Our Judges

David Hawksworth
Chef & Owner, Hawksworth Restaurant Group
Chef David Hawksworth founded the Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship in 2012 following the success of his first eponymous restaurant in May 2011, named Maclean’s Restaurant of the Year during its first year of operation. Hawksworth’s career continued to take off when he became the culinary partner to Air Canada; his signature dishes are now exclusively featured on flights in International Business Class and in Maple Leaf Lounges. In Spring 2016 Hawksworth opened Nightingale in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour; offering a social approach and more casual dining concept. Hawksworth Restaurant Group now includes two Bel Café locations and a robust Catering division. Hawksworth will publish his first cookbook in Spring 2020 and plans to open a new concept restaurant at Vancouver International Airport in 2021.

Chris Stewart
Executive Chef, Aritzia
New Brunswick born Chef Chris Stewart honed his skills through stages at Auberge du Pommier, Thomas Keller’s French Laundry and Bouchon Bistro, before returning to Canada as Chef de Cuisine at Rimrock Resort Hotel’s Five Diamond Eden Restaurant in Banff. In 2009, Stewart began his tenure with Heston Blumenthal at the renowned three Michelin starred Fat Duck in Bray, England. In 2016, Stewart followed his love of the ocean and seasonal ingredients to Vancouver, where he took the position of Chef de Cuisine at Hawksworth Restaurant, after previously spending five years in the Okanagan as the Executive Chef at Mission Hill Family Estate. Stewart has recently embarked on a new venture as Executive Chef for the Aritzia Group, where he is working on building a new bistro.
2020 Regional Judges
Calgary
-
Jenny Kang
Chef & Owner, Orchard
Keep reading…
-
Liana Robberecht
Executive Chef, WinSport
Keep reading…
-
Michael Allemeier
Culinary Instructor, SAIT
Keep reading…
-
Paul Rogalski
Culinary Director & Co-Owner, Rouge Restaurant
Keep reading…
Toronto
-
Mark McEwan
Chef & Owner, The McEwan Group
Keep reading…
-
Renée Bellefeuille
Executive Chef, Art Gallery of Ontario
Keep reading…
-
Riley Bennett
Culinary Professor, George Brown College
Keep reading…
-
Ryan Campbell
Chef & Owner, Il Covo
Keep reading…
Montreal
-
Derek Dammann
Chef & Owner, Maison Publique
Keep reading…
-
Fisun Ercan
Chef & Owner, Restaurant Su
Keep reading…
-
Marc-André Royal
Owner & Chef, Le St-Urbain
Keep reading…
-
Nicolas Roberge-Robineau
Culinary Instructor, Pearson School of Culinary Arts
Keep reading…
Halifax
-
Geoff Hopgood
Chef & Owner, Juniper Food + Wine
Keep reading…
-
Johnathan Canning
Culinary Instructor, Nova Scotia Community College
Keep reading…
-
Martin Ruiz Salvador
Chef & Owner, Salt Shaker Deli
Keep reading…
-
Renée Lavallée
Chef & Owner, The Canteen on Portland & Little C Take-Out
Keep reading…
Vancouver
-
Eleanor Chow
Chef & Owner, Cadeaux Bakery
Keep reading…
-
Lee Cooper
Chef & Owner, L’Abattoir
Keep reading…
-
Michel Jacob
Chef & Owner, Le Crocodile
Keep reading…
-
Stephanie Noel
Development Chef, Hawksworth Restaurant Group
Keep reading…
We’re proud to have partnered with the following chefs & critics:
-
Andrea Carlson
Chef & Owner, Burdock & Co
Keep reading…
-
Anna Olson
Food Network Canada’s ‘Bake with Anna Olson’
Keep reading…
-
Carl Heinrich
Chef & Owner Richmond Station
Keep reading…
-
Christine Beard
Pastry Chef Instructor, SAIT
Keep reading…
-
Connie DeSousa
Chef & Owner, Charcut Road House, Charbar, Alley Burger, Rooftop Bar @ Simmons
Keep reading…
-
Damon Campbell
Executive Chef, Shangri-La Hotel, Bosk Restaurant
Keep reading…
-
Darren MacLean
Shokunin (Chef/Owner)
Keep reading…
-
David Lee
Executive Chef, Nota Bene
Keep reading…
-
Duncan Ly
Foreign Concept, Chef/Owner
Keep reading…
-
Jackie Kai Ellis
Author, Entrepreneur, Pastry Chef
Keep reading…
-
Jason Bangerter
Executive Chef, Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa
Keep reading…
-
JC Poirier
Chef & Owner, Ask for Luigi, Pizza Farina, Pourhouse Restaurant
Keep reading…
-
Jérémie Bastien
Chef, Leméac
Keep reading…
-
Justin Leboe
Chef & Owner, Model Milk, Pigeonhole, Model Citizen
Keep reading…
-
Lucais Syme
Chef & Owner, Cinara
Keep reading…
-
Lynn Crawford
Chef & Owner, Ruby Watchco
Keep reading…
-
Marie-Claude Lortie
Restaurant Critic, La Presse
Keep reading…
-
Michael Noble
Chef & Owner, Notable, The Nash
Keep reading…
-
Mijune Pak
Media Personality
Keep reading…
-
Rob Gentile
Chef Director, King Street Food Company
Keep reading…
-
Scott Jaeger
Chef & Owner, The Pear Tree Restaurant
Keep reading…
-
Vincent Lavoie-Beaulé
Culinary Professor, ITHQ
Keep reading…

