I’m delighted to report the list of competing chefs for the Ottawa-Gatineau 2015 Gold Medal Plates, to be held on November 9th at the Shaw Centre.
From MeNa, Chef James Bratsberg
From L’Orée du Bois, Chef Jean-Claude Chartrand
From Ace Mercado, Chef Trisha Donaldson
From El Camino, Chef Jordan Holley
From Restaurant E18hteen, Chef Jonathan Korecki
From Atelier, Chef Marc Lepine
From the National Arts Centre‘s Le Café, Chef John Morris
From Play Food & Wine, Chef Tim Stock
From Fauna, Chef Jon Szavas
From Coconut Lagoon, Chef Joe Thottungal
Three of the ten chefs have been GMP competitors in the past: this will be a third year for Jonathan Korecki (who has podiumed twice – a silver and bronze…) and a second year for John Morris (who took the bronze in 2014).
Marc Lepine, you will recall, won gold in the 2011 GMP, and then went on to win it all at the national competition in Kelowna, becoming the 2012 Canadian Culinary Champion by a stunning margin. Having sat out, as he must, for at least three years, he’s coming back for another kick at the can.
The balance are all first-timers. Some are from restaurants still in their infancy – Fauna, MeNa, Ace, even the slightly older El Camino – but ones that have elevated the Capital restaurant scene, and are headed by chefs who have earned their chops. And some are from well established places – Atelier, Coconut Lagoon, Play Food & Wine and the 35 year old L’Orée du Bois, the most senior restaurant ever to compete at our GMP!
I think it’s a terrific lineup, and I wish each chef all the very best in this year’s cook off. All for a cause, of course. The Gold Medal Plates, through its series of cross-Canada culinary competitions, raises money for Canadian Olympic athletes.
My thanks to Sheila Whyte, Chef Jud Simpson, Pam Collacott, Margaret Dickenson, Chef Patrick Garland (GMP winner, 2014) and GMP culinary advisor James Chatto, my fantastic fellow judges.
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