Forget stars! The world’s best chefs are being measured in knives now. The Best Chef Awards dropped its 2025 list in Milan on Thursday, honouring nearly 800 chefs across 69 countries with one, two, or three blades depending on their culinary clout — and six Toronto chefs made the cut. Copenhagen’s Rasmus Munk (Alchemist) retains the crown as The Best Chef in the world, with Ana Roš (Hiša Franko, Slovenia) and Himanshu Saini (Trèsind Studio, UAE) rounding out the top three. In total, 783 chefs across 69+ countries received knives!
One knife means “Excellent” — chefs who’ve made a real mark on the scene (421 earned at least 20 per cent of the points). Two knives means “World-Class” — the pros at the top of their game (236 hit 40 per cent or more). Three knives? That’s “The Best” — the 126 chefs who scored 80 per cent and higher, the sharpest of the sharp.
Toronto fared well on the world stage, with six chefs making the list (one two-knife chef and five one-knife chefs), as well as one two-knife chef from a popular restaurant in nearby Lincoln, ON.
Here’s how they rank:
Masaki Saito (Sushi Masaki Saito): Two Knives
Saito is Toronto’s only two-knife recipient to make this year’s list! The nod comes just weeks after Sushi Masaki Saito, long regarded as one of the city’s most exclusive dining experiences, was downgraded from two Michelin Stars to one (just one of a few notable snubs of the night).
Daniel Hadida & Eric Robertson (Pearl Morissette, Lincoln, ON): Two Knives
Restaurant Pearl Morissette (3953 Jordan Rd., Lincoln) was the highlight of the 2025 Michelin Guide ceremony: It was promoted to two stars, making it the region’s only double-starred Michelin destination! The 42-acre culinary oasis is just an hour’s drive southwest of Toronto in the picturesque Niagara region. Chefs Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson specialize in overwintering and cellaring techniques, making the most of locally and nationally sourced ingredients, from rice grown in Canada’s only rice paddies to seafood from both the east and west coasts.
Julie Hyde (20 Victoria): One Knife
The Michelin-recognized, 20-seat restaurant in the financial district is known for its seasonal tasting menus, featuring dishes like Iberico pork chops with bagna verde sauce, scallop-and-endive and rhubarb-strawberry jam with white chocolate pâte à choux. Even with the recognition, Hyde will depart 20 Victoria at the end of the year to pursue a new chapter (so, we’re sure there’ll be more awards for Hyde in the near future).
Ryusuke Nakagawa (Aburi Hana): One Knife
The chef behind Toronto’s modern kyō-kaiseki experience was recognized with one knife. This posh Japanese restaurant is tucked away in a pedestrian laneway off Yorkville Ave, and offers a lavish style of dining that draws on the traditions of Japanese tea ceremonies. In a recent Instagram post, Nakagawa stated that his chapter at Aburi Hana has ended (similar to chef Hyde, we’re sure there’ll be more awards for chef Nakagawa in the near future!).
Patrick Kriss (Alo): One Knife
The chef/owner of Alo joins the 2025 Best Chef cohort at the one-knife tier. Michelin also gave Alo one star in the 2025 Toronto guide, noting its lively bar, where walk-ins are treated like VIPs (check out the marble-topped chef’s counter for a ringside view of the kitchen!). Alo is perched on the third floor of a heritage building on Spadina, serving the most delicious contemporary French-leaning cooking with warm service. Beyond Alo, Kriss leads the Alo Food Group (including Alobar Yorkville and Alder), and is a multiple-time Canada’s 100 Best “Outstanding Chef of the Year” honouree (2017, 2019 and 2020).
Moeen Abuzaid (Arbequina): One Knife
Chef Abuzaid heads up this new-wave, Arabic-leaning kitchen, with menu highlights like potato-spiced falafel and Mushroom Mutabbaq. He discovered his passion for the culinary arts and fresh ingredients at a very young age, and began cooking professionally at eighteen in Jordan’s top hotels. Today, Chef Abuzaid is considered a pioneer of elevated Arabic cuisine!
Steven Molnar (Quetzal): One Knife
Chef Molnar is the executive chef of this one-Michelin-star restaurant (the first Mexican restaurant in the city to achieve such an honour). One of the biggest things at Quetzal is that they only cook with fire (there are no traditional stoves or ovens). In terms of what Molnar will prepare, he always starts with a singular ingredient (something that’s in season) and then will “just start cooking it over the fire” to see how it accentuates the ingredient. You can read more about his culinary process here.
There were nearly 1,000 voters (a mix of chefs and industry pros) and 69+ countries represented in this year’s awards. Click here for the complete list of winners and honourees.
