Jason began his culinary career in Toronto, Canada at George Brown College Chef School, followed by a three-year apprenticeship at Le Royal Meridian King Edward Hotel.  Under the direction of Executive Chef John Higgins, Jason’s drive for gastronomic excellence flourished, earning him a much sought-after position as assistant to Higgins, who was then also the captain of Culinary Team Canada.  This role also led him to a short stint at Paris’ Hotel Le Meridian Montparnasse.

He soon headed overseas permanently to join the brigade at Mosimann's in London.  Under Anton Mosimann, one of London’s leading chefs, Jason was appointed saucier, joining the opening team for the Swisshotel Berlin in Germany and later Château Mosimann in Olten, Switzerland. 

Upon returning to London, Jason was appointed instructor at the Mosimann Academy, where he taught alongside Chef Mosimann.  Eager to continue his own learning, he spent all his free time as a stagiaire in the city’s top restaurants, such as Marco Pierre White’s Drones, Terence Conran’s the Orrery, Jean George’s Vong, Pierre Koffman’s La Tante Claire and the Lanesborough Hotel.  Jason was next appointed Chef de Cuisine at the Kulm Hotel in the Swiss Italian Alps, where he was responsible for the hotel's private dining club Dracula.

In February 2002, he returned to Toronto, joining the team at Auberge du Pommier.  Long hailed as one of the city’s best restaurants, Bangerter was committed to raise the bar still higher. His efforts have paid off with the achievement of the following awards and distinctions:

Top Ten 2009 – James Chatto, Toronto Life Magazine
The CAA Four Diamond Award 2009
Distinguished Restaurants of American Award 2009
#5 Toronto’s Top Restaurants – The Zagat Survey
#2 Toronto’s Top Restaurants – Patron’s Pick 2007
Best Fine Dining Restaurant – Where Toronto Magazine
Best Restaurant – Where Toronto Magazine
Best French Restaurant – Eye Weekly Magazine
 “Top Chef” Award in the Nine of Dine Search for Toronto’s Next Great Chef 2007

Of Jason Bangerter’s cuisine, James Chatto of Toronto Life once wrote, “Mod French, beautifully finessed with an unusually deft touch where every detail is caressed. The mood of the food is elegant and subtly European.”

Executive Chef/Partner Paul Kahan has become the nationally recognizable face for a new guard of Chicago chefs. With an ever-growing list of international accolades for Blackbird, The Publican and avec, Kahan was honored by his selection as a James Beard nominee for Outstanding Chef in 2007 and again in 2009, as well as earning the title of James Beard Best Chef of the Midwest in 2004.
Passionately seasonal, unconventionally creative and dedicated to the inspiration of classical cuisine, Kahan has earned the praise of many who claim him to be one of America's most influential working chefs. "I grew up around food," Kahan said. "My father owned a delicatessen and a smokehouse in Chicago. When I wanted to make a buck, I would help my dad take the fish out of the brine, hang them on the racks and wheel them into the smokehouse."
After a brief post-college stint as a computer scientist, Kahan took a job in the kitchen of Erwin Drechsler's Metropolis, where he quickly realized his own true calling. Throughout his 15-year apprenticeship and advancement in Drechsler's kitchens at Metropolis and erwin, and later for award-winning Chef Rick Bayless at Topolobampo, Kahan developed his own relationships with Midwestern farmers and integrated many of their offerings into dishes that he created for those restaurants.
In 1999, shortly after Blackbird opened, Food & Wine placed Kahan on its Best New Chefs list, recognizing his highly individual approach to cooking and the talent that Chicago diners have celebrated for years. Years of accolades and awards followed until, in 2007, Kahan was honored with a nomination for James Beard Outstanding Chef, an amazing achievement for a chef from a small restaurant without a cookbook or TV show to promote his name nationally. He earned his nomination by working five days a week in the kitchen with "his guys," commuting year-round on his bicycle.

Christopher McDonald is one of Canada's most respected chefs, known for a creative, first-principles approach to cooking, and an exceptional knowledge of the intricate relationships between food and wine.

Born in Toronto and growing up in New York and later Toronto, his childhood and early interest in food was conditioned by his mother Marion Grudeff’s career as a concert pianist and Broadway musical writer in New York. After returning to New York in 1979 to work in Dodin Bouffant, one of the city's finest French restaurants, McDonald embarked on what would become a 15-year educational odyssey of learning both the spoken and culinary languages of the world's great cuisines, studying at the famed La Varenne Cooking School, travelling to Verona, Italy, where he worked as the chef of La Bottega del Vino, and opening the kitchens of two world-famous luxury hotels in Mexico. His international travels also took him to San Francisco, where he cooked at both Stars and Chez Panisse, and to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he worked at the renowned Coyote Café for Mark Miller, for whom he developed the menu at Coyote Café's Las Vegas incarnation.

In Canada, McDonald has been influential in bringing his experience to several acclaimed projects, acting as chef at the VIP lounge of the Ontario pavilion at Expo 86 in Vancouver; as chef de cuisine at Centro, a project that introduced the emerging California cuisine to Toronto; as opening chef at Santa Fe Bar and Grill in Toronto, a highly successful project showcasing his southwestern and Mexican culinary skills; and at Massimo Rosticceria in 1990, which drew on an intensely personal vision that grew out of his experience in Italy.

After spending 15 years refining his craft in the finest restaurants throughout the world, chef Christopher McDonald opened Avalon restaurant in Toronto in 1995. Avalon was McDonald’s 11-year project investigating the culinary boundaries of urban fine dining. Two years after Avalon's daily a la carte menu opened to rave reviews in 1994, McDonald introduced an ambitious six-course gastronomic menu. Avalon continued to push culinary boundaries with the addition of the "Adventure Menu," a perfectly orchestrated sequence of several small plates incorporating exceptional ingredients, each reflecting a different method of cooking and paired with wines that together created a symphonic progression of flavours. In 2004, Avalon introduced its own artisanal cured-meat program, a labour-intensive and delicious exploration that was expanded at Cava.

