Alexandre Grenier, Ascot Corner, QC :

Alison Kent, Hamilton ON: An active and enthusiastic contributor to Canada’s food scene for more years than she’d care to count, Alison is equal parts food content creator, recipe developer, cookbook author, food editor and Red Seal-certified Chef. You can find her, albeit intermittently, on Instagram.

Athéna F. Paradis, Rimouski, Québec :

Camille Brunelle, Québec, QC :

dee Hobsbawn-Smith, Langham, SK: Poet, essayist, fictionist, and Red Seal chef, dee Hobsbawn-Smith lives rurally, west of Saskatoon. She’s the award-wining author of ten books, most recently Among the Untamed, winner of Saskatchewan Book Awards’ 2024 Poetry Award. Bread & Water: essays won Saskatchewan Book Awards’ 2022 Nonfiction Award; Taste Canada’s Gold Medal for Culinary Narratives; and was Saskatchewan Library Association’s 2025 One Book One Province selection. dee served as Saskatchewan’s 10th Poet Laureate, and Saskatoon Public Library’s 35th Writer in Residence. 

Gabby Peyton, St. John’s, NL: Gabby is an award-winning author, food writer and culinary historian based in St. John’s, NL. Her work on travel, dining and culinary history has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Canadian Geographic and EnRoute Magazine. Gabby’s first book, Where We Ate:  A Field Guide to Canada's Restaurants, Past and Present, is a bestseller and chronicles the history of Canadian dining through the stories of 150 restaurants nationwide. Follow her on Instagram.

Gaetan Tessier, Boileau, QC : Chef, chocolatier et pédagogue, Gaëtan Tessier a consacré 35 ans à l’enseignement de la cuisine et à la formation de la relève. Lauréat Renaud-Cyr 2004, il a été chef invité dans plusieurs lycées en Finlande. Mentor universitaire et entraîneur d’apprentis cumulant plus de 25 médailles et trophées, il coordonne la Compétition du meilleur apprenti cuisinier du Québec. Sa plus grande fierté demeure ses anciens élèves, que l’on retrouve aujourd’hui au Québec et à l’international.

Heat, Laliberte, Vancouver, BC: Heat is an Indigenous Red Seal Certified Chef. Originally from Saskatchewan, he made his way west and has worked in Vancouver’s best hotel, restaurant and catering companies for the last 20 years. He is currently Head Chef to the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre’s Catering Program. Follow him on Instagram.

Jennifer Schell Lirag, Kelowna, BC: Jennifer is a highly acclaimed, international award-winning food and wine author, columnist, photojournalist and champion of BC’s local food, wine and farm community for almost two decades. Jennifer’s bestselling new book The BC Wine Lover’s Cookbook published by Appetite by Random House continues the celebratory theme set in her first three award-winning cookbooks: The Butcher, The Baker, The Wine & Cheese Maker. Born and raised on an apple orchard in East Kelowna Jennifer and her books were the first to spotlight the amazing community of people behind the food, drink and farming community of the Okanagan. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, her Website, and YouTube.

Joie Alvaro-Kent, Vancouver, BC: Joie is honoured to have spent two decades passionately shaping conversations around culinary identity and community. She co-authored two bestselling Appetite by Random House cookbooks: Taste Canada Awards Gold winner Where the River Narrows, and Maenam: A Fresh Approach to Thai Cooking. Joie is Vancouver’s Head Judge for the Canadian Culinary Championship, a branding and marketing strategist, and a dedicated mentor with WORTH Association, supporting women in hospitality, tourism and recreation. Her work has been featured in Canadian and international publications including NUVO, The Globe and Mail, The Georgia Straight, Vancouver magazine and MONTECRISTO. Joie is a sipper of Boulevardiers, habitual daydreamer and full-contact eater. Follow her on Instagram.

