Fort Erie’s Gabrielle Cudmore baked her way to the top of the country, winning first place at the Skills Canada National Competition on Saturday.
Cudmore won secondary-level gold in Job Skill Demonstration at the national competition’s closing ceremony in Toronto. More than 500 students and apprentices competed across more than 40 skill categories over the week.
Gabrielle Cudmore, centre, takes home the gold. To her left is silver winner Cody Johnson of Manitoba, and to her right is bronze winner Kalee Rector of Nova Scotia. Credit: Skills Compétences Canada | Instagram
For her winning presentation, Cudmore baked Welsh cakes while walking judges through her baking process and the Welsh heritage behind it.
Competitors are required to explain and perform a trade skill in a presentation of 20 to 30 minutes. Judges weigh technical skill, safety and how clearly a competitor explains the work.
Cudmore reached the national stage by winning gold in the same category at the Skills Ontario provincial competition in early May.
Cudmore has entered competitions for three years before reaching the national stage.
“Three years of hard work got me here. Three years of not giving up despite the results,” Cudmore wrote on social media after her provincial win.
She has credited Greater Fort Erie Secondary School (GFESS) culinary teacher Afshin Keyvani for keeping her going through those competition seasons.
Cudmore won three awards earlier this year for co-writing and co-directing ‘High School Is Killing Me,’ a GFESS original play that advanced to the NTS DramaFest South Regional Showcase in Hamilton.
Last year, GFESS’s Autumn Wartman won gold at the 2025 Skills Canada National Competition in Regina.
By: Andrew Hawlitzky
Original Article