Vancouver-born chef Keith Pears will lead the Team Canada culinary team while Wild Blue’s Chef Alex Chen is a jury member.
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“I am proud to represent my country and my colleagues from the food service industry on the world stage,” Pears says of the global chef championship that takes place Jan. 26-27 in Lyon, France. “Being no stranger to competitions, taking part and representing Canada is an incredible honour and the biggest challenge of my career.”
Billed as the culinary world’s equivalent to the Olympics, this year’s competition will see 24 of the world’s top chefs to compete for the top award. According to Pears, competitions like the Bocuse d’Or can be career-defining.
“They push you to grow, provide invaluable exposure, and showcase your skills to the world,” says Pears. “For me, it’s also about inspiring the next generation of Canadian chefs and putting our best producers forward.”
Born into a family of chefs, Pears recalls growing up in Vancouver immersed in all things food.
“I got my first real taste of the culinary world while working in my grandparents’ café in Vancouver. It’s really where the love of my craft all started,” says Pears.
While Pears has since moved away from the province, relocating to Toronto in 2017 where he now owns two eateries, Pears Restaurant and Glass Kitchen, both in Markham, he says his connection to B.C. will always inform his culinary style.
“Growing up in Vancouver, I was inspired by the bounty of ingredients from British Columbia — the fresh seafood, foraged mushrooms, and incredible local produce,” Pears says. “Every dish I create is rooted in Canada’s diverse culinary heritage.”
The talented chef has already found success in a semifinals round, competing against nine candidates in New Orleans this past summer in the Bocuse d’Or Americas 2024. Pears and Team Canada placed second at the competition.
“After our silver medal performance at the continental semifinals in New Orleans, we’re motivated to make history and bring Canada closer to the podium in Lyon,” says Pears. “My team and I have been training full time for months alongside some of the country’s top chefs to tweak our dishes and get ready to take on the world. For these next few days in Lyon, we’re doing 5 1/2 hour practice almost daily under conditions designed to replicate the live competition. We’re timing every second as we’re working to meticulously perfect the complex details of every dish.
“We’re ready to make Canada proud and put our industry on the culinary map.”
Along with the intense preparation and recipe perfecting, Pears says the team will work hard to highlight Canadian ingredients in the final competition.
“Our strategy is to showcase Canadian ingredients in innovative ways while meeting the competition’s rigorous standards,” says Pears. “Every detail counts — from the timing of our execution to the bold, memorable flavours we create.”
Noting he’s thankful for the support of his teammates and Chefs Canada, Pears also pointed to his sponsor Southbrook Organic Vineyards as a way for Canadians to get involved and support the Canadian culinary team’s competition.
“With the purchase of every set, they’re donating $100 and that helps us to put our best foot forward in France,” says Pears.