Who We Are
Canada’s Great Kitchen Party family is made up of passionate Canadians across this country who believe in a better Canada. We are chefs, wineries, breweries, musicians, athletes, business leaders, corporations and hundreds of volunteers all sharing a vision of a thriving Canadian culture that is inclusive, respectful and celebratory.
Judy Giannou – Trip buyer, St. John’s
As a Newfoundlander, I know kitchen parties better than anyone, and am thrilled that Canada’s Great Kitchen Party is coming to St. John’s this fall. Our community loves supporting Canada’s best athletes, musicians and culinary leaders, and we are proud to be part of this amazing movement that celebrates excellence and impacts youth in each of these areas. Congratulations to the creators, and bring on the fun!
Bruce Courtnall – Chair, CGKP Victoria
As Chair of the British Columbia leg of the Canadian Culinary Championships for the past six years I am delighted to see this great legacy carried on with Canada’s Great Kitchen Party! I love the new pillars and beneficiaries around music, sport and culinary and know this will make it an even more powerful experience for all our guests. Can’t wait for our fall event!
Alan Doyle – Musician and author
I am as excited for Canada’s Great Kitchen Party. As a Newfoundlander Kitchen Party has always meant fun with friends and there’ll be a lot of that this fall when the culinary and musical events roll across the country. As ever, all the good times are for great causes supporting charities in sports, music, and food. Can’t wait to get it all going. See you there.
Curt Harnett – Olympic medalist, Cycling
It has been an extraordinary twelve years raising funds for Canada’s athletes through this amazing culinary competition and the associated auction adventures, and I look forward to working with Canada’s Great Kitchen Party to continue to support Canada’s inspiring athletes. I invite everyone to attend the Great Kitchen Party in your community, sure to be one of the premiere social events you will attend, where you will mingle with the best of the best in the sport, music and culinary scenes!
Governance Board
In addition to an annual audit, a governance board has been established to guide the social enterprise and provide and ensure accountability to its partners, stakeholders, supporters and beneficiaries.
National Advisory Committee
A group of individuals who offer input and advice on all of the elements of Canada’s Great Kitchen Party.
Cities & Dates
2018 Dates
The Pillars of Canada's Great Kitchen Party
James Chatto Culinary
Canada’s Great Kitchen Party is a national culinary competition staged in eleven cities in which 5-10 chefs annually are invited to compete in each city. A team of food and wine critics from each city work with national critics to determine the top three winning creations and then a gold, silver and bronze medal-winning chef is crowned.
To be invited to compete at a regional level is a notch in the belt. To win the gold is a major achievement! The gold medal winning chef then has the opportunity to go on to compete at the the National Finals, the Canadian Culinary Championships – this year to be staged on February 1st and 2nd, 2019 in Kelowna, British Columbia. Only one chef wins and to be crowned the top chef in Canada is a career changer!
James Chatto, national head judge and culinary advisor, oversees the selection and judging process of the more than 100 competing chefs, each vying for that coveted trophy. This year’s winner – Chef Alex Chen, from Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar in Vancouver, paired his final winning dish with Sea Star 2016 Ortega from Pender Island, BC and is the National Winner for 2018. (to find out who is competing this year in any of the cities, go to that city’s page).
We know that some of you are really passionate foodies. Know that there will be opportunities to meet and mingle with some of Canada’s celebrity chefs and food difference makers, maybe even have one of them at your table during the sit down portion!
More on Culinary Canadian Culinary Championships Culinary Beneficiary
David Lawrason Wine/Spirits
The celebration of Canadian wine, beer and spirits is an integral part of the success of Canada’s Great Kitchen Party. The wine, beer and spirits that are presented to the more than 5000 guests gets more comprehensive and more fascinating each year. Under the expert guidance of David Lawrason, Canada’s Great Kitchen Party is now the largest program in Canada to feature and highlight excellent Canadian wines.
We know that some of you are really passionate about the incredible art of making exquisite wine and spirits. Know that there will be opportunities to meet and mingle with some of Canada’s greatest winemakers and spiritmakers, maybe even have one of them at your table during the sit down portion!
Stephen Beaumont The Canada’s Great Kitchen Party New Brewery Showcase!
