The first meal of the Canadian Chefs’ Congress is a grazing-style lunch featuring cuisine from across the nation. Stations will be headed by a representative chef from each province and territory.

We are still in the process of finalizing regional representatives. Bios of our confirmed representatives are below. If you would like to nominate a colleague, please contact us.

Representing:

• British Columbia: Edward Tucson
• Alberta: Wade Sirois
• Saskatchewan: Moe Mathieu
• Manitoba: Luc Jean
• Ontario: John Taylor
• Quebec: Charles & Jennifer Part
• New Brunswick: Jesse Vergen
• Prince Edward Island: Ilona Daniel
• Nova Scotia: Ray Bear
• Newfoundland & Labrador: Roary MacPherson
• Yukon: Victor Bongo
• Northwest Territories: Sean Tweten
• Nunavut: TBD
• International: Dory Ford

British Columbia: Edward Tucson

Edward Tucson, long-time Head Chef of Sooke Harbour House and now chef/owner of Edge Restaurant, brandishes his accomplished skills with the unique regional philosophy of ‘find-it’ local, from sustainable sources cultivated, wild or foraged.

Alberta: Wade Sirois

Wade Sirois is a self taught chef who was creating dinner parties for his parents and friends at the age of 12.  He began his professional cooking career at Savoir Fare Catering, under the mentorship of Chef Grayson Sherman, where he honed his talents and ultimately oversaw both catering and restaurant kitchens.  In 2001, he and his business partner started Infuse Catering, a full service, off premise catering company.  Wade began to seek and source local ingredients for Infuse and in 2007 they opened Forage – Farm to Fork Foods to Go to provide ready to eat, locally focused food for Calgarians.

Both Infuse Catering and Forage feature Alberta ingredients and Wade’s passion for eating locally led to his nomination to attend Terra Madre 2006 and 2008.  He is active in the local food movement, Slow Food Calgary, and created LOCAL 101, an annual event that brings farmers, chefs, and consumers together.  He has recently spent time working with fellow Albertans to initiate a Culinary Tourism initiative for the province and writes about the local movement, his food experiences, and his travels on his website attheroot.ca.

Wade is a passionate spokesperson for eating seasonally and locally and using Alberta ingredients is part of his core values.  As a chef that wants to use the best available ingredients and he has worked hard to develop relationships with over 40 Alberta producers, farmers, and ranchers to supply his operations.

Saskatchewan: Moe Mathieu

Moe is an Honours graduate of the Canadian Culinary Institute in PEI and and has worked at Chicago’s Alinea and Yountville’s French Laundry. He was Development Chef at Regina’s Beer Brothers Bakery & Cuisine before lending his culinary expertise as Chef Instructor at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology.

Manitoba: Luc Jean

Luc Jean is the Executive Sous-Chef at the Fairmont Winnipeg.  Luc started cooking at age 15 as an apprentice at Le Croissant, a French bakery in Saint Boniface, Winnipeg’s French quarter. He moved on to complete his apprenticeship under French Chef Bernard Mirlycourtois at the prestigious Manitoba Club during which time also worked to acquire his Red Seal from Red River College in 1999. Named sous-chef at the Manitoba Club in 2000, he remained there until accepting the executive chef position at Winnipeg’s La Vieille Gare restaurant in 2002. During these early years he also took on a series of internships which brought him from France’s Gascony region, to the Berkley Hotel in London England, to Restaurant Akvarel in Tylosand Sweden. In 2005, armed with rave reviews from the critics, he headed to Gold Coast Australia where he worked as head chef in the flagship restaurant Charters Towers for the Conrad Jupiters Hotel.  While there, Luc established himself in the community and earned numerous accolades for his work, including 2008 Best Modern Australian Restaurant in Queensland.  Now the proud father of two beautiful children, Luc returned to his home town in 2009 to work as Executive Sous-Chef for the Fairmont Winnipeg Hotel.

Ontario: John Taylor

Chef and Owner John Taylor has had a lifelong love of cooking.

