About the Chefs

There is nothing more satisfying to us than putting our hearts into cooking a great meal for others to enjoy. As chefs, this is what drives us. 

Grown from a passion of cooking, teaching and enjoying food, The Culinary Studio is a partnership between Red Seal trained Chefs Jody O’Malley and Kirstie Herbstreit. Jody & Kirstie have been in the food industry for over 20 years. After both completing University degrees, they set off to culinary school, in Stratford & Calgary respectively to feed their need to cook. After restaurant apprenticeships and college-level instruction, they came together to open Kitchener-Waterloo's Premier Recreational cooking school. Classes and services are informative and entertaining and will guide participants through all aspects of the recipe, from the preparation to cooking with technique, to tips and tricks of the trade and then finishing with plate presentation. Our pivot to teach virtually came immediately after COVID shutdown. But we have not looked back, enjoying our virtual platform expansion more than we ever thought possible. Our Virtual Cooking classes educate, entertain, and guarantee you restaurant results in your own home kitchen!

Our Red Seal Chefs

Kirstie Herbstreit

CHEF | CO-FOUNDER 

Chef Kirstie Herbstreit started her cooks training at SAIT in Calgary, after completing a 4-Year Degree in History and Religion at Wilfrid Laurier University. She began her apprenticeship under Chefs Michael Noble and Hyato Okimesku at Catch in Calgary. Born and raised in Waterloo, she returned here to complete her apprenticeship at various restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo. After completing her Red Seal qualification, Kirstie began teaching people how to cook out of her house, at other people's homes and many other places in the community. She met Jody teaching at the college level, and the rest is history! After a freelance home-based business, Jody and Kirstie opened The Culinary Studio, Kitchener-Waterloo's first recreational cooking school.

Jody O'Malley

CHEF | CO-FOUNDER

Red Seal qualified Chef Jody O'Malley started her chef training at Stratford Chef's School, after completing her 4-Year Sociology Degree at the University of Waterloo. Her love of cooking and culture began in Europe where she lived and travelled in Germany, Spain and Ireland. Her cooking career brought her back to restaurant work from Toronto to Kitchener. Her love of the science behind cuisine started her teaching path from the high school level to teaching at Conestoga College. Jody bonded with Kirstie over properly cooked calamari and the rest is history, as the doors of the Studio opened to teach the masses how to properly cook!