Cava, which opened in May 2006, grows out of McDonald’s desire to return to the exploration of more rustic culinary themes, and to establish a neighbourhood restaurant with a more casual tone.

After spending many years travelling Europe, honing his skills in the Michelin-Starred restaurants of France and Italy, Frank Parhizgar returned to Toronto and began working for Michael Statlander at Eiginsenn Farm.  Upon leaving Statlander, Frank did stints at The Fifth and Chris MacDonald’s Avalon before joining Centro Restaurant and Lounge as Executive Chef de Cuisine.  After 4 years at the helm at Centro, he joined Marc Thuet at Bite Me where he held the position of Executive Chef.

To characterize Chef Parhizgar’s style is to look into our own backyard.  A champion of sourcing local ingredients and Artisanal products, Frank displays a love and respect for the many talented and dedicated farmers of Southern Ontario.  He often ventures far and wide to meet them in person, taste their offerings and build strong relationships that inevitably benefit his stylish cuisine.  A master of Charcuterie and bread making, his impressive dishes can find their roots in the Classic European style.

The internationally critically acclaimed Albino Silva has received rave reviews for his signature “Progressive Portuguese” cuisine, a culinary style which masterfully reinterprets classical Mediterranean cuisine using globally sourced artisan products and organic small farm producers.

Beginning in 1985 in his pursuit to explore influential global culinary tradition, Albino combined his creative spirit and strong business acumen to design and launch an impressive roster of restaurants across America.  In 1988 he opened the beautiful Saffron’s restaurant to rave reviews in the New York Times.  After 6 years in the United States, Albino returned to Canada in 1991 to open the elegant Chiado.  He went on to open four other restaurants including the contemporary Senor Antonio Tapas and Wine Bar and the popular Adega Restaurant which led to the coveted “Independent Restaurateur” hostelry award and the distinguished Medal of Honour from the Association of Restaurateurs of Portugal in recognition of his achievement in forwarding the Portuguese culinary Arts.  Albino has received numerous accolades from various industry publications and the public including Gourmet Magazine’s “Top Ten Restaurants,” Bon Appetite’s “Top Three Restaurant” and the prestigious Zagat rating.  Driven by strong client demand, Albino went on to launch the highly successful Chiado Catering in 2000.

Albino credits his success to the discipline and drive he learned from his parents and the early culinary influences which came from his time as a youth on the family farm in the beautiful Trás-os-Montes regions of Portugal.

His tenure at the American Culinary Arts Institute in 1988 where he was the youngest appointed teacher, instilled a discipline for impeccable world class service and a passion for teaching which is evident in the number of noted chefs who had their beginnings under the tutelage of Silva, a relationship which he humbly claims to be symbiotic as it constantly fuels his creativity and keeps him sensitive to the changing nuances in his clients tastes.

Chef Eric Ziebold opened CityZen at Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. in 2004.  Before being named “Best Chef Mid Atlantic” by the James Beard Foundation in 2008 and one of “America’s Best New Chefs 2005” by Food and Wine, Ziebold previously served at Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry in Yountville, California.  He assisted in the creation of Per Se, Thomas Keller’s New York restaurant, and helped in the reopening of The French Laundry in May 2004 before joining Mandarin Oriental in June 2004.  Prior to his position with The French Laundry, Ziebold was chef de partie of Spago Restaurant in Los Angeles, another legendary restaurant in the culinary world.  Vidalia restaurant was his home base in Washington, D.C., where he served from 1994 – 1995.  Ziebold graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America in 1994. 

Chef Arpi Magyar graduated from hotel and restaurant college in Budapest, Hungary. He began his career in Hungary and Italy in the early 1970’s.   By 1978, Chef Magyar was making his mark on the food industry in Canada and was hired as a chef at Pronto. Over the next 15 years, he was Executive Chef at Oliver’s, Brasserie Bofinger, and the renowned Auberge du Pommier.  In 1990, Chef Magyar opened the highly acclaimed Toronto restaurant Splendido with his partner. For over a decade, the restaurant was established it as one of Toronto’s most prestigious restaurants that was frequented by a who’s who list of celebrities.  During his tenure as chef and co-owner of Splendido, Chef Magyar opened the restaurant Cucina.  By 2001, he sold his interest in Splendido and Cucina and was consulting in the United States and Italy.
In 2003, Arpi Magyar opened Couture Cuisine and Event Artistry with his partner.  Couture Cuisine was soon established as one of Toronto’s best caterers and has gone on to win many awards including Caterer of the Year, Canadian Wedding Industry Awards, 2008. 

Daniel Boulud is Chef-Owner of ten award-winning restaurants and the Feast & Fêtes catering company. While he hails from Lyon, France, it is in New York that he has truly mastered the culinary scene, so much so that Daniel Boulud is today considered one of America’s leading culinary authorities. Over the last two decades, Boulud has evolved from a chef to a chef-restaurateur, bringing his artistry to his New York City restaurants DANIEL, Café Boulud, DB Bistro Moderne, Bar Boulud and now, DBGB Kitchen and Bar. In addition, he has created Café Boulud in Palm Beach and Daniel Boulud Brasserie at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort. In May 2008, the Chef extended his culinary reach internationally, opening Maison Boulud in the Legation Quarter in Beijing, China. Daniel Boulud and his restaurant management company, The Dinex Group, have also recently formed a partnership in Vancouver where they manage the renowned Relais & Châteaux restaurant, Lumière. Adjacent to Lumière they have created a new DB Bistro Moderne, a sister restaurant to the one in Manhattan’s Midtown.