His passion for food was nurtured from his earliest days by his mother and grandmother; whose influence is evident in much of his current practices as Chef & Owner of Domus Cafe.

Born in Lynn Lake, Manitoba, in 1967, John recalls the regular trips to small, local, family-run farms in pursuit of the freshest ingredients: all destined for use in the Taylor matrons’ kitchen. In a continuation of those traditions, Chef Taylor has made it domus’ mandate to help preserve the family and small farm operations that practice organic and sustainable farming practices and candidly attributes many of his own cooking successes to the basics taught him through his grandmother’s teachings.

John first started his cooking career at the age of 14, where his humble origins found him preparing pizzas and donairs in the West Edmonton Mall. After moving to Fredericton in 1987 and graduating from Fredericton High School, John secured a job in the kitchen at the Lord Beaverbrook Hotel.

It was on this very first day of work in a full-service kitchen that John was inspired to the realization that cooking was to be his life’s pursuit. John moved to Ottawa in 1989 to work at the yet unopened Novotel under Chef Norbert Chabot. John’s early skills in the kitchen caught the attention of Jean-Pierre Challet, who hired him as an apprentice for the Relias Châteaux Inn at Manitou.

John spent two seasons at the Inn and it was here where he met his future wife, Sylvia, who was finishing her first year at the Stratford Chef school. After returning from a one-year cooking tour of the Barbados with Jean Pierre, John was hired into his first Chef position by Jim Sorenti, for the Westover Inn. This opportunity saw the start of John’s grassroots Canadian regional cuisine influence.

After four truly inspirational years and one son (Cameron Alexander) later, John and Sylvia left Westover Inn and pursued a number of unique dining ventures, each involving equal measures of challenge and success. In 1995, John returned to Ottawa for a position with Chantilly Haute Cuisine. Later that year, two significant events took place: the birth of a second son – Graham Andrew – and the introduction of John Taylor to domus. In 1997, Chef John Taylor took full ownership of domus and has relentlessly pursued his vision of establishing a truly unique Canadian Regional Seasonal Cuisine establishment.

Quebec: Charles Part and Jennifer Warren-Part

Charles Part was born in London, England on December 31st 1956. He graduated from Westminster Hotel School in London in 1978. Having being touched by the passion for cooking he decided against pursuing hotel administration and set out into the world of restaurants, beginning with stages in London at the Inn on the Parkand then in Paris at the Savoy Group’s Hotel Lancaster.

In 1979 Charles opened his first restaurant The General Trading Company Café in central London to rave reviews in the British press including being named by Fay Maschler of the Daily Telegraph as “one of Britain’s top young chefs to watch”.

Charles moved to Canada in 1981 where he continued his work in the industry, and met his Canadian wife Jennifer Warren. Jennifer left a post in the field of international trade to follow her dream and join Charles in the opening of their first restaurant, the well-reviewed Loons Restaurant in the Beaches area of Toronto between 1986 and 1992.

The desire to escape city life and to establish a countryside restaurant brought them to move with their two young children to Chelsea, Québec, in the beautiful Gatineau Hills just north of Ottawa, an area close to Jennifer’s heart as her family had lived in the area for many years. They opened Restaurant Les Fougères in 1993 and began their 16 year journey and love affair with sustainable, seasonal and regional cuisine. Jennifer’s and Charles’ attachment to their environment is strongly reflected in their work. The restaurant’s gardens now occupy a large part of the property and provide the kitchen with a wide variety of fresh vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. Many ingredients are drawn from the bounty of fresh produce available from quality-oriented local farmers. The cooking at Les Fougères focuses on the intrinsic qualities of these fresh foods, and simply tries to convey their true, wonderful flavours.

Year after year Restaurant Les Fougères has received critical acclaim in international, national and regional media including the achievement of a prestigious gold award in the Grand Prix du Tourisme Québécois in 2004.

