Food Handlers Safety Certificate
• Smart Serve Certificate
• NASFT (National Association for the Specialty Food Trade) New York Fancy Food Show (2004)
• NASFT (National Association for the Specialty Food Trade) San Francisco Fancy Food Show (2007)
• NASFT (National Association for the Specialty Food Trade) Washington Fancy Food Show (2011)
• International Caterers Association Educational Symposium attendee: Fall 2006, Fall 2005, and Fall 2004
• CATERSOURCE (Las Vegas) Recipe For Success, attendee: Winter 2006
• CaterArts (Louisville, Kentucky), attendee: Summer 2007
• Zingerman's (Ann Arbor, Michigan) "Zingtrain", attendee: Summer 2006

awards and nominations

• 2003 – Culinary Excellence Award
  Fairmont Hotels and Resorts
• 2006 - Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award
  Greater K-W Chamber of Commerce
• 2007 – Retailer of the Year Nomination
  Junior Achievement of K-W & Cambridge
• 2008 – Readers' Choice Gold Award - Catering Company
  Waterloo Chronicle
• 2009 – Readers' Choice Platinum Award - Catering Company
  Waterloo Chronicle
• 2010 – Readers' Choice Diamond Award - Catering Company
  Waterloo Chronicle
• 2010 – K-W Oktoberfest Rogers Woman of the Year - Entrepreneur Category - Nomination
• 2011– Readers' Choice Platinum Award - Catering Company
  Waterloo Chronicle
• 2012- Readers' Select Platinum Award - Catering Company
  Waterloo Region Record
• 2012- Readers' Select Gold Award - Frozen Food Store
  Waterloo Region Record

memberships

• Women's Culinary Network (WCN)
• Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce

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john - 'the boss'

John joined the dsg team in the spring of 2008 and has since made quite an impact on the daily operations. He continues to develop his palate...

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mike - 'the ceo'

Mike joined dsg in the spring of 2012. He hasn't yet made the move to solid foods, and accordingly has kept the founder of dsg (aka mommy) quite busy...

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kirsten – photographer

Kirsten’s deep appreciation of the art of food started the day she got her Easy-Bake oven. In addition to baking cakes, she’d gather up produce from her neighbor’s gardens – tomatoes, peppers, corn, basil – season them, bake them in the toy oven, and serve the stunning casserole to friends. Although later in life she considered becoming a chef, Kirsten realized she’d much rather photograph and eat food instead. She has a small TV in her kitchen just so that she can indulge in addiction: watching The Food Network while cooking.

After parlaying a career in technical writing (where she specialized in digital graphics) to one in photography, she finds renewal and rejuvenation in alternating among her favorite photographic subjects: children, couples, and food.

Photographing food is more of an exercise in art; there she finds a playground of shape, colour, and form! Kirsten specializes in photographing real food.

For another feast for the eyes, see more of Kirsten’s photography at: www.loopphotography.ca.

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