Chef Noel Cunningham Joins Sherbourne Health

For Chef Noel Cunningham, food has always been more than a meal—it’s a way to bring people together, tell stories, honour culture and build community. 

Hailing from Kingston, Jamaica, Noel is a multi-award-winning chef, culinary personality, food writer and entrepreneur. His career spans notable restaurants in Jamaica and Canada, the James Beard House in New York City and his role as executive chef and owner of Cuisine by Noel, a Toronto-based private chef and catering business. 

Sherbourne Health is thrilled to welcome Chef Noel as our new Chef and Kitchen Supervisor. In this role, he will combine his culinary expertise with his passion for mentorship to strengthen our food services and ensure they reflect the needs of our community.  

Chef Noel’s connection to Sherbourne Health began well before stepping into this role. He was one of the faces of the Food for Good campaign, which raised funds to improve food-related skills and knowledge, as well as access to healthy food for populations facing food insecurity. During his involvement, he witnessed how food can serve as “a tool for dignity, empowerment and opportunity.” That belief continues to guide his work and has led him back to Sherbourne. 

Over the years, Noel has used food as a tool for giving back, particularly to BIPOC communities and community-building initiatives. Growing up firsthand in a place where talent was abundant but opportunities were limited, he sees giving back as a responsibility. “If I can use my platform and my skills to uplift others, especially those who face systemic barriers, then I’m doing the work that matters most.” 

Now, he brings that same spirit of giving back into mentorship. Beyond leading the kitchen, Chef Noel will support Food for Good apprentices, mentor Supporting Our Youth (SOY) participants and guide clients exploring culinary pathways.  

Mentorship, for Noel, means opening doors that were once closed to him. It’s helping youth build confidence, gain practical skills and imagine new possibilities for themselves. 

“I want apprentices and youth to leave with confidence, real skills and a sense of pride in their craft,” he says. “But more than anything, I hope they walk away knowing that their background does not limit their potential. If they’re willing to learn, stay curious, and put in the work, the culinary world—and any world—they choose can be theirs.”