Restaurant Les Fougères has widened and deepened its character over the years. A Gourmet Store was added in 2002 to offer a select line of made-in-house, additive-free take-home foods, gourmet products and gifts. The addition in 2006 of a Summer Pavilion offers an outdoor venue for weddings and large groups – Les Fougères menu items are prepared in an outdoor kitchen and served on the edge of the forest.

Recent projects include a cookbook titled A Year at Les Fougères, which was awarded Gold in the Culinary Culture category of the Cuisine Canada Cookbook Awards in November 2008, as well as a Gourmand World Cookbook award, an Independent Publisher’s silver medal and a Cordon d’Or.

Charles was also awarded a gold medal at the Gold Medal Plates competition in Ottawa in October 2008, and went on to represent the region at the Canadian Culinary Championships in Banff in February 2009.

The seasons play a determining role in the menus which focus on the intrinsic qualities of the produce used. The cooking at Les Fougères simply tries to convey true, wonderful flavours as part of a memorable oasis which also includes warm and informed hospitality, a wine list of distinction and a lovely amble in a countryside setting.

New Brunswick: Jesse Vergen

Jesse Vergen is the Executive Chef of the Saint John Ale House, Chef/ Owner of the soon to be opened Farmers Hill and an organic farmer in one of Quispamsis, New Brunswick’s last standing farms.

Jesse is a loud voice for New Brunswick cuisine and with his classic French training, eye on international trends, and intense passion; he is fast becoming one of New Brunswick’s culinary leaders. His training at the Dubrulle French culinary school in British Columbia pushed him to stage in some of Vancouver’s best kitchens, leading to a journey to work in a small bistro in Paris, France.When he got back to Canada, he spent time working in kitchens in Quebec, Nova Scotia, and his home province of New Brunswick.

Jesse is not just into cooking food but the process of planting and working the land to have total control of the quality of the food. Known for cooking with local NB products, he picks fish up right off the boat, whole animals from small farms, slaughtering his own animals on his farm, smoking his own hams, or hunting though the local markets for the freshest products.

Jesse is also the Manager of Culinary Team New Brunswick and with the team won the senior ACE compition in Newfoundland, bringing the trophy back to the province for the first time in 23 years.

In his spare time you can catch him on Rogers TV doing cooking demos, Cooking at fundraisers like chefs for UNICEF, OCIA’s organic banquet, Boys & Girls club, or at the farm with his wife Kim raising their three children and weeding their 50 foot green house.

Prince Edward Island: Ilona Daniel

Hailing from the Greater Hamilton area, Ilona is a graduate with Honours from the Niagara Culinary Institute’s Culinary Management Program. Ilona’s passion for using local and artisan products was first sparked while working in the heart of Niagara’s wine country. It was there that she learned how different peaches from Washington were in comparison to the sun drenched, Niagara peaches picked ripe from the tree.  That was just the beginning- volunteering at various food and drink festivals opened her eyes to the importance of working and supporting the community she was now part of.

As her culinary journey continued after graduation, her interest in the Slow Food Movement was heightened through her work in Montereggioni, Italy, at Ristorante Casalta; and then at Spencer’s at the Waterfront in Burlington, Ontario. Chef Jeff Crump of the Ancaster Old Mill and Chef Chris Haworth of Spencer’s at the Waterfront added depth and practical experience to her understanding of the value of local product.

After her time at Spencer’s at the Waterfront, Ilona’s journey took her East. First, to Quebec to work as a personal chef, and then to beautiful Prince Edward Island where she went to further her studies with a scholarship at the Culinary Institute of Canada. Ilona was part of its inaugural class in the Applied Degree in Culinary Operations program.

Shortly after graduation, Ilona became the Executive Chef of Stanhope Bay and Beach Resort where she has been Executive Chef for the last two years. At the resort, Ilona has been able to exercise her culinary vision, while creating dishes which simultaneously reflect her personality as well as the Atlantic Canadian bounty. The kitchen garden in conjunction with local growers, artisans and farmers are a constant source of inspiration for Ilona in her professional and personal life. Ilona proudly participates in local festival and events such as: Nigwek Organic Street Festival, Fall Flavours, Shellfish Festival and Meal in the Field. Her support will always be rooted in efforts to bring to light the beauty of the local small-scale farm and its importance in our everyday lives.

