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Garland Canada Culinary Competition

Over $10,000 in cash & prizes up for grabs

Restaurants Canada and Garland Canada continue their commitment to Canada's thriving and passionate culinary community by showcasing its top emerging talent at the annual Garland Canada Culinary Competition. This year's event will include a virtual and live component, where competitors will have to prove their skills and creativity in front of a panel of esteemed judges. Each round will challenge chefs to craft a dish that reflects the theme of 'Revival' and strike a balance between profitability, quality and sustainability.

The competition's diversity and inclusion mandate will continue to hold 50% of the competitor space for women and prioritize the showcase of BIPOC talent.

Competition Details

Tuesday, May 10 - 12:30pm-3:45pm ET - Culinary Stage

  • Round 1 - Culinary schools across Canada will review applications and choose the semi-finalists.
  • Round 2 - The semi-finalists will invite a panel of three judges into their home kitchens (virtually) and share a 45 minute culinary demonstration, which creatively reflects the theme and incorporates the black box ingredients and pantry list. Judges will select the final four to move forward.
  • Round 3 - The finalists will travel to the RC Show in Toronto and partake in the live competition on May 10, 2022. They will compete head-to-head in a timed cooking demo. Winners will be chosen and announced at the competition on the culinary stage.

Competition Prizes

  • 1st Place - $5,000 and KitchenAid Commercial Stand Mixer or Blender
  • 2nd Place - $3,000
  • 3rd Place - $1,500
  • Runner-Up - $500
  • Fan Favourite - $500

View competition rules and regulations

Applicant Criteria

  • Have a minimum of 3-4 years of experience working in a professional kitchen
  • Be living and working in Canada
  • Be 19 years of age or older
  • Be available to compete virtually on one day between January 17-28, 2022
  • Be available to travel to Toronto to compete in the live competition on May 10, 2022
  • Not be a decorated, recognized, multiple culinary competition winner or TV personality chef
  • Not be a previous winner or judge of The Garland Culinary Competition

Applications will include contact information, resume, references, headshots and photos, 50-100 word written application and a 1-3 minute video.

Application submissions will be reviewed and judged by a panel of culinary experts from the top culinary schools in Canada. Restaurants Canada and Garland Canada will not be involved in any of the judging.

Applications are now closed - thank you for your interest

Garland Canada Culinary Competition

Vote for Your Fan Favourite

All semi-finalists will be entered for a chance to win a 'Fan Favourite' prize of $500. Short videos of each competitor's virtual culinary demonstration will be posted on the Restaurants Canada Instagram page (@RestaurantsCanada). The video with the most likes at the end of the voting period will be crowned Fan Favourite!

Voting begins on April 25 and close on May 9, 2022 at 5pm ET.

JUDGES

chef julie marteleira

Chef Julie Marteleira

 Executive Chef, Leña

Chef JULIE MARTELEIRA

Executive Chef, Leña

Born in Toronto and raised in Lisbon, Portugal, Julie Marteleira is driven by a passion to create exceptional cuisine with an international flare. Spending her youth in her family’s restaurant kitchen, Chef Julie was strongly influenced by her mother’s devotion to cooking and by her food’s power to bring people together. In 2010, Chef Julie joined Oliver & Bonacini and quickly became an integral part of the team. Most recently, she has served as Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants’ Executive Chef Tournant, guiding the culinary teams at Jump, Auberge du Pommier, and Luma. Now, as Executive Chef of Leña, Chef Julie works to craft dishes that showcase vibrant Latin flavours and unite guests in intimate, authentic and colourful ways.