Jenny Kang
Chef & Owner, Orchard
Keep reading…

Liana Robberecht
Executive Chef, WinSport
Keep reading…

Michael Allemeier
Culinary Instructor, SAIT
Keep reading…

Paul Rogalski
Culinary Director & Co-Owner, Rouge Restaurant
Keep reading…

Mark McEwan
Chef & Owner, The McEwan Group
Keep reading…

Renée Bellefeuille
Executive Chef, Art Gallery of Ontario
Keep reading…

Riley Bennett
Culinary Professor, George Brown College
Keep reading…

Ryan Campbell
Chef & Owner, Il Covo
Keep reading…

Derek Dammann
Chef & Owner, Maison Publique
Keep reading…

Fisun Ercan
Chef & Owner, Restaurant Su
Keep reading…

Marc-André Royal
Owner & Chef, Le St-Urbain
Keep reading…

Nicolas Roberge-Robineau
Culinary Instructor, Pearson School of Culinary Arts
Keep reading…

Geoff Hopgood
Chef & Owner, Juniper Food + Wine
Keep reading…

Johnathan Canning
Culinary Instructor, Nova Scotia Community College
Keep reading…

Martin Ruiz Salvador
Chef & Owner, Salt Shaker Deli
Keep reading…

Renée Lavallée
Chef & Owner, The Canteen on Portland & Little C Take-Out
Keep reading…

Eleanor Chow
Chef & Owner, Cadeaux Bakery
Keep reading…

Lee Cooper
Chef & Owner, L’Abattoir
Keep reading…

Michel Jacob
Chef & Owner, Le Crocodile
Keep reading…

Stephanie Noel
Development Chef, Hawksworth Restaurant Group
Keep reading…

Andrea Carlson
Chef & Owner, Burdock & Co
Keep reading…

Anna Olson
Food Network Canada’s ‘Bake with Anna Olson’
Keep reading…

Carl Heinrich
Chef & Owner Richmond Station
Keep reading…

Christine Beard
Pastry Chef Instructor, SAIT
Keep reading…

Connie DeSousa
Chef & Owner, Charcut Road House, Charbar, Alley Burger, Rooftop Bar @ Simmons
Keep reading…

Damon Campbell
Executive Chef, Shangri-La Hotel, Bosk Restaurant
Keep reading…

Darren MacLean
Shokunin (Chef/Owner)
Keep reading…

David Lee
Executive Chef, Nota Bene
Keep reading…

Duncan Ly
Foreign Concept, Chef/Owner
Keep reading…

Jackie Kai Ellis
Author, Entrepreneur, Pastry Chef
Keep reading…

Jason Bangerter
Executive Chef, Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa
Keep reading…

JC Poirier
Chef & Owner, Ask for Luigi, Pizza Farina, Pourhouse Restaurant
Keep reading…

Jérémie Bastien
Chef, Leméac
Keep reading…

Justin Leboe
Chef & Owner, Model Milk, Pigeonhole, Model Citizen
Keep reading…

Lucais Syme
Chef & Owner, Cinara
Keep reading…

Lynn Crawford
Chef & Owner, Ruby Watchco
Keep reading…

Marie-Claude Lortie
Restaurant Critic, La Presse
Keep reading…

Michael Noble
Chef & Owner, Notable, The Nash
Keep reading…

Mijune Pak
Media Personality
Keep reading…

Rob Gentile
Chef Director, King Street Food Company
Keep reading…

Scott Jaeger
Chef & Owner, The Pear Tree Restaurant
Keep reading…

Vincent Lavoie-Beaulé
Culinary Professor, ITHQ
Keep reading…