Nova Scotia: Ray Bear

A leading member of Nova Scotia’s chef community, Chef Ray Bear is both an experienced, world class food designer and one of the province’s culinary jewels. In 2005 Chef Bear was named Chef of the Year and Culinarian of the Year for Nova Scotia. Having spent numerous years cooking at establishments around the world, including furthering his education at the Culinary Institute of America and completing stages in top restaurants such as Alinea, August, Nobu and Michi, he returned to Halifax a number of years ago to ply his trade. In 2006 Chef Bear led the opening of Gio in the Prince George Hotel and after one year under his leadership it became known as one of the top ten restaurants in Canada. He regularly travels to promote Atlantic Canadian Lobster and other indigenous products. As a Champion Of Canadian Cuisine, in June of 2008 Chef Bear was the Nova Scotia feature of the television show “The Chef’s Domain” which focused on showcasing top chefs from coast to coast who placed particular importance on local ingredients. He has appeared in numerous publications and media outlets and in late 2009 was named one of Canada’s maverick chefs in Tidings Magazine. Travelling to South America, South Africa and Dubai in 2010, Chef Bear had the opportunity to promote and demonstrate the benefits of cooking Atlantic Lobster in international venues. “MIX Fresh Kitchen” is the new Hot spot in Halifax where Chef Ray Bear and his team are now showing off the local East Coast bounty.

Newfoundland & Labrador: Roary MacPherson

Roary MacPherson was appointed to the position of Executive Chef of Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland (formerly The Fairmont Newfoundland) on July 7, 2003.

Chef MacPherson was born in Highlands, Newfoundland, on the west coast of the island, and as the youngest of 14 children, Roary took turns with his brothers and sisters to help out in the kitchen. At an early age, Chef MacPherson knew he was hooked while regularly cooking for a table of 16. In October of 1988, Roary began training for his culinary career when he enrolled in the Cabot Institute of Technology. It was during that same year he secured the position of First Cook with The Hotel Newfoundland. Roary MacPherson spent the next seven years with the Hotel and was fortunate to have Executive Chef Steve Watson take him under his wing and assist with his training and career path. During his tenure, he further enhanced his culinary skills while working summers at The Fairmont Algonquin.

Chef MacPherson strongly believes in using Canadian product to create unique Canadian cuisine and he has worked hard to gain experience from the east coast of Newfoundland as far west as Alberta. In 1995, Chef MacPherson moved within the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts family and took the position of Executive Sous Chef at the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis. Roary oversaw the day-to-day operations of the kitchen and guided the culinary team for the 4-Diamond restaurant, Seasons (formerly known as L’Escapade). During this time, Roary MacPherson finished the academic portion of his Chef-de-Cuisine certification at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary.

Chef MacPherson spent three years as Executive Chef of The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald in Edmonton and was very excited to return to his home province. Roary comments, “I am elated to be returning to “the hotel,” referring of course to The Hotel Newfoundland as so many Newfoundlanders do. “I know the people and the offering and it is a comfortable feeling returning to such familiar surroundings,” says Roary. Since his return, Roary has successfully guided the now Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland’s kitchen brigade to new heights in superior product and service excellence.

The hometown favorite has won the hearts of his colleagues, patrons and industry partners. He has given new life to the menus of the Banquet Department, The BonaVista, The Cabot Club and Narrows Lounge and continues to market local and authentic Newfoundland cuisine.

Yukon: Victor Bongo

Chef Victor Bongo is a talented young man who has made his way to an outstanding reputation by creating works of art, challenging the culinary standards, and incorporating flavours from different ethnic backgrounds in his exquisite dishes. Of African descent, his family left a life of struggle when Victor was 11 to move to a safer life in Canada.