Boulud’s culinary accolades include James Beard Foundation awards for “Outstanding Restaurateur,” “Best Chef of New York City” and “Outstanding Chef of the Year”. Restaurant DANIEL has been named “one of the ten best restaurants in the world” by the International Herald Tribune, received Gourmet Magazine’s “Top Table” award and a coveted four star rating from The New York Times, as well as Wine Spectator’s “Grand Award”. The Chef has authored six books and has created three seasons his “After Hours with Daniel” television series. T bring a touch of Boulud’s culinary mastery to your own home cooking, sample the chef’s new line of DANIEL BOULUD SPICE BLENDS available in from gourmet retail stores.

Executive Chef Ryo Ozawa has brought to Canada a unique blend of culinary traditions that span the globe. With over ten years of training and work in his native Japan, Ryo specialized in classical French cuisine. Chef Ryo has attained the senior rank of teaching chef, and he enjoys an outstanding reputation in the Japanese culinary world.

Chef Ryo has won several national and international competitions, including first place in the Canadian Culinary Cup (CCC) in 2002, a Japan-wide competition for 13,000 chefs sponsored by The Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. As well, Chef Ryo attained first place on the Japanese team in the competition sponsored by MLA Meat & Livestock Australia in 2002.

Chef Ryo’s roots in Canada go back to the year of 2002, when the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo awarded him and the other CCC competition leaders with a trip to Canada This team participated in a major fundraising event on behalf of the Niagara Culinary Institute and the McMichael Gallery in Kleinburg. This team’s extraordinary talents were showcased at an exquisite banquet featuring Canadian ingredients.

Since becoming Executive Chef at EDO in October 2004, Chef Ryo’s combination of Japanese essence and western sensitivities has refined EDO’s menu. His personal charm, passion, eclectic training, artistic creativity and attention to taste and detail, make dining at EDO an exciting aesthetic and gustatory experience. Chef Ryo excels when challenged to present an O-Makase (Chef’s Choice) menu.

Chef Ryo is married with two children. As he says about himself, “My hobby is cooking.”

Mathew Sutherland, Chef/Owner of Fat Cat Bistro, Catering and Wine Bar, is passionate about food. It is a lifelong pursuit which has taken him around the world.  He is constantly looking for new techniques, new flavours and the freshest ingredients. He loves to share the excitement and joys of food and wine with his customers; and expose them to new tastes.  The Chef’s table and the Chef’s tasting menu are popular choices at Fat Cat Bistro. Mathew is also spreading his passion for food in two new ways; Fat Cat is now available for catering events and Fat Cat Wine Bar is tempting the west end crowd on Roncesvalles Ave. To learn more about Mathew and Fat Cat check out: www.fatcat.ca

Chef Claudio Rossi was born in Milan and completed his culinary training in Italy.

Having worked in many parts of the world and in different positions within the Hospitality Industry, Chef Rossi has a good understanding of the fascinating world that hotels, restaurants and catering present. His knowledge of Italian, European, Western, Pacific, Asian, Japanese, Indian and Chinese cuisine allow him to be innovative  and creative in the kitchen. He enjoys cooking and likes to be hands on.

He spent the last 17 years as Executive Chef at The Regent Singapore (A Four Seasons Hotel) and at the award-winning Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, Thailand, and now brings his extraordinary talents to Toronto.

Given the depth of his experience, diners at Four Seasons Hotel Toronto can expect that his menus will reflect a strong Asian influence. Chef Rossi plans to introduce new flavours and concepts to the  table. Rossi’s creativity, combined with the diversity of his cultural influences and the bounty of fresh Ontario produce is sure to result in an irresistible complement of new dishes.

Lorenzo Loseto has built an enviable reputation as one of Canada’s premier chefs. As the Executive Chef of George and Verity, he applies his classical training and modern approach to developing innovative menus inspired by the diverse cultures of Toronto and Canada. Lorenzo is devoted to the creation of exquisite and flavourful cuisine that reflects both who he is and the food he loves to cook and eat. Using minimal butter and cream, he creates a la carte tasting menus that allow guests to explore bold flavours and textures.

Lorenzo’s skill as a chef extends beyond the kitchen to the art of selection. For him, quality is paramount. He opts for local and seasonal foods wherever possible and makes early morning excursions to the food terminal to source the best quality ingredients available each week.
Throughout the year, Lorenzo leads his team in a number of charitable and culinary events including: Gold Medal Plates, Empty Bowls, Grand Cru and The Stop.

Voted one of Toronto’s Best Chefs by Toronto Life magazine in 2006, Lorenzo honed his skills in some of Canada’s finest kitchens before joining George in 2004.

Kevin McKenna is from Toronto by way of Perth, Australia, where he spent his childhood. Kevin began his culinary journey at The Niagara-on-the-Lake Culinary School after which he moved to England where he did stages at the Fat Duck and Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons.

Kevin returned to Canada where he rose to the position of sous chef at Jov Bistro. The creative young McKenna has also worked with David Lee, Paul Boehmer and more recently as sous chef with Michael Stadtländer and Michael Potters. Following his passion for “farm-to-table” cuisine, Kevin moved to the County where he became Executive Chef at Capers Brasserie in Belleville. 

Kevin’s believes in supporting Canadian producers and showcasing the freshest local ingredients. “I create dishes that highlight natural flavours, not hide them.”  He credits Chefs Stadtländer and Potters as the inspiration for his love of “fresh Canadian cuisine” focused on quality, simplicity and value.

Returning to Toronto, Kevin recently assumed the role of Executive Chef at Globe Bistro whose philosophy of “Think global. Eat local.” is a perfect match. Kevin will use his talents to carry on Globe’s tradition of seasonally inspired local cuisine and take it to the next level.

Bruce Kowalchuk is the executive chef at Harbour Sixty Steakhouse, one of Canada's great steakhouses. He has overseen the kitchen at Harbour Sixty since 1999, when the restaurant opened.
 
Bruce began cooking as a student, working while attending university but decided to make it a real career when he started an apprenticeship with Chef Dominic Zoffaraneri at Toronto's Chelsea Hotel. With his training complete, Bruce traveled to the United States to work in several restaurants.
      
