Toronto chef cracks top 10 at Bocuse d'Or final
Canada’s best result at the Bocuse d’Or was back in 1999, when the country placed 4th
Toronto chef Keith Pears placed 10th at the 2025 Bocuse d'Or finale this week — Team Canada's best finish at the prestigious culinary competition since 2013.
"There is a lot to be proud of, there was a lot of competition in the finals," Pears said from Lyon, France, where he wrapped up what's been an intensive two-year-long competition with his commis, Joseph Mongillo.
"We're still moving in the right direction as a team and as a country," Pears said.
Canada last placed in the top 10 in 2013, when chef Alex Chen ranked ninth. Chen served as a Canadian judge at this year's finale, as well as Pears' initial inspiration to compete.
Canada's best result at the Bocuse d'Or was back in 1999, when the country placed fourth.
Canadian Coach Dan Craig said he's satisfied with the work of his protégés. "We worked well, we were on time and the flavours were good," he said.
Indeed, Canada can say mission accomplished, said Catherine Lefebvre, a Canadian journalist and host of the French language documentary series L'effet Bocuse d'Or.
Lefebvre said the competition was quite stiff, and she believes the Canadian menu was "extraordinary and measured up to other teams who had previously won the Bocuse d'Or."
Team France took home gold, with chef Paul Marcon winning the coveted prize 30 years after his father, Régis. Denmark earned silver, and Sweden took home bronze.
Canadian diversity on full display
The energy in the Eurexpo Lyon convention centre was electric. French, Danish and Latvian fans were in the stands cheering on their culinary athletes — but Canada also made some noise.
Pears' parents, Linda and Denis Larouche, flew from Vancouver to encourage their son. "Since the beginning he has always aimed high and now he's at the top," said Denis Larouche.
Meanwhile, Franca Mongillo, mother of Pears' 19-year-old commis, Joseph Mongillo, beamed with pride. Between some raucous cheers, she said she was overjoyed to see her son take part in such an important international competition.
Over the five-and-a-half hour competition, Pears and Mongillo worked hard to produce impressive dishes. Their dish Global Influence: A Canadian Oceanic Journey was composed of lobster, stone bass and celery. They showcased Canadian ingredients, such as ice wine and nori, while Pears also nodded to his Chinese roots, using szechuan herbs and xiaoshing wine.
Their platter titled Roots and Canopy: A Celebration of Canada's Culinary Landscapes contained venison, foie gras and tea. Pears wanted to pay tribute to Canadian faun and flora and was inspired by childhood visits to the Bloedel Conservatory in Vancouver.
The future of Canadian food
Pears said he's very satisfied with his Bocuse d'Or experience. He said he'd like to continue working alongside the next Canadian team, and he believes that Canada needs to do more to support chefs who embark on this path, just like Olympic athletes.
"The top teams who are performing really well in the finals just have more funding," he said. "It's not just about the money, but it helps with creating certain tools and allowing us to do our job at even a higher level."
Chef Sébastien Rémillard, who is in charge of research and development for Team Canada, says he's optimistic about the future and believes in the importance of "sharing in the kitchen."
"We need to share with the future teams," Rémillard said.
"You don't want to start all over every two years. Whether we're from Vancouver, Montreal or Toronto, we need to work together and follow each other even if we have our own differences."
Canada's next Bocuse d'Or candidate will be selected during a competition this spring at the Restaurants Canada Show in Toronto.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
