Vancouver’s Chef Alex Kim WINS the 2025 Canadian Culinary Championship!

Chef Alex Kim of Five Sails Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, WINS
the 2025 Canadian Culinary Championship!

Johnny Reid and Michael Shand, wow, the sold-out crowd
at the Rogers Centre!

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, “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:

Participating Chefs:

“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 for January 29th—31st, 2026, in Ottawa.