Chef Alex Kim of Five Sails Restaurant in Vancouver, BC WINS the 2025 Canadian Culinary Championship!
- KoW Connected
- Feb 2
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 31
Johnny Reid and Michael Shand wow the sold-out crowd at the Rogers Centre!
MEDIA RELEASE
February 1, 2025
Triumphing over a field featuring ten of the best chefs across Canada, Chef Alex Kim of Vancouver's Five Sails Restaurant, impressed the judges with his dish at the finale entitled “Taste of Pacific Northwest” and his creativity and execution at the other two competitions. The Grand Finale of the Canadian Culinary Championship (CCC) held Saturday February 1st at the Rogers Centre featured an incredible performance by Johnny Reid and Michael Shand and a live auction for amazing culinary experiences.
Regional competitions were held in ten cities from Vancouver, BC to St. John’s, NL in the fall of 2024, giving each regional chef the opportunity to compete in the National Championship. After three intense competitions; Mystery Wine Pairing, Black Box and the Grand Finale, Chef Alex Kim was crowned. Kim delivered with his dish of wild Sablefish and Cortes Island scallop terrine, Sidestripe shrimp Mandu with Dungeness crab and Okanagan apple and Kusshi oyster on sea lettuce tartlet, Pemberton salsify, 6 month fermented DoenJang, Shiso. Kim paired his dish with Tinhorn Creek 2019 Blanc de Blanc, Golden Mile Bench, BC. " I can't believe this," he said after his big win, "I'm shaking! It has been such an honour to represent Vancouver and now Canada. I've never felt this way in my life!"
The silver medalist, Chef Jordan Holden of Atelier Tony & Tony's Bistro in Moncton New Brunswick, pleased guests with his dish of Rabbit Ballotine, stone fruit and rabbit liver tartlet, hazelnut and parsnip purée, smoked rabbit kidney tuile, spiced jus. Holden paired his dish with Noaska Baker Buck, Clair, NB.
Also finishing on the podium, as the bronze medalist, was Chef Francs-Emmanuel Nicol of Tanière³, Quebec City. Chef Nicol, who was representing Quebec, featured beef of the fall with memories of summer - Picanha of beef served with preserved memories of Canadian summer. He paired his selection with Acérum Cocktail, Distillerie Mitis, Mont-Joli, QC.
Also competing at the 2025 CCC were seven other regional gold medallists:
Representing | Chef | Restaurant |
Calgary | Matthias Fong | Primary Colours |
Edmonton | Doreen Prei | Riverview at Glenora Park |
Saskatoon | Taszia Thakur | Calories Restaurant & Pique Cafe |
Winnipeg | Austin Granados | Cake-ology |
Toronto | Ryan Lister | The Dorset |
Ottawa | Lizardo Becerra | Raphaël Peruvian Cuisine |
St. John's | Nicholas Walters | The Merchant Tavern |
"This has been an incredible CCC", said Chris Johns, National Culinary Advisor and Head Judge of the CCC. “Like myself, all judges were very impressed with the overall quality of the dishes. We are happy with the way things have turned out but what I find a little heart-breaking is that so many of the chefs produced such worthy dishes, I hope they all go home with a strong sense of accomplishment. The dishes this year have been as good as ever served at CCC which bodes well for the future of Canadian culinary excellence. Next year's competitors have a lot to live up to.”
The Grand Finale featured a musical performance by the incredibly talented Johnny Reid along with keyboardist Michael Shand. Also on the program was a live auction with a luxury Barbados getaway for four and dinners with previous Canadian Culinary Champions Marc Lepine and Yannick LaSalle plus this year’s competitor Lizardo Becerra. Over the last 19 years the event has raised $19 million for Canadian charities. Beneficiaries this year were Spirit North, MusiCounts, Ottawa Network for Education (ONFE), and BGC Ottawa.
“It's so good to be here again in Ottawa for the 2025 Canadian Culinary Championship,” said Karen Blair, COO of Canada’s Great Kitchen Party. “The chefs showed up to win, and they proudly represented their region. The guests who were lucky enough to be here, enjoyed exquisite dishes and benefitted from the competitive spirit of each of the chefs from across this great country. Thanks Ottawa, we will be back next year!”
The Great Kitchen Party regional qualifying events as well as the Canadian Culinary Championship feature an amazing showcase of Canadian wines. During Saturday night’s Grand Finale, the “Winery of the Year” was announced as Mason Vineyard 2022, L'Avenir Chardonnay, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula. “This wine won the regional competition in Ottawa in September. The winemaker, Kelly Mason, is one of the most revered in Niagara and opened her own property in the Beamsville Bench two years ago.” stated national Wine Advisor David Lawrason.
Next year’s Canadian Culinary Championship is already scheduled to take place once again in Ottawa, January 29th - 31st, 2026.
ABOUT CANADIAN CULINARY CHAMPIONSHIP (CCC) | The Canadian Culinary Championship is an annual national event in Ottawa. The winning chefs from ten different regional qualifiers (called Canada's Great Kitchen Party) are flown in to compete in three challenging and entertaining competitions: Mystery Wine, Black Box, and the Finale. To be invited to compete locally is a notch in the belt. To win regional gold and be on the podium is a significant achievement. To be eligible to compete against each regional gold winner at the national competition the following year is a thrill. To be crowned the top chef in Canada at the Canadian Culinary Championship is a career changer!
For more information or interview requests, please contact:
Karen Blair COO and National Media Director Canada’s Great Kitchen Party - National 647-267-6530 |