In June of 2010 Scott was able to fulfil his dream of owning a restaurant by taking over the culinarily historical space on 96 Tecumseth Street with his wife Rachelle. Their passion of supporting local artisans is the number one philosophy at Beast Restaurant. With a weekly changing menu, Scott allows seasonal produce and top quality Ontario ingredients to become the focal point of the gastronomic experience that is offered.
Bertrand
Alépée was born in Paris with a wooden spoon in his
hands. He enrolled in the Institut Vatel at the young age of 15 and studied
under French culinary greats Guy Savoy and Bruno Gendarmes. Bertrand cooked
through the ranks, earning himself a position with Regis Bulot, the President
of Relais et Chateaux. While working in these prestigious kitchens, Bertrand
found a love for the delicate art of pastry. He moved to Northern Ontario
at the age of 20, and has since worked at Centro Grill and Wine Bar, The
Fifth, and Amuse-Bouche, which he co-founded with Jason Inniss. He now runs his own catering company, The Tempered Chef.
Chris
Brown worked at some of some of Toronto’s top restaurants
including Splendido and Avalon before spending four years in Europe working
at restaurants in Italy and France, where he learned the art of simplicity
in cooking. Prior to joining The Stop, Chris was Executive Chef at acclaimed
Distillery destination Perigee.
Mark Cutrara has been a critical figure in the transformation of Toronto's food landscape. His restaurant Cowbell has been a foundational link in a growing web of connections among chefs, farmers, butchers, and enthusiastic eaters across Southern Ontario. Cutrara is known not only for his dedication to local food raised "the way our great-grandmothers would have done it" but for his role in fostering much of the farm-to-table fabric of the region. As Cutrara sees it, his commitment to local food and sustainable farming demands a range of additional commitments: he cures, smokes, and pickles on-site and has a menu in constant flux according to the vicissitudes of local farms. "I'm proud of the way we work," says Cutrara, "and I'm proud of our guests for getting it and taking the journey with us." 
Erin Martin has been working with food since age 14, beginning with her first job at the local Dairy Queen in Brampton. Growing her passion for food led to attend George Brown College, and then to quickly enter the industry first at Xacutti restaurant as sous-chef, and then to become the executive at a steakhouse located in the old Winchester Hotel. Taking a break, Erin, her husband and their young daughter travelled to Goa, India and lived for a few months, three winters in a row. The experience was unbelievable - sensory overload! She took in as many culinary lessons as she could, both from local home-cooks, established culinary schools, and by talking with the sellers at the market. Erin is now pastry chef at The Beet Organic Restaurant in the Junction, designed for health and well-being, including its desserts! 
Matty
Matheson is the chef at Parts & Labour restaurant, serving rustic yet refined Canadian food.
John Sinopoli worked at La Caravelle and Craft in Manhattan before moving to Toronto. He worked at Splendido and headed the kitchen at Izakaya before moving to Table 17 in 2008. John leads the kitchen at Table 17 in creating a seasonal, ingredient driven menu where the influences of southern Europe are readily apparent.
Luis
Valenzuela was born in Guadalajara, Mexico. He moved to Canada in
2001, beginning his career at North 44 restaurant under renowned chef Mark
McEwan and executive chef Brook McDougall. Valenzuela moved up the ranks
at Mr. McEwan’s restaurants, ultimately becoming the Saucier/Tournant
at Bymark. Luis also worked under renowned Italian Chef Bruno Barrbieri in
Verona, Italy, and with Adolfo Munoz from Toledo, Spain. His career so far
has shaped him as the Chef of Café Cinquecento in 2008, and today
Luis is one of the youngest accomplished Chefs of the city, running the kitchen
of Torito Tapas Bar in Kensington Market.
Scott Vivian Born in Montreal to an Indian mother and Italian father, food has always been an important part of Scott's life. After cooking in top kitchens in Atlanta and Portland, Scott returned home to Canada where he worked for Tobey Nemeth at the Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar. After a year he was promoted to chef de cuisine of Jamie Kennedy at the Gardiner where local food procurement was an everyday occurrence.
2012 JUDGES
Sasha
Chapman has worn whites as an apprentice in a four-star restaurant
in Toronto and once managed the test kitchen for President’s
Choice Magazine. After five years as the food editor at Toronto
Life, she began writing full-time in 2006. Her columns have appeared
in the Globe & Mail and Toronto Life, where she
won the silver medal for best columnist at the National Magazine Awards
in 2009. Sasha is also a senior judge for the Canadian Culinary Championships.
Malcolm
Jolley is the Executive Director of Good Food Media and the
Managing Editor of Good Food Revolution, Ontario’s food and wine
news site. Good Food Media is a not-for-profit company with a mandate
to educate the public about artisanal food in Ontario and Canada, chiefly
through Good Food Revolution, which is supported by a community of businesses
and like-minded organizations dedicated to helping people enjoy better
food. Jolley also the founder and former editor of Gremolata (2004-2010),
Canada’s first food and wine web-magazine. Jolley also writes the
Ingredients column for the National Post newspaper and is a Fellow of
the Ontario Hostelry Institute.
Ivy
Knight When she’s not hosting 86'd Mondays--a night for
the city's food and wine industry players--at the famed Drake Hotel, Ivy
Knight writes about the food scene for various publications, including
the Globe and Mail and Toronto Life, and is set to
launch two new columns with the Toronto Star. With ten years
experience cooking in professional kitchens, her approach to writing
is from a cook's perspective. In her five years as a freelance writer
she's interviewed some of the world's greatest chefs, including Jacques
Pépin, Michel Roux and Anthony Bourdain as well as food personalities
like Ruth Reichl and Calvin Trillin.
Karon Liu is The Grid's resident food writer
covering restaurant openings and closings. More importantly, his interests
lie in taking out the pretentiousness and exclusivity of food writing,
and making the average Torontonian excited about food. He was also one
of the first writers to contribute to Toronto Life 's food blog,
The Dish. Also, please don't call him a foodie. (Photo credit: Matt Halliday)
Arlene Stein is Director of Program for Evergreen Brick Works' Centre for Green Cities. A certified event management professional with over twenty years of experience in the hospitality and entertainment industry, Arlene is committed to sustainable practices within the industry and continues to work as a food activist as a member of Slow Food Toronto and as Chair of the Board for Good Food Revolution.
2012 HOST
Kevin Brauch's rolodex is stuffed full of contacts for most of the world's best chefs, sommeliers, mixologists, and restaurateurs – all people he's hounoured to call friends. You'll recognize Kevin from Thirsty Traveler, Iron Chef America, Chef-OFF!, Mega World and, now, from the Chef Challenge!
