Alex Haun 

CF Branch: New Brunswick 

Alex Haun is a proud New Brunswicker whose culinary journey began in the kitchen of the Garden Café at Kingsbrae Garden in St. Andrews. What started as a part-time job quickly evolved into a passion for the culinary arts, leading him to the Culinary Institute of Canada (CIC) in Prince Edward Island, where he completed both the Culinary Arts and Pastry Arts programs.

Alex went on to build a well-rounded career that included roles at the Dundee Arms, Relais & Chateaux Arms, and Murphy Group of Restaurants. During this time, he also became an accomplished competitor, representing Canada as a member of Junior. Culinary Team Canada and earning medals at events like the Nations Cup and the Culinary Olympics in Germany.

Returning to St. Andrews, Alex opened Savour, a restaurant focused on creative tasting menus that celebrated New Brunswick’s ingredients. In 2013, he rejoined Kingsbrae Garden as Executive Chef, launching Savour in the Garden, an acclaimed fine dining experience. His work consistently highlighted local produce, foraged ingredients, and seasonal inspiration.

Now based in Moncton, Alex is a Culinary Instructor at New Brunswick Community College (NBCC). He brings deep industry experience and a passion for mentorship into the classroom, helping empower the next generation of chefs while continuing to advocate for sustainability, creativity, and excellence in New Brunswick’s culinary scene.

 

Sydney Hamelin

CF Branch: Okanagan 

Originally from Saskatoon, Sydney's passion for culinary arts started in her early childhood. She has dedicated herself to culinary competitions at the global level. From winning top chef Saskatchewan in 2019, and competing on the Junior Culinary Team for the 2020 Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart, Germany. A past member of the (Canadian) National Team that competed in the 2024 Culinary Olympics. In 2022 she moved to Vancouver, BC to experience a richer restaurant scene. Now residing in West Kelowna, she competed in the international Juene Chef de Rotisseurs competition held in Budapest Hungary 2024- bringing back a second place title.

 

Makenna Rai

CF Branch: Saskatoon

I started cooking at a young age with my baba. I became enthralled in it. i took all the classes in high school went to culinary school and competed in 2 national conferences and I still love it.

 

Mathieu Séguin

CF Branch: Ottawa 

He was born in Ottawa and raised in Farrellton, Québec. His culinary journey began under the tutelage of Chef Wolfgang Dirnberger at Café Alpengruss in Wakefield, Québec, in 1996. His initial exposure to the kitchen was not romantic or "love at first sight." As an adolescent, he was lazy and lacked structure, respect, and discipline in life. Chef Dirnberger, an imposing figure, ruled his kitchen with an iron fist and taught him the fundamentals of kitchen etiquette. These lessons only made sense to him years later.

His most formative years as an apprentice were spent in the kitchen of Café Henry Burger under Chef Robert Bourassa. It was there that he learned many of the fundamental skills of traditional European restaurants, their service, and the classical brigade system. His respect and appreciation for the profession grew, developing into a deep and profound love of the craft.

His curiosity and desire to learn brought him to some of Ottawa’s best restaurants of that era, such as Restaurant 18 under Chef Chris Deraiche, Signatures under Chef Yannick Anton, and working as a baker at Art-Is-In Bakery under Chef Kevin Mathieson. Eventually, he relocated to British Columbia, where he received his Red Seal certification and refined his skills working under well-known chefs such as Takashi Ito, John Bishop, Hamid Salimian, and Marc-André Choquette.

This profession has blessed him with the opportunity to work and travel to many different culinary destinations, including Mexico, NYC, San Francisco, Seattle, Honolulu, Cuba, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. In 2015, he decided to return home to Ottawa, where his family resides. His return eventually allowed him to secure a position as a Chef at the Rogers Centre Ottawa (formerly Shaw Centre), where he continues to grow under Chef Patrick Turcot.

The culinary profession has blessed him with meeting people from all walks of life and has permitted him to adopt a sense of belonging within society. The most beautiful thing about this profession is that the student will always remain a student if he or she is willing to learn. He wishes to remain a student until his last breath!

Andrew Smith

CF Branch: Prince Edward Island

Andrew is a dedicated culinary professional with a profound passion for the food industry and a strong commitment to helping others. Born and raised in Prince Edward Island, Andrew has had the unique opportunity to travel and cook across Canada, enriching his culinary expertise and broadening his horizons.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of Canada in 2004, Andrew has been showcasing his distinctive style and flair ever since. Some career highlights include serving as a guest Chef with Holland America Cruise Line, where he demonstrated his talents to guests from around the world. This role allowed him to cook in diverse locations such as the Caribbean, New England States, Eastern Canada, and Alaska.