In 1998, Bruce joined the Pinnacle Catering Group to open the suite catering kitchens at the Air Canada Center. Soon after the first season at the new arena, Harbour Sixty opened its doors and Bruce has been there since

David Hawksworth emerged as one of Canada’s leading culinary talents during his seven-year tenure as Executive Chef of Vancouver’s West restaurant.  Upon launching the restaurant in 2000, after spending 10 years abroad honing his talents in Europe at such esteemed Michelin-starred restaurants as Le Manoir aux Qaut’ Saisons, L’Escargot and The Square, critics immediately recognised the depth of his technical skills and innate ability to conjure inspired combinations.

With Hawksworth at the helm West became perennial winner at the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards and went on to attract garner high praise from defining publications such as Food Arts, Bon Apetit, Wine Spectator and Food & Wine magazine. In 2005 Hawksworth was named Vancouver’s Chef of the Year and in 2008 he became the youngest chef inductee in to the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame.  Hawksworth has travelled extensively as a guest chef, most notably at the Masters of Food & Wine, in Carmel and the James Beard House, in New York City.  Hawksworth sits on the board of the Chefs Table Society of British Columbia and donates his time to a number of other charitable causes including the annual Chefs for Life culinary extravaganza.

Poised to open his eponymous and eagerly anticipated restaurant at Vancouver’s newly renovated Hotel Georgia, David Hawksworth is currently developing the catering arm of his business.  From intimate dinners to elaborate galas, 2008 has seen him cater several of the city’s most exclusive private events.   Please visit www.hawksworthcatering.com for more information.

One of Canada’s most celebrated chefs, Jamie Kennedy is known for his legendary commitment to environmental issues and his support for organic agriculture, local producers and traditional methods. This translates into choices about the fish we buy, the meat and vegetables we serve and increasingly the wines we choose to offer. Jamie makes every effort to minimize the impact of our operations on the environment and we are continuously on the look out for like-minded suppliers and better methods of work.

His respect for traditional practices exerted its influence early on in Jamie Kennedy’s culinary endeavors, precipitating his decision to pursue an apprenticeship. Over the course of three years, Jamie worked for one Chef, under whose tutelage he learned basic kitchen skills, including how to manage staff and strike a balance between life and the demands of being a Chef. Having graduated from the apprenticeship program at George Brown in 1977, Jamie finessed his training and experience as Journeyman Cook in Europe from 1977 to 1979. In this ever-evolving learning environment, Jamie experienced what he describes as “a gradual awakening to gastronomy.”

Donna, with over 25 years of professional experience, is a well-known name in Canada. A graduate of the culinary program at Ottawa's Algonquin College, she began her apprenticeship with The Ritz III Group there, working her way up to the position of Chef before moving to Toronto in 1983.  As food editor of Wish magazine, Donna authored the best-selling 'Market to Table' cookbook adding to her previous triumph with "Out to Brunch", a book of the most popular Mildred Pierce recipes and the winner of Cuisine Canada's cookbook of the year in 2003. That same year she was awarded the Ontario Hostelry Institute Media and Publishing Award. Donna is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Cuisine Canada, Women Chefs and Entrepreneurs, James Beard Institute and is a charter member of Slow Food Canada. She sits on the executive committee of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, is co-chair of the George Brown Chef School expansion Capitol Campaign, and a passionate supporter of local food production.

Italian expatriate Massimo Capra is the Chef co-owner of Mistura Restaurant and Sopra Upper Lounge, two well-known restaurants in Toronto, offering fine contemporary Italian cuisine and live music venue.

Born in Cremona, Italy, Massimo climbed the career ladder by working in Italy’s best restaurants and hotels.  His culinary training began in Salsomaggiore, Parma and from there he moved on to the Trattoria dall' Amelia in Mestre, Venice, considered one of the best restaurants in Italy at the time.  He spent several years in various Hotels such as Hotel Royal in Courmayeur, Val d’Aosta, a luxury class hotel at the foot of Monte Bianco, Hotel Savoy and Drei Tannen restaurant in San Martino di Castrozza in the dolomite. He worked for three years under contract with Gallia Hotels, staging between all of the properties witch included the famous Excelsior Gallia Hotel and Cavour Hotel in Milano, Rio Envers Hotel in San Sicario an exclusive community in the Alps and the Excelsior Gallia Hotel in Punta Ala, a very exclusive community in Toscana.

Yearning to work overseas, Massimo boarded a plane in 1982 and landed in Toronto to work at, “Archers,” a restaurant owned by a relative, since  Archers was noted as a “social” restaurant,  Massimo used his experience there to master the English language and his own style.
In 1989, he met Michael Carlevale of famed Prego and was offered a position as chef. “Prego” became one of the most important restaurants in Toronto during his nine-year stay there.  Working with Michael Carlevale, Massimo helped develop the concept of Carlevale’s Black & Blue Restaurant and Byzantium.

In 1997, Massimo felt the urge for something different, and he merged forces with Paolo Paolini, formerly of Splendido Restaurant. Mistura Restaurant was opened in October, 1997, to a very receptive public. The exclusive SOPRA UPPER LOUNGE is the latest addition to Massimo’s list; since August of 2006 Sopra has become a favourite among many of Toronto live music lovers.

Massimo is currently a chef host on the hit series restaurant makeover on the Food network and is a regular guest expert on CITY TV Cityline.

Massimo also has a lengthy list of television appearances from local breakfast shows and TV magazines including; Global TV, TLN, OMNI, CTV, CITY TV, CHCH, Rogers Cable Toronto.
Massimo has appeared as a guest and sometime co-host in several cooking shows; THE BEER BUDDIES, THE MOVABLE FEAST, TABLE FOR TWO, CRISTINE CUSHING LIVE, THREE TAKES.
As if these commitments didn’t make him busy enough, Massimo found time to author a new cook book entitled ONE POT ITALIAN and regularly writes for The Globe and Mail Life section.

