Montreal, June 13, 2024 — CHEFS CANADA is thrilled to announce that our national culinary athletes to the Bocuse d’Or placed second at the continental competition in New Orleans today and qualified for the 2025 finals that will take place in Lyon (France). Chef Keith Pears and his team wowed the panel composed of the cream of the crop of the culinary world with dishes that included mandatory ingredients such as wild boar, alligator and shrimp, but also Canadian staples such as buckwheat, ice wine, rhubarb and beet, winning silver and a coveted golden ticket to the Oscars of Cookery talents. Though Canada took home silver, our culinarians tied with the U.S. winning team on the plate theme but won the tastebuds of the international judges on the platter.
“The Americas were the first step in making my dream come true,” explains our Canadian culinary athlete, Chef Keith Pears who’s known for his competitiveness and for winning many of Canada’s top contests including Chopped and the Great Kitchen Party. “The competition was fierce, and I’ve learned a lot in the process which will allow my team and I to adapt our training for Lyon. I promised to make my industry proud and give Canada the bragging rights it deserves on the world stage to attract foodie travelers, and I feel we accomplished that. I’m thankful to be supported by a passionate group of advisors from across the country as well as a dedicated crew. See you in France!”
After an intense five-and-a-half-hour culinary battle, our team succeeded to carve a spot for Canada out of the eight participating countries which include culinarians from the United States, Mexico, Argentina and Columbia. Pears and his Canadian teammates, made a plateau themed around wild boar as well as a plate celebrating Cajun cooking featuring alligator, crab, shrimps and grits, some of which were impossible to find in Canada during the training. The team was composed of Coach John Placko and Commis Joseph Mongillo, along with jury member Alex Cheng, and assisted by a support team of more than twenty culinary professionals, including Sebastien Remillard (R&D), Chef Dan Craig (Westin Harbour Castle) and Alexander Manu (OCAD University).
Photo credit: Owais Rafique
The team will now progress to the world final in Lyon, France, in January 2025, alongside the other 23 best chefs on the planet.
ABOUT CHEFS CANADA
Devoted to inspiring culinary excellence, CHEFS CANADA has a mission to promote Canadian cuisine, terroir, producers, ingredients and products here at home as well as abroad, doing our part to create a sustainable and profitable culinary scene. Strong of a network that counts some of the country’s best chefs and top industry professionals, CHEFS CANADA works to shine the spotlight on our industry in order to further define and promote our cuisine through global competitions and partnerships. The organization is strongly rooted in their desire to unite, share and transmit our mutual expertise, techniques and savoir-faire amongst Canadian chefs but also with the next generation, creating a demand and standard for Canadian gastronomy on the world stage.
To schedule an interview with Chef Keith Pears, Coach John Placko or to get more information or high-res images, please contact The PR Department Inc. at 416-535-3939 or at [email protected]