View Bio
Chef John Higgins

Chef John Higgins

Director, Enterprise Leadership Centre for Hospitality & Culinary Arts Ambassador, George Brown College

Chef John Higgins

Director, Enterprise Leadership, Centre for Hospitality & Culinary Arts Ambassador, George Brown College

Chef John Higgins has cooked for the Queen at Buckingham Palace, on the Royal Yacht Britannia, for heads of state in Washington and for celebrities around the world.  Now, John is the director of one of North America’s best cooking schools, George Brown Chef School in Toronto. Since arriving in 2002, John has steered the school through a massive expansion due to an explosive demand in enrolment. With his Scottish brogue, keen wit and passion for teaching, John is leading the way for the next generation of talented chefs. He has traveled the world, from India to Italy and Sao Paulo, promoting Canadian cuisine.

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chef billy alexander

Chef Billy Alexander

Director of Programs, Culinary Tourism Alliance

Chef Billy Alexander

Director of Programs, Culinary Tourism Alliance

Billy Alexander is a globally renowned and trained chef, tourism ambassador, cultural pundit, and social advocate and The Director of Programs for Culinary Tourism Alliance. His illustrious accomplishments and positions include recurring National Television appearances, Founding Chair of Indigenous Culinary of Associated Nations; Culinary Development Chef for WestJet; recipient of Canadian Culinary Excellence Award; Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40; Advisory board Not 9 to 5; as well former National Culinary Strategist for Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada, and current mentor to countless youth. Billy grew up with food being synonymous with Indigenous communities. He first learned to cook from his mother with ingredients that were provided from the land. He views the land as the “original grocery store.” He formed some of his fondest memories, gathered around food with family and community.

View Bio
Laura-Petracca

Chef Laura Petracca

Chef de Cuisine, Leña

Chef Laura Petracca

Chef de Cuisine, The Rabbit Hole

After graduating from Humber College’s culinary arts program in 2002, Laura completed a year-long apprenticeship at Chiado, one of Toronto’s most acclaimed Portuguese restaurants, where she learned her way around the basics and butchery. She then moved on to stage at Jump, Oliver & Bonacini’s long-standing American bistro. She spent four years honing her skills and eventually worked her way up to Chef Tournant. At the same time, Laura’s music career was taking off. In 2007, she and her band took the leap and moved to New York City, where they spent the next eight years recording music and touring the U.S., Canada and Europe.

In spring 2021, Chef Laura was tapped to take the lead at The Rabbit Hole, O&B’s new downtown gastropub. Working alongside District Executive Chef Ryan Lister, Chef Laura confidently executed a menu of traditional British classics with a wild and whimsical twist.

Now, having returned to Leña as Chef de Cuisine, Chef Laura is excited to be crafting dishes that are close to her heart and evoke such positive memories—from her very first ceviche enjoyed on the beach in Peru, to digging into her Nonna’s fettuccine smothered in homemade passata and Parmesan.

View Bio

2022 WINNERS

samantha-medeiros

1st Place + Fan Favourite

Samantha Medeiros

Chef de Cuisine, La Palma & Casa La Palma

michael-roszell-1

2nd Place

Michael Roszell

Chef de Cuisine, Quaaout Lodge & Spa

zach-keeshig

3rd Place

Zach Keeshig

Chef & Owner, Naagan

ruby-gatt

Runner-Up

Ruby Gatt

Sous Chef, Caffe Un Po Di Piu

2022 SEMI-FINALISTS

dawoon-chae

Dawoon Chae

Executive Chef, O&B Canteen & Luma

alyssa-dignard

Alyssa Dignard

Executive Chef, Hopyard & Sugar Skull Cantina

mark-lee-basombrio

Mark Lee Basombrio

Executive Chef, Oregon Bar à Vin

young-son

Young Son

Head Chef, TORA

Muralitharan

Muralitharan Thambapillai

Executive Chef, Brindleberry Catering & Events

jose-nerie-roca

Jose Nerie Roca

Second Cook, Redrock Camp

PRESENTED BY

WITH SUPPORT FROM

BLACKBOX CHALLENGE SUPPORT FROM

CULINARY SCHOOL PARTNERS

*Due to the change in RC Show dates, the Garland Canada Culinary Competition is moving forward with 10 semi-finalists, as outlined in the rules and regulations.