Under the guidance of some of Europe’s finest chefs, chef Neal Noble began his training at Malaspina College in Nanaimo, British Columbia. His training spanned culinary journeys throughout Europe and Asia, culminating in a position at the Sutton Place Hotel in Toronto where chef Noble quickly rose to the position of executive chef.  After eight years at the Sutton Place Hotel he moved to the Metropolitan Hotel. Acting as corporate executive chef for the Metropolitan Hotel and Senses Bakery and Restaurants in Toronto, Washington and Vancouver, chef Noble oversaw all food operations of multiple award winning restaurants, in-house banquets, off premise catering, and wholesale and retail stores. He has appeared on many television programs including Chef at Large, Daily Planet, Breakfast Television, and Rich Bride Poor Bride.

He is the proud holder of many Canadian Federation of Chefs & Cooks® (CFCC) culinary awards including six gold, four silver and three bronze medals.

After 12 years with the Metropolitan Hotel, Chef Noble is proud to offer his award winning culinary creations through Noble Culinary Creations Catering.

In a stellar culinary career spanning over 25 years, Toshio Tomita has developed a vast command of Japanese cuisine.

Born and raised in Tokyo, he was 15 when he started apprenticing at restaurants in Tochigi and Niigata in Northern Japan and Tokyo.  It was during this time that Toshio learned his technique in the discipline of kappo, in which dishes are prepared à la minute and served directly to the guest over a counter.  He also trained in the highly refined art of kaiseki, which demands an absolute reverence for ingredients, deep respect for seasonality, balance, and presentation, and careful attention to the dining experience as a whole. 

Toshio came to the United States in 1984 and acquired his skill in sushi-making at 212, a Manhattan restaurant that featured French-Japanese cuisine.  Next, he worked at Yamaguchi, a midtown restaurant with New Jersey outposts, and at Hiro-chan (now Mitsuwa) in Edgewater, New Jersey. 

In 1996, Toshio embraced the opportunity to join the team at Nobu New York, the Tribeca restaurant opened by legendary chef Nobu Matsuhisa.  Nobu has achieved worldwide fame for its unique new style Japanese cuisine, which blends Japanese and Western ingredients and techniques.  Toshio has been an integral part of the restaurant since his arrival and currently heads the sushi bar at Nobu New York and Nobu Next Door as Executive Sushi Chef.

Eron Novalski began his culinary journey in the kitchen as a toddler, creating his own recipes.  Upon graduation in Culinary Management at George Brown College, he studied at Le Manoir Culinary Institute in Paris, graduating with honours.  While in Paris he also worked at the prestigious ‘Tour D’Argent Restaurant’ and being fully bilingual was very advantageous for him. 

After completing his studies, Eron did a wine and culinary tour through France and Italy and returned to Canada with a broader knowledge of French and Italian cuisine.  Eron then went to work at Senses for five years and during that time he traveled to New York to work with some of the top Chefs in the US.  He also participated in the James Beard event in New York, Vancouver and Toronto.

Eron has been with Noce Restaurant for 2 years now and has brought with him all the wealth of knowledge he has acquired and still is through his travels abroad.  He is a very passionate food aficionado.

Giorgio Taluri is a food aficionado who has challenged traditional boundaries at Noce with many different menus.  Chef Giorgio Taluri studied culinary arts in Italy.  He worked for many years in places where he came to understand freshness of food and how it should best be utilized.  He came to Toronto and put his knowledge and techniques into practice at Barolo Restaurant.  He joined Noce in 2001.

Mark McEwan’s career in the food industry began in Toronto in 1976 at the now defunct Constellation Hotel, where he worked under the close tutelage of Swiss executive chef Joseph Vonlanthen.

In 1977 McEwan enrolled in the culinary program at George Brown College. He graduated with Red Seal designation in 1979.

That summer he left for Switzerland in order to serve a six-month seasonal position commis de cuisine at the highly prestigious Grand National Hotel.

In the fall of 1979 he returned to the Constellation, where in 1981, aged twenty-two, he was made sous-chef.

Later that same year he moved to the Sutton Place Hotel in downtown Toronto. Two years later he was promoted from sous-chef to chef – and so became the youngest cook in Canada to ever hold such a position.

The long list of luminaries McEwan cooked for at the Sutton Place includes Pope John Paul II, on the occasion of the papal visit of 1984.

In 1985, with two partners, McEwan acquired Pronto Ristorante, his first standalone restaurant catering exclusively to the dinner crowd.  It swiftly became known as the most prestigious destination in town and for many people represented a new pinnacle for local fine dining.

In 1989 McEwan began work on a new initiative entirely his own, working closely with an interior designer to conceive from the ground up a restaurant that balanced modernity, intimacy and airiness in a manner that the city had not yet witnessed. North 44 opened in May, 1990.

In 1992 McEwan sold his interest in Pronto in order to focus exclusively on North 44.

McEwan’s vision, management and his clean, product-focused, classically grounded but innovative cuisine soon earned North 44 numerous distinctions: it was anointed best restaurant in Toronto by Gourmet magazine for three years running, and consistently recognized as the most popular restaurant in town in the Zagat Survey. Wine Spectator gave North 44 its Award of Excellence in 1996 – and every year since.

North 44, the restaurant, was followed by North 44 Catering, which quickly achieved parallel impact and success in bringing the same impeccable standards in food and service offsite to private homes and venues.

In 1996 McEwan helped re-launch the uptown restaurant Terra. He sold his interest in 1999.

In November 2002, with a view to creating a new standard for dining out in the financial district, McEwan launched ByMark. The restaurant was designed by Yabu-Pushelberg, which had recently completed a widely praised renovation of North 44.

ByMark opened to overwhelming praise for critics and public alike. Amongst other distinctions it was declared Best New Restaurant in Canada by enRoute magazine.

McEwan branched out into new territory in October, 2006, when his new television series, The Heat with Mark McEwan, premiered on Food Network Canada. Its reception from the critics and public was such that it now airs on HGTV in the U.S. and in fourteen other foreign markets. The Heat is now shooting its third season.

