Will 50 Best change Canadian dining?

This establishes the fact that you don’t have to leave Canada to be a great chef; you don’t have to go to London or Paris. I know so many amazing chefs who leave the country because they can’t get recognition of the same calibre as they can in other countries. To have a 50 Best here is huge. It means great chefs stay here, and it means busier restaurants, which makes for a way better dining experience. When a chef in a city gets something like this and shows what’s possible, other chefs want it too and they start taking more risks and pushing harder, and the overall scene in that city gets better.

_{Photo credit: Jared Herring}

I don’t think most chefs are cooking just to get on a list; every chef has their own story they want to share with their guests. But if you are just cooking to get on a list, then you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. I told my team when we got a Michelin star: the things that we’ve been doing are what got us the recognition, so we won’t change. We [offer] many different experiences at our restaurant. If a restaurant pigeonholes [itself] as just a tasting menu place, as just one thing, then how many times a year does a customer need to visit? But if you’re many things, people can come back again and again.

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[It’s] remarkable that most of the Canadian restaurants on the list are independently owned and operated. The list creates an extensive network enabling chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers and pastry chefs to collaborate, exchange ideas and continue showcasing Canadian gastronomy throughout the year, and even outside their own restaurants. It also provides an opportunity to highlight Canada's exceptional ingredients and products, from coast to coast.

_{Photo credit: Rachel Cheng}

Canada has long punched above its weight in food culture, and this list is proof! For our restaurants, the 50 Best recognition means joining a global conversation that shapes where the world's most passionate diners choose to travel and eat. For customers, it's simple: these are the experiences worth saving up for, planning around and hopefully never forgetting.

_{Photo credit: Alison Slattery}

The 50 Best list is a great motivator for chefs; maybe they will innovate more or use higher quality ingredients. But I think it motivates customers too. We've seen how it stimulates them when they come in, making them more interested in the ingredients we are using. Suddenly, they want to know about the philosophy behind the dishes. It brings out their curiosity and they visit new restaurants they might not have tried in the past. I think it can have a positive effect on Canada’s restaurant scene.

_{Photo credit: Johnny Tang}