Andrew has a love for sports when he's not in the kitchen. You can find him on a Baseball field, golf course or Badminton court.

 

 

Stephanie Stolk

CF Branch: Edmonton

Stephanie grew up in restaurant kitchens learning her love of cooking from her father. In 2015 she attended the Culinary Arts Diploma Program at NAIT and graduated with honours in 2016 at the top of her class. While attending NAIT she was the President of Club Culinaire, the only student member of BBQ Team NAIT, and the Young Chef’s Representative on the EdmontonCHEFS Board of Directors. She received her Culinary Red Seal in 2019 and is currently working on her Certified Chef de Cuisine. She is currently the Chef and Co-Owner of All Occasions Catering in Edmonton. In her spare time Stephanie enjoys acting and screenwriting.

 

 

Derris Warren

CF Branch: Regina

Derris is the Executive Sous Chef at the Conexus Arts Centre, bringing 17 years of culinary experience across hotels, restaurants, and now catering. Starting in kitchens at just 14, he developed a deep passion for food early on.

Rooted in Saskatchewan, his philosophy is simple: let the land lead. By showcasing the province’s rich local ingredients—grains, produce, and proteins—he creates dishes that celebrate seasonality and place.

Drawing on years of diverse kitchen experience, Derris now brings a thoughtful, ingredient-driven approach to catering—creating memorable, prairie-inspired dishes that reflect the heart of Saskatchewan.

 

Dallas Blackplume 

CF Branch: Lethbridge 

Former art student and current culinary apprentice in his last year. Has only been in the industry 3 years and currently in his first year of competing.

Sandra Bryksa

CF Branch: Regina

My culinary journey began two years ago when I was accepted to attend SaskPolytechnic Regina Campus' Culinary Arts program. My entire past career had been in finance, and cooking was my relaxation hobby to simply unwind and enjoy the process of creating and entertaining. At this point, my love of cooking has quickly turned into a passion that now allows me the ability to create and plate beautiful food. I want people to have an experience when they are enjoying and eating my dishes. I am so happy and extremely grateful to be doing what I truly love!

 

Alistair Campsall

CF Branch: Okanagan

Sophie Dimitriw

CF Branch: Toronto

I have been at McMaster as an apprentice for 2.5 years, and this is the only place I have been working in the hospitality field. I love food,  experimenting with food, hiking, and art.
My goal is to be schooled in both the savory and the pastry fields.

 

Tallan Freh

CF Branch: Okanagan

My culinary journey has majorly been influenced by the passionate chefs and team members supporting myself in the Okanagan through my upbringing. I studied at Okanagan College and trained for three months in Norway and Germany. 

I've attained an honored relationship with products recently to represent the food in a bold, focused, and mindful way of cookery. I'm excited to share the kitchen learning from the competitors and judges while showcasing the menu I've thoughtfully curated with influence from my mentors and recent travels.

 

Dahiana J.  López 

CF Branch: Moncton

Edwin Reimer

CF Branch: Manitoba 

I’ve been in culinary level 1 school for 4 months now and I try to cook lots at home, I enjoy watching sports such as hockey and football. I love to cook and go out with friends.

Melanie Wood

CF Branch: Prince Edward Island

Melanie Wood is a late-in-life young chef, who developed her love of cooking through years of travel and growing food. She was raised on an Arctic Char farm in Prince Edward Island, but spent much of her adult life in Toronto, where she and her long-time partner turned an asphalt back yard into thriving vegetable garden. Her rural and urban experiences combined to shape her interest in creating dishes with local ingredients and international inspirations.  

She holds a certificate of Artisanal Bread Baking from George Brown College, a WSET Level 2 Award in Wines, and is about to graduate from the Culinary Arts program at Culinary Institute of Canada, where in addition to the provincial Young Chef competition, she is also the two-time winner of the Cavendish Farms Culinary Competition. 

She spent last summer working in both the savoury and pastry kitchens at Chef Michael Smith’s Inn at Bay Fortune where she further honed her passion for foraged and locally grown ingredients. She has worked as a line cook at Lone Oak Brew Pub in Charlottetown, and following this competition will be starting as a Jr Sous Chef at Lightfoot & Wolfville, a biodynamic winery in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.