Chef Robert Rainford

A celebrated culinary educator, Celebrity Chef Rainford leads FSF’s food literacy and cooking workshops. He champions the cultural and nutritional aspects of food that build confidence and skills in families.

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Who knows where talent comes from?  Is it nature or nurture, innate or learned? For Chef Robert L Rainford, it is probably all of the above.  He has always loved food.  As a child, it gave him great comfort, and as an adult, it fills him with great curiosity.  Born the youngest twin of five siblings into a hard-working family, Robert Rainford learned at an early age that everyone had to play their part in the home. With both of his parents working, that meant cooking was no exception. “My brother & sister used to do a lot of the cooking”.  I always thought it was a great mystery how the food got to taste like it did, both good and maybe not so good sometimes”.  

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In grade 6, Robert thought he had found a way to get his answer.  With great anticipation, he enrolled in a summer cooking camp. Then, anticipation turned to dread as he was inundated with taunts and ridicule from peers who were enrolled in basketball camp. “It was a long summer”, says Chef Rainford, but despite himself, he enjoyed his time in the kitchen.  

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Throughout high school, Robert concentrated on playing basketball with dreams of becoming a collegiate player, however, his aspirations went the way of a torn knee and were never to be realized.  “I was 18 and had conditioned myself to concentrate on basketball.  I didn’t have a plan B or even a plan Z”.  The only thing I knew was that it was time to be responsible.  I tried college, worked at varying jobs, mainly where one of my brothers would work, but there was always a sense that something was missing from everything I did.”  The breaking point came in 1994, a real “ah hah moment”.  “My older brother asked me what I wanted to do with my life? We explored my wishes vs. my talents, and our conversation continually gravitated back to cooking.  He opened me up to possibilities outside myself and helped break through my self-perpetuated limitations”. 

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Soon after, Robert Rainford enrolled in the famed George Brown culinary school.  “I felt that learning about food presented me with similar challenges that I had faced while trying to master basketball – practice, practice, then practice some more”.  And that practice has paid off.  Upon graduation from culinary school, Chef Rainford learned his trade by working in some of Toronto Canada’s finest establishments.  He then went on to hosting the successful television show “Licence To Grill” seen around the world in over 52 markets around the world including:  Canada, The USA, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Romania, UEA.  In The US, “Licence To Grill” can be found on The Discovery Home Channel in 80 million homes.  Chef Rainford’s audience is split almost evenly 50/50% male/female ages 25-45+, however he gets fan mail from young viewers who love to watch the show with their parents and frequent requests from school boards to come and inspire budding minds.

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At home Chef Rainford is surround by “his girls”.  He is the father to daughters and he takes the role of protective father very seriously. “I’ve got one kid who basically only eats yogurt and the others who will eat anything, including my favorite foix gras”.  Because of that, I’ve learned to adapt my recipes so they match several different palates. I’ll take classic recipes, update them with readily available ingredients and sneak in vegetables wherever I can.  My family, are for sure my toughest crtitics!” 

Chef Rainford has done campaigns for such companies as:  Starbucks, Ziploc, Frigidaire, Weber, George Foreman, and Corona Beer.  Currently, Chef Rainford is honored to be teaching at his alma mater, George Brown College Continuing Education Dept.  Released in 2008, Chef Rainford hosted 12 cooking videos exclusively for Supervalu markets in the USA, is writing a cookbook, and is working on his new TV show for 2010.  He travels the world doing cooking classes, private catering, and special appearances. By any standards, Robert Rainford, the man, is a success. As a culinary professional, Chef Robert L Rainford is only beginning to hit his stride and is very thankful for the opportunity to continually uncover the mystery that is food.