Described as a difficult student, Victor gained direction when he came to be a pupil in Chef Peter Brine’s cooking class. Inspired and intrigued by the art of food, he pursued any and all aspects of the culinary field, dedicating hours to perfecting his craft.

At 19 years of age he was a kitchen manager at a pub, after which came positions with the Wedgwood hotel, then Seasons in the Park, a period of time in Fort Mcmurray, The Holland America Cruise Ship Line, Four Season’s Hotel and the Marriott Hotel. He is now Executive Chef a The Raven Hotel and Gourmet Restaurant in the Yukon, rated as one of the best restaurants in Canada by the “Where to Eat in Canada” National Food Guide.

Northwest Territories: Sean Tweten

Originally from Calgary, Alberta and a graduate from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Sean has offered his experience as a first class Chef with extensive knowledge of all aspects of food preparation and presentation. He has won several awards including the Chaine de Rotisseurs Competition in 1993.

Sean has applied his craft at a number of International five star hotels, including Executive Chef at The Marco Polo Hotel in Xiamen, China, Sous Chef at the Hong Kong Hotel in Hong Kong and Westin Harbour Castle Toronto and Executive Sous Chef at the historic Westin Nova Scotian Hotel. Sean then joined the Intercontinental Hotel Group in Toronto at the Crowne Plaza then transferred as Executive Chef/ Food and Beverage Director to the Crowne Plaza Mississippi before transferring with IHG to the Holiday Inn resort in Guam.

Sean then took on the role as Executive Chef/Food and Beverage Director Delta Fredericton. Moving abroad again, Sean worked in the Turks and Caicos before returning to Hamilton as Executive Chef of the Crowne Plaza. He then made the move to the Pinestone Resort and Conference Center in Haliburton, a 18 hole golf course and winter fun destination in the role as Executive Chef.

He has now joined the Explorer Hotel as the Executive Chef to lead the hotel’s Culinary Arts department.

International: Dory Ford

Ford’s life-long passion for food began in the Pacific Northwest. Fueled by his love of food and inspired by the abundance of local ingredients – fresh seafood, wild mushrooms, and garden-fresh produce, he began his culinary career at Malasapina College’s chef-training program in British Columbia.

After steadily advancing through the ranks in kitchens of the Pacific Northwest, Ford headed to warmer climates. He landed in the culinary hotbed of Hawaii, where he enthusiastically immersed himself in Pacific Rim cuisine.

From Hawaii, Ford moved to Los Angeles to continue to broaden his horizons and fuel his passion for food. In Los Angeles, Ford served as the Executive Chef for Gai Klass Catering (repeatedly voted Best Caterer in Los Angeles by Zagats); The Huntington Museum, Library and Botanical Gardens in Pasadena; and at the prestigious Jonathan Beach Club in Santa Monica.

After more than ten years in Los Angeles, Ford moved to the Monterey Peninsula in 2005, accepting the job as Executive Chef for Bon Appétit Management Company at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. At the Monterey Bay Aquarium he was a celebrated leader in the Seafood Watch program’s initiative of protecting our oceans by cooking only with sustainable seafood. Prior to launching Aqua Terra, Ford held the position of Executive Chef at the renowned Ventana Inn and Spa in Big Sur. There, he oversaw the culinary operations during the reconstruction and opening of the restaurant after the devastating fire of 2008.

Ford’s passion for food has consistently received numerous accolades for his culinary talent. He has also been featured in Sunset Magazine, Coastal Living Magazine and many local publications. Recently Ford has made appearances on The Food Network’s BBQ with Bobby Flay, and Rick Browne’s BBQ America. Ford’s abundant culinary experiences have given him the opportunity to further develop his passion for fresh, seasonal food made with the sustainable and organic ingredients which continue to inspire his work.

Today, Ford is the Chef/Owner of Aqua Terra – a company focusing on catering, event planning and menu consulting for the culinary industry.