Joyce Parslow, Brighton, ON: Joyce has always had a keen interest in food and farming, writing culinary ad copy and recipes growing up on the farm, just for fun. As a Consumer Studies Foods grad from University of Guelph, her first work experience included food styling, recipe development and sensory evaluation. Those skills were the beginning to a 30-year career in content creation and marketing her own business and positions at Nestlé Canada, Foodland Ontario and Canada Beef (formerly Beef Information Centre).

Karen Hogg, Toronto, ON: Food is Karen's love language. Growing up she spent summers on family farms in southern Saskatchewan where she developed a deep appreciation of farm-to-table. Surrounded by a family of incredible home cooks inspired Karen, and today she loves sharing her creations with family and friends. She devours cookbooks, reading them cover to cover like novels, imagining and savouring the dishes — even if she doesn't always make them. Her passion for food and cookbooks led her to Taste Canada where she volunteered since 2023 at the Awards Gala and Cooks the Books events.

Leslie Merklinger, Toronto, ON: Leslie is an award-winning television veteran with over four decades in the industry. She led original programming for Food Network Canada, including Top Chef Canada, Chopped Canada, Pitchin' In with Lynn Crawford, Bake with Anna Olson, Donut Showdown, Food Factory, You Gotta Eat Here and many others. She holds a Masters in Media Education from the University of Bournemouth, UK, taught media at Toronto Metropolitan University and has been proud to serve as a judge for Taste Canada for several years.

Marie Edmond, St. Thomas, ON: A passion for all food from around the world, Marie relishes in trying new recipes and of course eating them! Marie has an academic background in food and nutrition and hands-on experience in the food industry. Currently she works at Neogen in food safety. She loves discovering new ingredients, cooking techniques, and is always excited to celebrate the skill and heart behind every recipe.

Marie-Chantal Bienvenu, Trois-Rivières, QC: Diplômée du département de nutrition de la Faculté de médecine de l’Université de Montréal, Marie-Chantal Bienvenu a travaillé 35 ans comme nutritionniste clinicienne à l’Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal. Sa passion pour la nutrition et la psychiatrie l’a amenée à co-écrire le livre ‘’Nutrition et santé mentale, Le guide essentiel’’. Paru en 2024, ce livre de référence s’est valu deux distinctions dont le ‘’Prix publication professionnelle’’ de l’Ordre des diététistes nutritionnistes du Québec (2024) et Lauréat des Gourmand Awards 2024 catégorie ‘’The best food and mental health book in the world’’. 

Marie-serge Blais, Québec, QC :

Meredith Youngson, Hamilton, ON:

Michel Giguere, Montréal, QC : Infatigable et insatiable explorateur d'événements gourmets et de spécialités locales, Michel se fait un devoir de tester régulièrement de nouvelles façons de faire en cuisine. À l'affut de curiosités et d'expériences gustatives inédites, il n'aime rien de plus que de faire partager ses trouvailles à ceux qui l'entourent.

Moira Sanders, Mount Albert, ON: Author of the award-winning Harrow Fair Cookbook and Kitchen Table Cookbook, Moira has worked in the business of food for more than 25 years, including professional kitchens from Vancouver to France. Presently Moira cooks part-time for George Weston Limited in Toronto and she works at the East Gwillimbury Public Library. Her co-workers know that she can usually be found near the cookbook collection! Find her on Instagram.

Nicole-Ann Poitras, Burnaby, BC: Nicole-Ann is a marketing, communications, and event production leader of Cree-Métis and English descent, born and raised in Burnaby, BC. She has held leadership roles with the De Dutch Restaurant franchise, The Minerva Foundation, Kuroshio Consulting, and Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland, and currently serves as Director of Marketing & Engagement at the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau. As Principal and Creative Director of Purple Chili Consulting, she advises businesses, government and non-profits. Nicole-Ann is a member and Board officer of Les Dames d’Escoffier BC and serves as Bailli of La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Vancouver. Follow her on Instagram.

Noelle Chorney, Saskatoon, SK: Noelle owns Tall Order Communications, specializing in content creation for multiple media — and her passion is food. She is the leader of Slow Food Saskatoon, Saskatoon’s head judge for the Canadian Culinary Championships and Managing Editor for The Gardener and Co-op Table Magazine.

