The Junior Culinary Team Canada, comprised of highly skilled young chefs from across the nation, earned international acclaim by securing a gold medal in Edible Buffet and a silver medal in Restaurant of Nations at the Culinary World Cup during the Luxembourg ExpoGast 2022, held from November 26th to 30th 2022, with participants from around the globe.
This success granted them qualification for the 2024 World Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart, Germany scheduled for February 2024. The team, is headed by Filipino Canadian team captain Chloe Sy from Richmond, team members includes Ottis Crabbe from Victoria/Ucluelet, Zoe Cheung from Vancouver, Bernadette Ballman from Saskatchewan, Ben Sword from Edmonton, Sebastian Edwards from Victoria, Edouard Receveaux from Vancouver, and the youngest member at 18 years old, Maisie Matthews also from Vancouver. The team is led and mentored by head coach/ team manager chef John-Carlo Felicella with the legendary Chef Bruno Marti, a multi awarded chef and godfather of cooking for all of Canada and with support of Filipino Canadian Helen Orimaco-Pumatong, an instructor of Culinary Arts at VCC.
Junior Culinary Team Canada will compete in two categories: Edible Buffet and Restaurant of Nations.
With high expectations for success, the team is determined to excel at the 2024 World Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart, Germany. After their Culinary World Cup success, they remain dedicated to elevating Canadian cuisine to new heights. This commitment is shared by all team members, managers, coaches, and support staff.
Chloe Sy, who completed Culinary Arts at Pacific Institute in 2021, serves as the team captain for Team Canada at the World Culinary Olympics. She will also compete individually in the World Chef Competition in Singapore in October 2024. Describing the anticipation for the Junior Culinary Olympics, she acknowledges the excitement mixed with the pressure of competing against the world’s best.
The accomplishments of Junior Culinary Team Canada, both as a team and individually, serve as a testament to their hard work, dedication, and culinary expertise. As Canada’s culinary ambassadors, they continue to elevate Canadian cuisine on a global stage.
By Maribel “Bella” Balisi-Bevilacqua and Christian Cunanan