Vancouver’s Top Culinary Talent Set to Compete,
Iconic Canadian Musicians Announced,
for Canada’s Great Kitchen Party
Vancouver’s Top Culinary Talent Set to Compete,
Iconic Canadian Musicians Announced,
for Canada’s Great Kitchen Party
Vancouver, BC is once again set to sizzle as six outstanding chefs compete for culinary supremacy at Canada’s Great Kitchen Party – taking place Wednesday, October 8th, at The Pipe Shop, in North Vancouver. This premier culinary competition is in its 19th year, celebrating excellence in food, wine, and music while raising funds for youth development initiatives across Canada. In 2025, it is more important than ever to continue to elevate Canadian Excellence and celebrate being Canadian together!
One of the evening’s highlights is a head-to-head competition among six of the city’s most innovative chefs, each striving for gold and the chance to represent Vancouver at the Canadian Culinary Championship in Ottawa in 2026.
This year’s competing chefs are listed below with some fun anecdotes about each of them:
Bal Ajagaonkar, representing Desi Indian Lounge
Inspired to become a chef at a young age, Bal learned to cook from his mother. The first dish he learned from her was a tomato curry. Today, his favourite seasonal ingredient is fresh, locally caught seafood—especially halibut, sole, crab, and scallops—because for him, they embody the rich maritime tradition of the region.
Jay Park, representing Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar Jay was inspired by his colleagues at Boulevard. He has been inspired by the chef’s passion, their creativity, their support for each other, and, regardless of their position, he has seen that they put the best effort they can into creating great experiences for guests.
Luke Boswell, representing Bar Corso
Luke started cooking at a young age in London and continued to cook around the world in a variety of Michelin restaurants and hatted restaurants. If he wasn’t a chef he would have enjoyed carpentry.
Maria Ponce, representing Chupito
Maria’s philosophy as a chef is rooted in respecting the product. She believe that every ingredient deserves to be treated with care, allowing its natural qualities to shine through in each dish. Her approach is guided by simplicity, seasonality, and a deep appreciation for where food comes from.
Robert Lee, representing Glowbal
Growing up and loving food, Robert was always drawn to the kitchen. Watching his family cook meals that brought everyone together made a lasting impression on him. The joy and connection that food created inspired him to pursue it more seriously. Over time, he became fascinated by the craft and discipline of professional cooking.
TJ Conwi, representing Ono Vancouver X Reroot Kitchen
“As a Filipino, we have a word—”kapwa”—which loosely translates to “me and you.” It reflects a shared identity and a deep sense of connection with others. This spirit of togetherness not only binds us as a people but also makes many of us naturally inclined toward foodservice and other service-driven professions”. For TJ Conwi, kapwa fuels his commitment to community-focused work—whether he’s cooking in someone’s home, advocating for better school food, or running my community meals program.
The competition will be judged by a panel of esteemed culinary experts, led by Chris Johns, Canada’s national culinary advisor, and Joie Alvaro Kent, Vancouver’s head judge.
“Each year, Vancouver chefs raise the bar with creative, technically brilliant dishes”, says Joie Alvaro Kent. “We have had several winners from this competition go on to win the national competition, which is called the Canadian Culinary Championship. Last year, Alex Kim from Five Sails Restaurant was recognized as the best chef in the country, and the year before it was Chef Jasper Cruikshank from Wild Blue Restaurant and Bar in Whistler. Prior to their wins, Chef Roger Ma from Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar won the national title in 2019, and Chef Alex Chen from the same restaurant won in 2018”.
Another highlight of the evening will be the pairing of the elevated flavours of the chef’s dishes with electrifying live music. It will be a memorable ‘Spirit of the West’ celebration featuring the band’s frontman and founder, Geoffrey Kelly, the legendary Barney Bentall, and Kevin Fox! Guests will be encouraged to wear a splash of red to celebrate all things Canadian and to relive the iconic sounds of one of Canada’s most beloved bands! Guests will be up singing and dancing to unforgettable hits like Home for a Rest, And If Venice Is Sinking, and Political!
As the Presenting Sponsor, MNP LLP plays a key role in supporting this community-driven celebration of Canadian excellence.
Tickets for this extraordinary evening of fine food, premium wines, and world-class entertainment are available now by vancouver@greatkitchenparty.
Feature image: 2024 winners including finalist and winning Chef Alex Kim, read more here.