Renée Boucher, Montréal, QC : Œuvrant dans le milieu de là restauration depuis plus de 30 ans, Renée a acquis et donné aux suivants son connaissances et sa passion pour le métier.  Directrice des services alimentaires dans résidence pour personnes autonome, chef propriétaire d’une boutique traiteur, chef exécutive et formatrice pour le programme sceaux-rouge, apprentissage en milieu de travail.

Samira Zarghami, Toronto, ON: Samira Zarghami is a Registered Dietitian (RD) and sustainability advocate with over 30 years of experience dedicated to harmonizing human and planetary health. Passionate about food in every sense, she believes every plate should be colourful, nourishing and kind to the earth. Her work blends science, technology, and heart—making healthy eating simple, intuitive and joyful. Since 2022, Samira has volunteered with Taste Canada, celebrating chefs and authors who bring food and culture into Canadian homes. Guided by her belief in nourishing people and the planet through science, soil, and soul, she inspires a future of mindful, joyful eating.

Sarah Carrier, Sherbrooke, QC :

Simon Laborde, Montréal, QC : Après des études en cuisines professionnelle mon parcours de cuisine commença au St James dans le défunt restaurant XO au sein de la brigade d’Éric Gonzalez . Puis j’ai eu la chance de côtoyer Jean Michel Bardet qui était alors chef de cuisine pour la grand chef (mytho) Giovanni Apollo . J’apprenais énormément à cette période et j’avais soif de connaissances jour après jour . Avec le temps je gravis les échelons de plusieurs restaurants et devint chef exécutif du groupe les enfants terribles puis de Tiramisu et terrasse Carla . Aujourd’hui sous chef au casino de Montréal sous la barre de Jonathan Legris je relève d’autres défis culinaires .

Simone Comtois, Sherbrooke, QC:

Sonia Lizotte, L’Épiphanie, QC : Sonia est la fondatrice de l’Escouade culinaire. Comptant près de 20 ans d’expérience dans le domaine de l’alimentation, elle dirige avec passion cette entreprise florissante ! Sonia Lizotte travaille avec plus de 30 entreprises alimentaires en développement de recettes, photos culinaires et contenus de réseaux sociaux. Elle se spécialise particulièrement dans la mise en valeur des produits tant par ses recettes uniques que par son stylisme culinaire personnalisé. Mme Lizotte a neufs livres de recettes à son actif. Elle compte aussi plus de 20 livres de recettes en stylisme culinaire et accessoires. Sonia Lizotte se réalise aussi pleinement dans son rôle de coaching d’auteur.

Stephanie Lavigne, Sherbrooke, QC : Diplômée en cuisine au Centre de formation 24 juin à Sherbrooke au début des années 2000, elle a exploré plusieurs domaines de l’alimentation dont l’enseignement au même centre qui l’a formé et le partage de sa passion au travers les ateliers de La Tablée des Chefs. Depuis, la cuisine est toujours demeurée sa principale passion et son besoin de jumelée alimentation et santé est devenue une quête.

Virginie Beauchamp, Montréal, QC : Virginie Beauchamp est une femme passionnée ! Elle a œuvré dans le milieu évènementiel et a eu sa propre entreprise de conciergerie à Montréal. Elle est chroniqueuse gastronomique et partage son carnet de bonnes adresses à Radio Canada Vancouver à l’émission Panorama et dans certains journaux locaux. Virginie a aussi collaboré avec l’équipe du magazine Montréalais Caribou et a animé plusieurs circuits gourmands. Instagram. 

Virginie Landry, Montréal, QC : Journaliste dont les sujets de prédilection sont l’alimentation, le tourisme et la culture, Virginie rédige pour plusieurs publications, dont le magazine Caribou, le journal Le Devoir ainsi que de nombreuses plateformes numériques.  

**Please note that some judges prefer to remain anonymous.