Vancouver chef to represent Canada in prestigious global culinary competition
A Vancouver-raised chef will represent Canada in a prestigious international cooking competition that is being dubbed the Olympics of the culinary world.
Keith Pears, former B.C. Chef of the Year, will travel to France’s Lyon in January to compete in the biannual Bocuse d’Or, a global competition for chefs established in 1987 by the late French chef Paul Bocuse.
The two-day competition will see 12 finalist countries compete for the bronze, silver and gold medals. With Canada having never placed on the podium before – it reached fourth place in 1999 – Pears said winning would “be a dream.”
“I mean, this is the biggest thing for me. This is the most prestigious culinary competition there is in the world,” he said.
Pears, who moved to Toronto eight years ago to further his career at a string of high-profile hotels, qualified for the finals last year after placing second at the Bocuse D’Or Americas, a preliminary competition held for the Americas. Other continents held their own competition, with their winners set to compete against Pears in the large-scale finale.
Held in New Orleans, the Bocuse D’Or Americas saw nine teams complete the competition’s iconic tests of ‘theme on a plate,’ – which spotlit seafood dishes – and the ‘platter theme,’ this year being a Louisiana platter comprising a wild boar rack, alligator sausage and grits.
“Progressing through each stage and going through all these uphill battles, mentally and physically, is what really prepares us for the final,” said Pears, adding how it has been “full-time training” ever since.
Alongside managing a full-time, demanding job, Pears is currently Corporate Executive Chef for Accencis Group, the chef is also spending “hours a day” researching and developing the theme for the finals, taste-testing recipes and testing his “creative ability.”
“It's kind of like training for the Olympics, even when you get your chance you're then just devoting your life towards the cause and working towards a bigger goal,” he said.
Pears says he won’t reveal too much of the gastronomic creation he has planned, but he can assure it will showcase Canada and himself as a chef, alongside keeping to the traditional Bocuse D’Or style. Elevated food, he says, that has been “made to look pretty.”
Coming from a culinary family – Pears’ parents run Mount Pleasant’s Argo Cafe – the chef says cooking has always been in his blood.
“I worked for my parents for a very long time, for the first half of my career I was following them around from restaurant to restaurant,” he says, describing how he helped his mum, chef Lynda Larouche, washing dishes at The Teahouse restaurant in Stanley Park and Seasons in the Park at Queen Elizabeth Park.
Unlike some other countries set to compete, Canada doesn’t offer government funding and the onus to pay for the flights, hotel, car rental and other trip expenses for the trip to Lyon is on the chefs themselves. The costs, say Pears, are to be in the tens of thousands.
Fundraising efforts, led primarily by mum Larouche and her flock of excited staff members, are underway.
“We are very proud of his accomplishments,” says Larouche, adding how the family has “shed tears” over Pears’ most recent achievements.
Larouche said cookie sales at Argo’s front desk and specially curated turkey dinner packages for customers have helped rack up funds in-house, while a GoFundMe page is garnering attention online.
While taking part in the competition is an unparalleled experience in itself, winning would be something else entirely, Pears said.
“Whatever happens, it's going to be worth it regardless because there's going to be so many memories made, but winning this, or to even hit the podium, would bring a lot of validation,” he said.
“To be able to show my family, and my two kids, what I can do, and that if you put yourself to work and dedicate yourself to something, you really can achieve anything.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE UPDATES Luigi Mangione arrested as 'strong person of interest' in killing of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson
New York authorities have identified Luigi Mangione as the 'strong person of interest' in connection with the killing of UnitedHealth executive Brian Thompson. Follow along for live updates from CTVNews.ca.
Liberals survive third Conservative non-confidence vote
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's latest attempt to topple the minority Liberal government in a non-confidence vote has failed, with the New Democrats and Liberals voting against the motion.
Wait times grow as backlogs and frustration build amid Canada Post strike
Wait times for deliveries continue to grow as shoppers and businesses deal with the fallout from the Canada Post strike.
Trudeau says dealing with Trump will be 'a little more challenging' than last time
Justin Trudeau says dealing with incoming president Donald Trump and his thundering on trade will be 'a little more challenging' than the last time he was in the White House.
Family spokesman says slain Edmonton security guard had only been working 3 days
A spokesman for the family of a security guard who police say was murdered while patrolling an Edmonton apartment building last week says the man had only been on the job for three days.
Montreal man retiring early after winning half of the $80 million Lotto-Max jackpot
Factor worker Jean Lamontagne, 63, will retire earlier than planned after he won $40 million on Dec. 3 in the Lotto-Max draw.
Sask. hockey player recovering after near fatal skate accident during game
The Sask East Hockey League (SEHL) has released details of a near fatal accident at one of its games over the weekend – which saw a Churchbridge Imperials player suffer serious injuries after being struck with a skate.
What the upcoming holiday GST relief will mean for consumers
The federal government's GST break will arrive this Saturday, just in time for the last stretch of holiday shopping.
Gang leader in Haiti accused of massacring older people to avenge son's death
A gang leader who controls a key port in Haiti's capital is accused of massacring older people and Vodou religious leaders in his community to avenge his son's death, according to the government and human rights organizations that estimate more than 100 killed.