Ontario chef to represent Canada in the world’s most prestigious cooking contest

One Ontario-based chef is packing his bags and heading to France to represent Canada in the most prestigious cooking contest in the world: The Bocuse d’Or.

Though originally raised (by a family of chefs, it bears noting) and trained in Vancouver, it was in Toronto, where he worked as the executive chef at the Delta Hotel and later the W Hotel, that Keith Pears really became a force to be reckoned with on Canada’s culinary scene.

After sufficiently making his mark at Toronto’s swanky downtown hotels, Keith splintered off to launch ventures of his own; Markham’s Glass Kitchen in 2023 and Thornhill’s Pears in 2024, as well as taking on the role of Executive Chef at the Accencis group.

Keith’s style is decidedly refined — if his candidacy for what is often referred to as the Olympics of gastronomy wasn’t evidence enough — serving a brunch and dinner menu of modern comfort foods infused with Asian influences at Glass Kitchen, and elaborate, visually stunning Asian fusion cuisine at Pears.

Now, he’s taking his flavours global, setting off for Lyon, France, to compete in the Bocuse d’Or final on Jan. 27.

“It is with immense pride and joy that we celebrate Keith Pears, whose unwavering dedication and extraordinary talent have earned him the title of Best Gastronomical Chef in Canada,” a representative from Keith’s team tells me.

They also say that, during the American round of the competition, Team Canada’s dish “was honoured as the Best Dish across the Americas,” which proves “a true reflection of Keith’s exceptional leadership and passion for the culinary arts.”

“Keith’s culinary artistry continues to inspire all who are fortunate enough to experience his work,” his team tells me, and surely will do just that at Monday’s competition.

Established in 1983, the biannual cooking contest draws participants from nearly 70 countries around the world, who, over the course of a cutthroat two-year process, are gradually pared away until a select number of teams from each continental round are left to head to the finals.

Once there, each team has 5 hours and 35 minutes to prepare and present one meat dish and one fish dish, which will be judged by a jury comprised of 24 renowned and respected culinary professionals, ultimately resulting in the top three teams not only winning bragging rights, but a considerable cash prize.

Keith joins an all-star roster of past Canadian competitors, including Samual Sirois (2023, ITHQ, Montreal), Trevor Ritchie (2021, George Brown, Toronto), James Olberg (2017, Nita Lake Lodge, Whistler) and Laurent Godbout (2015, Chez L’Epicier, Montreal), to name just a few.

Keith isn’t going into this alone, though; he’s formulated a high-power team that might just have what it takes to take him to the top.

For his coach, he’s selected Dan Craig — not the James Bond actor, but rather the chef at Toronto’s Westin Harbour Castle, who has been tasked with whipping Keith into shape in advance of the big competition.

By his side is commis chef Joseph Mongillo, a 19-year-old culinary student at George Brown who hails from Markham and who, notably, was the youngest contestant and winner of Food Network’s Christmas Cookie Challenge.

The trio is joined by a team of over 20 additional chefs who’ll help to set the stage for what could quite possibly be Canada’s first bid for the podium.

While Canada has yet to receive a place on the podium in the competition’s four-decade run, helmed by Pears, this may well be the country’s greatest chance yet to achieve the culinary glory we well deserve.