Ottawa chef Yannick La Salle, Executive Chef for the Supreme Court of Canada, has won the regional qualifier for the 2027 Canadian Culinary Championship. La Salle took the top spot at the 20th Anniversary Kitchen Party Ottawa All-Star Invitational, held Monday, September 21, at Raphael Peruvian Cuisine in Ottawa.
From Les Fougeres to the Supreme Court kitchen
La Salle's path to cooking for the country's top court wasn't a straight line through the public service. He built his name at Les Fougeres, one of the region's most celebrated restaurants, before leaving in 2022 to become chef for the Supreme Court of Canada.
The winning dish
La Salle's plate at the qualifier was veal sweetbreads with celeriac, apples and horseradish, a combination that leans into classic French technique while keeping the flavours sharp and seasonal. It was enough to beat out a strong local field for the win.
Who else made the podium
La Salle wasn't the only local talent in the room. Ian Carswell, chef-owner of Black Tartan Kitchen in Carleton Place, finished second, while Jason Sawision, chef-owner of Stofa on Wellington Street, took third. Both are well-known names in the Ottawa-area dining scene, and their podium finishes are a reminder of how deep the region's culinary talent runs outside the downtown core as much as within it.
Ottawa heads to nationals with a past champion in tow
Thanks to the win, La Salle now moves on to the 2027 Canadian Culinary Championship, where he'll represent Ottawa alongside Marc Lepine, who was crowned national champion in both 2012 and 2016. Having a two-time national champion and a reigning regional qualifier both flying Ottawa's flag gives the city a genuinely strong hand heading into the national round.
Nationals are coming to Ottawa
The 2027 Canadian Culinary Championship itself will be held in Ottawa on January 29 and 30, which means the city won't just be sending competitors, it'll be hosting the whole event. For Ottawa's food scene, that's a rare chance to watch some of the country's top chefs compete on home turf, with two local cooks among those trying to bring the title back to the city that's hosting it.
For now, La Salle's regional win adds another line to an already impressive résumé, one that now includes cooking for Canada's highest court and holding both a 2019 national title and a fresh 2027 qualifier win. Ottawa food fans will have a direct rooting interest when the championship kicks off downtown at the end of January.
Sources: Yahoo News Canada (syndicated Ottawa Citizen), KOW Connected