In September 2007, McEwan made a dramatic return to the hotel business after an absence of nearly twenty-two years with the launch of “ONE,” his restaurant in The Hazelton Hotel in Yorkville, where he is also responsible for room service and special events.

The dramatic design was executed once again by Yabu-Pushelberg. The cuisine is classic McEwan. And the service concept – whereby diners assemble their meals right down to the specifics of their constituent parts – is a Toronto first. ONE has single-handedly redefined and reinvigorated hotel dining in Toronto.

McEwan is currently hard at work finishing a project conceived to do the same for the retail food industry: in early 2009 he will launch a twenty-three-thousand-square-foot fine food emporium called McEwan. It is a full service and fully accessible food store that will forever change local expectations of prepared foods.

September 9th, 2008, Chef Robert Bartley was appointed to Director of Culinary and Executive Chef for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. Bartley will oversee the three restaurants at the Air Canada Centre – The Platinum Club, The Air Canada Club and the Hot Stove Club. His duties will also extend to the BMO field – Toronto’s newest home for the TFC, which boasts the most diverse concession menu in a professional sports arena. Bartley will be responsible for menus at two new restaurants in Maple Leaf Square, which are currently undergoing construction and plan to open in 2010.

Before joining the team at MLSE, Bartley held the Executive Chef position at the 4 Season’s Hotel, managing 7 Sous Chefs and over 60 staff in the kitchen.

Bartley, originally from Woodstock Ontario, grew up in a house with 6 siblings. Most of his culinary wonders came with inspiration from his mother who always seemed to get creative in the kitchen, except on Sundays when the family enjoyed a traditional Roast Beef dinner.

As a 15-year industry veteran, Bartley has worked with some of Toronto's most influential culinary personalities including Susur Lee, Chris McDonald and Lynn Crawford. He was also a participant on the Food Network's Iron Chef America competition in 2007.

Chef Robert Bartley’s cooking philosophy is self explanatory: Simplicity is best. “Cooking doesn’t need to be complicated, as long as you have the freshest ingredients.”

Andrew was born in Canada and graduated from the culinary program at George Brown College in 1990 and completed a formal apprenticeship under chef Leighton Azzopardi in 1992. Andrew continued working under chef Azzopardi until 1994, at which point the opportunity to work under renowned chef Mark McEwan arose. He continued to work under Chef McEwan's tutalage where he learnt all aspects of the restaurant business.

Andrew's culinary mentors are Mark McEwan and Tarek Aboushakka; both of whom provided the confidence, guidance, and patience that helped him become the dedicated chef he is today.
Andrew's passion is seeing his clients happy and satisfied. It is a great pleasure when a client declares, that they will call back for their next family function. Over the past 12 years, he has had the pleasure of working with many wonderful families who have graciously invited him into their homes to put together a feast or a simple dinner.

He has wowed countless galas all over the city. His culinary presence has been noted at numerous charity and other memorable events at some of Toronto's most prestigious venues.

Andrew has joint Tarek at ORO restaurant to continue a culinary journey that started many years ago at North 44 restaurant.    

Cooking is in Chris Palik’s blood; for the Executive Chef of both L-EAT Catering and Paese Ristorante, food is a family affair with his brother Nathan also working as a professional chef in the Niagara region.

Frequently described as a unique combination of unusual flavors, Palik’s culinary creations are modern spins on traditional Italian classics – a feat accomplished by an exacting attention to technique and a fearless attitude towards food instilled in him during his upbringing.

This one – time dishwasher and ‘Belgian waffle boy’ started his career at the Country Kitchen, a Prince Albert, Saskatchewan family – style restaurant.

Over the years Palik has perfected the rustic elegance his food has become known for by working in such locations as Megève France, Vancouver’s the Wedgewood Hotel and Ontario’s Langdon Hall.

Although Palik has been nominated as ‘one of the city’s top rising chefs’ in Now magazine’s, the Nine of Dine competition and has cooked for numerous celebrities and dignitaries – including U.S. President Bill Clinton – he remains faithful to his ‘keep it simple’ approach, taking his greatest pleasure from cooking for his friends and family.

Martin Kouprie has been the executive chef and co-owner of Pangaea Restaurant for more than twelve years.  Ask chef Martin Kouprie the secret of this long term culinary success and he’ll tell you that it’s a love of fresh food.  His passion for freshness and an understanding of the science of cooking allow Martin Kouprie to create menus and recipes that celebrate the magnificence of each season’s harvest.

Kouprie works hard to balance global food trends with his keen responsibility to the environment. To that end he has been an active participant in programs such as Ocean Wise; likewise, Kouprie works closely with local farmers, foragers and ingredient suppliers so that he can create cuisine from every food group that has regional, sustainable roots.

The high standards and culinary imagination Kouprie uses to set Pangaea’s menus have won him accolades from near and far: Gourmet Magazine, Toronto Life, The Financial Post, and The New York Times have all given Pangaea Restaurant their seals of approval.  Pangaea has also received the Wine Spectator Magazine Award of Excellence for many years and continues to grow the restaurant’s wine list.

In 2009, Martin Kouprie and his business partner Peter Geary were awarded the Ontario Hostelry Associations Independent Restaurateur of the year award. In fall 2010, Chef Kouprie’s first book will be published by Key Porter Books.

Executive Chef, Stephen Ricci, is widely respected for his work at the Windsor Arms Hotel. Under his direction, Prime Steakhouse and the restaurants at the Windsor Arms Hotel, offer North American cuisine with a playful twist and unsurpassed quality and taste.

Born in Toronto, Chef Ricci learned to love cuisine and experiment with food flavors from his Italian family. Ready to spread his culinary wings, Chef Ricci worked and trained with some of the best chefs and restaurateurs in Italy and Toronto.

With a unique style that melds, Chef Ricci’s European approach with North American experience, he is making world renowned Windsor Arms Hotel into a culinary gem for weddings, fundraisers, galas, corporate events, off-site catering and other celebratory events held at the popular hotel.

