Corbin Mathany of Ugly Duckling Dining & Provisions Wins
Kitchen Party Victoria All-Star Invitational
and joins Chef of Distinction Milton Rebello to represent
Victoria at the Canadian Culinary Championship
Canada’s Great Kitchen Party Ottawa is proud to announce Corbin Mathany of Ugly Duckling Dining & Provisions as the gold medalist of the 20th Anniversary Kitchen Party Victoria All-Star Invitational, held Tuesday, September 29 at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel. Mathany earned gold for his lightly cured and torched steelhead salmon served with preserved Mason Street Farms cherry tomatoes and a clarified tomato and spot prawn vinaigrette, paired with Mission Hill Family Estate Winery 2022 “Perpetua” Chardonnay Okanagan Valley, West Kelowna, BC.
Guests selected the People’s Choice Award winner: [TIE] Chef Corbin Mathany from Ugly Duckling Dining & Provisions and Paul Moran from Sixty Forty.
The Runner-Up was Paul Moran from Sixty Forty who presented Soil & Sea, paired with Prohibition Vineyard 2025 Ortega, Saanich, BC.
All wines featured last night, including the chef pairings, were judged blind by an expert panel. Bronze went to JoieFarm Winery En Famille Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, BC, Silver to Unsworth Vineyards Pinot Noir 2023, Cowichan Valley, BC, and Best in Show to Laughing Stock Vineyards Blind Trust Red 2023, Okanagan Valley, BC, which advances to the Wine of the Year competition at the Canadian Culinary Championship.
The Victoria event is one of 10 regional competitions being staged across Canada, with each city’s gold medal-winning chef advancing to the Canadian Culinary Championship presented by MNP in Ottawa, January 29–30, 2027. For the first time in the competition’s history, each regional winner will be joined at the national championship by a pre-selected Chef of Distinction from their city. Victoria’s winner will compete alongside Chef Milton Rebello of Liv Café & Bistro, giving Victoria a two-chef team on the national stage.
The five chefs who competed in Victoria’s 2026 All-Star Invitational were:
Castro Boateng – House of Boateng Cafe & HOB Fine Foods Catering
Corbin Mathany – Ugly Duckling Dining & Provisions
Israel Alvarez M – MAiiZ Nixtamal Deetäh
Paul Moran – Sixty Forty
Sam Harris – Cafe Brio
The intense competition also featured a welcome hors d’oeuvre prepared by Rebello. Each competing chef presented an original dish paired with a Canadian wine for the judging panel and guests.
“Tonight was extra special because it represents the start of our 20th anniversary celebrations. We’ve got eight cities left on our schedule and if any of them achieve the level of excellence we saw here tonight, we’re in for a blockbuster year. We’ll in Ottawa in January with the winners of each of the regional competitions for the Canadian Culinary Championship and I can’t wait” said Chris Johns, National Culinary Advisor for Canada’s Great Kitchen Party and the Canadian Culinary Championship.
“It means a lot to win against such an accomplished group of chefs, many of whom I’ve admired and competed alongside over the years. I’m incredibly proud to represent Victoria, and the opportunity to compete alongside Milton Rebello makes it even more special. January is going to be a completely different challenge, and I’m really looking forward to it,” said Mathany.
“After watching five incredibly talented chefs compete, I’m thrilled Corbin will join me in representing Victoria on the national stage,” said Milton Rebello. “Winning this competition takes tremendous skill, creativity and composure. I’m looking forward to combining our strengths and taking on some of Canada’s best culinary talent in January.”
The national championship brings together 20 All-Star chefs representing 10 Canadian cities across three competitions: the Mystery Wine Pairing Competition on Friday, January 29, followed by the Black Box Competition and Grand Finale on Saturday, where the 2027 Canadian Culinary Champions will be crowned. The Grand Finale will also feature an East vs. West showdown, with Team East — Ottawa, St. John’s, Montreal, Toronto, and Winnipeg — facing off against Team West — Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, and Saskatoon.
The Grand Finale will also feature live entertainment from the Steven Page Trio, led by Steven Page, former lead singer of Barenaked Ladies, with Craig Northey of Odds and Kevin Fox.
“This 20th anniversary is a celebration of the extraordinary chefs, Canadian producers, musicians, partners and guests who have built Canada’s Great Kitchen Party over two decades. Bringing 20 All-Star chefs to Ottawa for the Championship will make this a very special year, and we’re excited to welcome people from across the country to be part of it,” said Lisa Pasin, Senior Vice President, Canada’s Great Kitchen Party.
Canada’s Great Kitchen Party has contributed $19.9 million to charitable causes across Canada. National beneficiaries include MusiCounts and Spirit North, while this year’s Canadian Culinary Championship also
supports local Ottawa organizations addressing food insecurity and improving access to nutritious food for children and youth.
The Mystery Wine Pairing Competition will support R.I.S.E. Academy’s Kitchen Brigades, marking the organization’s first Canadian Culinary Championship fundraising partnership. The Black Box Competition will feature a fundraising component for the first time, with onsite raffle proceeds supporting the Ottawa Network for Education School Breakfast Program. At the Grand Finale, onsite raffle proceeds will support Nutrition Blocs, returning for its second year as a Canadian Culinary Championship beneficiary.
Tickets, tables and corporate hospitality opportunities are available for the Canadian Culinary Championship, January 29–30, 2027, at Rogers Centre Ottawa.
Tickets: https://trellis.org/ccc-2027
Corporate partnership and hospitality opportunities:
https://greatkitchenparty.com/docs/2026/ccc2027.pdf
Complete event information: https://greatkitchenparty.com/ca/culinary-championship/
For information about the Canadian Culinary Championship or corporate partnership opportunities: Lisa Pasin, Senior Vice President, Canada’s Great Kitchen Party
780-903-1212 | pasin@nullgreatkitchenparty.com
ABOUT CANADA’S GREAT KITCHEN PARTY AND THE CANADIAN CULINARY CHAMPIONSHIP Canada’s Great Kitchen Party celebrates and elevates Canadian excellence through food, wine, music and community impact. Culinary competitions are staged in 10 cities across Canada, bringing together leading chefs, Canadian wineries, breweries and distilleries, musicians, business leaders and guests while supporting charitable initiatives focused on healthy food, music education and sport.
In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the 2026 regional events feature All-Star Invitational competitions, bringing past regional and national podium finishers back to the competition. Each regional winner joins a
pre-selected Chef of Distinction to form a two-chef city team at the Canadian Culinary Championship in Ottawa January 29–30, 2027.
MNP is the Presenting Partner of Canada’s Great Kitchen Party. For more information, visit greatkitchenparty.com.
