Canada's best chefs compete at 2024 Canadian Culinary Championship in Ottawa

The Canadian Culinary Championship has returned to the Shaw Centre, seeing 10 of the country’s best chefs facing off in a battle for glory.

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Among the finalists is Chef Raghav Chaudhary from Aiana Restaurant in Ottawa, who is competing for the very first time in the event.

He has big shoes to fill – last year’s winner was Briana Kim, also from Ottawa.

"It's a really good celebration of Canadian culinary excellence and just to be a part of it is a win already," Chaudhary said between stirring a mustard and mayonnaise emulsion Friday morning.

"We just hope to make Ottawa proud - that's pretty much it."

He and the other chefs had been up since 6 a.m. for the first round – creating dishes to pair with a mystery wine they were given Thursday night. After some research, Chaudhary and his sous chefs decided to focus on a vegetarian offering primarily made from beets.

Each team had to make enough of their dish to present to an audience of 250 people on Friday night. It required the helping hands of 50 Algonquin College culinary students, with many signing on for the opportunity to work alongside some of the country’s top chefs.

"I will know the experience of the tension, the pressure – this is what the industry is like," said culinary student Yessy Christiyani.

"We're used to working in restaurants and seeing that sort of style, but this is a whole different level," said Reagan Mellan.

For student Christan Legault, it was his second time competing in the championship.

"It gives me a different perspective of different cooking across the country," he said. "We try and do whatever we can to help out and learn as much as we can while we do it."

Championship officials have been pushing the mentorship component of the event since its inception. Co-founder Lisa Pasin said it is to help bolster the future of Canadian fine-dining.

"When you go to Europe, you would know about the chef in that Michelin-rated restaurant, but here in Canada, we wouldn’t know the chef’s name," she said. "Our purpose is to recognize the people behind the restaurants and celebrate Canadian excellence."

Round two of the Canadian Culinary Championship will take place Saturday morning at Collège La Cité, before the grand finale back at the Shaw Centre in the evening.