Originally from a small town in the North Island of New Zealand, Pusateri’s Director of Culinary Operations Andre Walker had to make the decision between a career in Rugby or the Culinary World, and lucky for us he chose to follow his passion for food.  When Andre was applying to cooking school he was asked why they should accept him and he simply said “because I love to eat!” That was the beginning of an adventurous and fulfilling career he is still enjoying today.

During his apprenticeship, Andre worked throughout New Zealand and once obtaining his City and Guilds qualifications went to work in Switzerland at the luxurious Hotel Kirbuchul.  He then came to Canada to work at the Westin Harbour Castle before heading back to New Zealand to work at the 5 star hotel Park Royal in the South Island, in Queenstown as a Sous Chef.  The traveling bug hit again and Andre was off to Australia to work at the Savoy Park Plaza, here he had the opportunity to begin writing his own menus and incorporating his own unique style and flair.

Andre was then offered a position as Executive Sous Chef under the famous Albert Schnell at the Toronto Hilton, which he knew would shape him into the Executive Chef he is today.  Under the guidance of Chef Schnell, Andre opened the uniquely Canadian Cuisine Restaurant, Tundra.  This opportunity introduced Andre to a wealth of knowledge, experience and a unique experience on the incredible diversity of Canadian Cuisine.

“Pusateri’s having the world of food to offer enables me to create an endless array of global cuisine dishes without limitations, which many other places could only dream of”.
-Chef Andre Walker

Andre has been enjoying his current position with Pusateri’s Fine Foods for over seven years now and enjoys every minute.  “Pusateri’s is the food store that everyone else tries to emulate.  I love that we make everything from scratch, have an incredible hot counter, a wonderful line of fresh ready to go foods, and are also able to offer the best catering opportunities.  Whether it is simply customizing their menu selections or going into their homes to serve dinner and exceed their expectations, our customers are always left in complete amazement. 

One of New York’s most beloved and respected chefs, Scott Conant brings a deft touch and unwavering passion to creating food that is unexpected and soulful. After 15 years of cooking up some of the city’s favorite Italian cuisine, he opened Scarpetta in New York and Miami in 2008. Both received rave critical review, an enthusiastic following and established Conant as one of the country’s preeminent Italian chefs.

Conant’s love of cooking began at an early age. Growing up in an Italian-American household, he began taking cooking classes at age 11 and later attended the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). After graduation, he studied pastry for a year at the Hotel Bayerisher Hof in Munich, Germany.  He returned to New York City to work as a sous chef at The New York Times three-star rated San Domenico, a famed Italian restaurant where Conant externed as a culinary student.

In 1995, Cesare Casella selected him to be chef de cuisine at Il Toscanaccio, an Upper East Side Tuscan restaurant. A year later, Conant went on to revamp two institutions: Barolo in Soho and Chianti on the Upper East Side. When a chance to open a new restaurant presented itself, Conant accepted the position of executive chef at City Eatery. Conant and his modern take on Italian cuisine earned him the attention of New Yorkers and a glowing two-star review from The New York Times in 2000.
 
In 2001, Conant was approached about opening a restaurant in a quiet, largely undiscovered Manhattan neighborhood called Tudor City. In preparation, he traveled to Italy for an extensive tour where he worked with some of the country’s most celebrated chefs and reconnected with his mother’s relatives in Beneveto. Inspired by his time there, Conant returned to the States with a menu that seamlessly fused the classic dishes of his childhood with his own interpretations of Italian cuisine.

In September 2002, L’Impero opened in Tudor City. Within weeks, the restaurant received a rave three-star review from The New York Times, and Gourmet declared that Conant “raises the roof on the Manhattan school of Italian cooking.” A year later, Conant’s signature pastas appeared on the cover of Food & Wine, and the magazine went on to name Conant one of America’s “Best New Chefs” in 2004. L’Impero received top honors from the James Beard Foundation in 2003, including “Best New Restaurant” in the U.S. and “Outstanding Restaurant Design.” In October 2003, Conant was featured on the cover of Gourmet for its “Chefs Rock” issue, and in March 2004, Gourmet editor Ruth Reichl named L’Impero one of her favorite New York restaurants. 

Following the success of L’Impero, Conant went on to open Alto, a sophisticated Italian restaurant in midtown Manhattan that offered his interpretation of Northern Italian cuisine. Ready for the next chapter in his career, Conant left L’Impero and Alto to bring his years of experience and learning to a restaurant that is 100 percent his own creation. Scarpetta is that restaurant. An Italian expression that means “little shoe” – or the shape bread takes when used to soak up a dish – Scarpetta represents the pure pleasure of savoring a meal down to the very last taste. The restaurant’s design reflects the chef’s earthy yet modern approach to Italian cuisine.

Scarpetta received adoring three-star reviews from The New York Times and New York Magazine in July 2008, and both publications selected Scarpetta as a top 10 new restaurant of the year. In addition, Scarpetta was named one of the “Best New Restaurants in America” by Esquire magazine in November 2008 and a Top Five Newcomer by the 2009 Zagat Guide. The restaurant also received an Ultimate Award of Distinction from Wine Enthusiast, a three-star rating from Forbes and a nomination for Best New Restaurant from the James Beard Foundation in 2009. In late 2008, Conant opened Scarpetta in Miami Beach at the newly renovated Fontainebleau resort, which went on to receive a four-star review from The Miami Herald, the highest rating possible.

A natural on television, Conant has appeared on The Today Show, the Food Network, Martha, Bravo’s “Top Chef” and Good Morning America. In 2005, he published his first cookbook, New Italian Cooking, followed by April 2008’s Bold Italian, his second cookbook with Random House. He lives in Manhattan with his wife, Meltem.

Victor Barry’s culinary journey began working alongside his uncle at a small pizzeria in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Victor next pursued placement at the Prince of Wales Hotel, under the tutelage of Executive Chef, Lee Parsons, where he refined his skills in the kitchen and a new chef was born.