In 1998, Canada boasted fewer than 150 breweries from sea to shining sea. Today, a mere two decades later, we have in excess of 800!
To celebrate this explosion of brewing creativity, we are thrilled to present the New Brewery Showcase! In each city, three breweries which have been open for less than three years will present up to three of their best beers, be they stouts or pilsners, IPAs or brown ales, ‘sours’ or wheat beers.
Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue Sport
The competition is a stand-up format and it is at this time that guests get to meet some Canadian elite athletes from amateur, para and pro sport. During the second portion of the evening, you have the opportunity to host an athlete at your table and hear some amazing stories. Check out which athletes are coming to your city by linking to that city event.
We know that some of you are really passionate about sport and the pride we feel when our athletes perform on the international stage. Know that there will be opportunities to meet and mingle with some of Canada’s elite amateur athletes and para-athletes and some of Canada’s amazing professional athletes, maybe even have one of them at your table during the sit down portion!
Jim Cuddy Music
Jim Cuddy, lead singer of Blue Rodeo is the national entertainment advisor. He invites incredible Canadian talent to share the stage with him.
Canada’s Great Kitchen Party is known for its intimate and unique combinations of Canadian talent. It’s a rare treat to hear Jim Cuddy and Ed Robertson banter and then sing together on stage or to hear the amazing voices of Barney Bentall, Tom Cochrane and Geoffrey Kelly together. Fall events and spring trips…will include Jim Cuddy, Barney Bentall, Ed Robertson, Alan Doyle, Sam Roberts, Tom Cochrane, Anne Lindsay, Melissa McClelland, Luke Doucet, Dustin Bentall, Kendel Carson, John Mann, Geoffrey Kelly, Neil Osborne, Colin Cripps, Danny Michel, Johnny Reid, Miku Graham, Michael Shand, Bill Henderson, actors: Alison Kelly and Jill Daum and many more, especially now that MusiCounts is one of the beneficiaries.
Auction Trips
Canada’s Great Kitchen Party incorporates some very unique travel experiences that are auctioned at the events in order to fulfill our purpose: Provide young Canadians the opportunity to be extraordinary through sport, music and food.
Guests have the opportunity to travel to desirable national and international destinations and interact with Canadian elite athletes from amateur, para and pro sport or with other inspiring Canadians. As well, there are opportunities to enjoy amazing Canadian music and meet like-minded people who are also keen to celebrate and contribute to Canadian culture.
Each year, over 600 Canadians from across the country embark on travel experiences like they have never experienced before. We have a reputation of creating week-long adventures that combine great food, wine, entertainment and activity …whether it be cycling in Tuscany, wine tours in Portugal, visiting the filming locations of “The Hobbits” in New Zealand or participating in a unique adventure in Newfoundland. These are once in a life time experiences with Canadian athletes and Canadian icons in the music industry. In 2019 the choices are Big White and the National Finals, – wondrous snow, the best chefs in the country, a hockey game on an outdoor rink, skiing with Jenn Heil and rockin out with Bill Henderson from Chilliwack, Tuscany (11th and final year!) – food, wine tours, cycling and hiking with Curt Harnett and Marnie McBean and music from Jim, Ed, Barney, Annie, Devin and Sam, Mallorca – hiking, cycling, wine, amazing food, stories from Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir plus Jim Cuddy and guests Morocco – trip of a lifetime – fascinating geography and culture, mountain biking, hiking and time with Alex Harvey and Alan Doyle, Newfoundland – Through the eyes of Alan Doyle – what more needs to said! Vietnam – exotic sights, sounds and food with fascinating storytelling from Simon Whitfield and music from Jim, Tom and others, Napa access to wineries and culinary experiences like never before and hear epic hockey stories with the Courtnall brothers, Caribbean – A launch of Johnny Reid’s album and fun in the sun! and Canada – 1001 km – cycling the back route between beautiful Lake Louise and stunning Whistler with Barney Bentall and athletes from the National Cycling Team.
Guest ratings on these trips are a consistent 9 or 10/10. Trip Destinations for 2019 – Which one will you choose for 2019?
VIEW A DESCRIPTION OF A 2019 TRIP?….click on the destinations above