Victor migrated overseas to spend 2 years as Chef de Partie at the 2 Michelin Star rated Gidleigh Park Hotel in Devonshire, England, where Executive Chef Michael Caines taught Victor the values of discipline, accuracy and precision.

Upon his return to Ontario, Victor met Executive Chef of Splendido, who invited Victor to become a part of his kitchen team.  Chef Lee took on a mentoring role teaching Victor about smart business practices and the bottom line for achieving success in the industry.

Together with General Manager Carlo Catallo, Victor purchased Splendido in 2009. 

When he is not at Splendido, Victor seeks inspiration at places like the Food Terminal and local farms across Ontario. He is actively involved in the local culinary community by teaching cooking classes at Humber College and participating in charity dinners throughout the province.

Marisa Rocca was born in Rome, Italy, and moved to Canada in 1989 in search of new opportunities.  She started out working busy downtown restaurant and quickly worked her way up through the different positions both in and out of the kitchen.  It was during this time that she discovered her true calling as a chef.

In 1993 Marisa opened her own restaurant, Sotto Sotto Trattoria, which has become one of Toronto’s finest Italian restaurants.  The restaurant can be found below street level in a charming, intimate space with flickering candle light and fresco covered walls.  With the help of her highly skilled culinary team, including Chef Massimo Renzi, Sotto Sotto has become known for its delicious, simply prepared dishes, award winning wine list, and excellent service.  

Marisa Rocca has further extended her authentic Italian cuisine and hospitality with her second location, Sotto in the Village, which opened in the spring of 2006.  With her second location she and Chef Massimo have brought traditional rustic Italian cuisine, to the heart of Forest Hill.    

Massimo Renzi was born and raised in Rome, Italy. Once inspired to go into the culinary arts after reading Pellegrino Artrusi, he attended Cordon Blue and Café de Paris in Rome to further refine his culinary skills. He then made the trek across the Atlantic to settle in Toronto, bringing his vision of modern Italian cuisine with him.

He learned the importance of continuity, quality, standard of care and responsibility through his formal education and throughout his culinary career. In turn, this has enhanced his respect for the kitchen and its assortment of ingredients allowing him to constantly produce high quality dishes.  Working alongside Marisa Rocca, they strive to create savoury menus of distinction. 

Chef Marco Zandonas graduated from the Italian Culinary Arts Program George Brown College.  He developed his skills in Toronto, Tuscany, Milan and The Fat Duck in England.

In 2004 he joined Via Allegro, working with its renowned artisanal beef program. Via Allegro’s formidable wine cellar and award winning scotch list, motivated him to pursue another great passion, wine and spirits. Chef Zandona is currently completing his sommelier diploma. In 2008 Chef Zandona was honoured at the 30 under 30 awards.    

Chef Saverio Macri studied at Virginia Tech where he received his honours BA in food and nutrition. In 2005, he fulfilled his dream of becoming a chef in Italian gastronomics when he began working at Via Allegro.

He has been involved in the various programs presented him by Via Allegro and has played a key role in the development of many avant-garde principals and menu projects. Via Allegro’s ambitious wine and scotch programs have inspired Chef Macri to pursue a sommelier diploma.

Winner of the James Beard Foundation's "Best Chef Mid-Atlantic 1999", Jeffrey Buben is the chef and owner of two prestigious restaurants in Washington, D.C., Vidalia and Bistro Bis.  Acknowledged by Bon Appétit as one of the “Best New Restaurants of 1993,” Vidalia has garnered both local and national recognition with its regional American cooking delivered with Southern hospitality. 

Renovated in the summer of 2003, Vidalia has consistently been awarded three stars since October 2003 from the Washington Post food critic, Tom Sietsema and top honors by Washingtonian Magazine’s “Top 100” list since 1994.  Vidalia has also been the recipient of the prestigious DiRona award by the Distinguished Restaurants of North America each year since 1996.  The restaurant’s wine program has received the Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence” 2005, 2006 and 2007 and the Wine Enthusiast’s “Award of Distinction” in January 2006.   A vote by America Online users named Vidalia as the number one restaurant in the “City’s Best Restaurants 2007.”
   
The fall of 1998 heralded the arrival of Buben’s second restaurant, Bistro Bis located at the Hotel George on Capitol Hill.  Bis features creative contemporary French bistro cooking with updated renditions of classic fare.  Bis was voted one of “Washington’s Best New Restaurants to Watch” by Washingtonian Magazine in 1999.  Washingtonian’s “Top 100” in 2007 listed Bistro Bis in the top third of the city and the restaurant has been included in the magazine’s “Top 100 Restaurants” since 2002. The Washington Post has recognized Bis in numerous years as a top dining destination and applauded for the “best onion soup” in the area.  Nominated since 2005 by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington for “Restaurant Power Spot,” Bis continues to be the place “Where Capitol Hill Dines.”  The Mobil Travel Guide, AOL City’s Best consistently rank Bistro Bis in the top tier as “Best Hot Spot Restaurant” and as a “Power Lunch destination. 

Jeffrey Buben is a 1978 graduate of The Culinary Institute of America and has served on the school's alumni board of directors.  With over 20 years in the industry, he has worked in such notable restaurants as The Sign of the Dove, Le Cygne and Le Chantilly in New York and at several distinguished hotels including The Four Seasons, The Mayflower and The Hotel Pierre.  Voted “Chef of the Year” in 1996 by The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, Jeff continues to work tirelessly to contribute to many different charitable organizations including Share Our Strength, Food & Friends and the Wine Advocate Fund for Philanthropy to name a few. 

Jeffrey is a partner with his wife Sallie in the Fully-Baked Restaurant Group, which owns and manages Vidalia Restaurant and Bistro Bis in Washington, D.C.  The Bubens live in Fairfax Station, Virginia and have three children, Sarah, Alex and Mac.