Chef Jay Park Earns Gold at Canadian Culinary Championship
Chef Jay Park, the Chef de Cuisine at Vancouver's acclaimed Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar, has achieved a remarkable national victory by winning the gold medal at the prestigious 2026 Canadian Culinary Championship. The competition took place over two intense days, January 30 and 31, in Ottawa, Ontario, where Park was officially crowned Canada's Culinary Champion.
A Triumph for Vancouver's Culinary Scene
This significant win not only marks a career milestone for Chef Park but also serves as a proud moment for Vancouver's vibrant culinary community. The championship brought together ten of Canada's most talented chefs, each having previously secured regional gold medals in competitions held across the country during the fall of 2025.
Over the course of three rigorous and demanding competitions, these elite chefs were evaluated on multiple critical aspects of their craft. The judging panel, composed of respected chefs, authors, and culinary experts, assessed their creativity, technical mastery, adaptability, and ability to maintain composure under extreme pressure.
The Three-Round Culinary Challenge
To claim the coveted gold medal, Chef Jay Park successfully navigated through three distinct and challenging rounds:
- Mystery Wine Challenge: In this round, chefs were presented with an unknown bottle of wine and tasked with creating a dish using local ingredients that would perfectly complement the wine. This had to be accomplished within strict time and budget constraints.
- Black Box Challenge: This intense one-hour test required chefs to prepare two plated dishes using a surprise selection of ingredients revealed only at the start of the challenge.
- Grand Finale: For this culminating round, chefs presented a signature dish that they had developed and refined over months of dedicated preparation, serving it to both judges and guests.
Chef Park's Winning Dishes
Chef Jay Park's competition menu showcased his culinary expertise and personal narrative through the following creations:
- Mystery Wine Dish: Braised duck leg pasta accompanied by beet purée, duck jus, and fresh parsley.
- Black Box Dishes: Parisienne Gnocchi with dandelion leaf purée, duck ragu, and fresh cheese curds topped with maple pecans; and Polenta congee served with kimchi featuring pickled rhubarb and sesame seeds, alongside pickled seaweed with a soy sauce reduction vinaigrette.
- Grand Finale Dish: Titled "Jay Park's Journey," this signature plate featured Wingtat Canada chicken 'poulet pressé,' gochujang gastric glazed chicken heart, a crispy chicken skin 'tartlet' filled with chicken liver mousse, and chicken jus enhanced with garlic thyme chicken fat. This dish artistically narrated Park's personal journey from his origins in Korea to Vancouver, and from culinary school to his current role as Chef de Cuisine at Boulevard.
A Celebration of Culinary and Musical Excellence
The Grand Finale was presented as part of the Spirit of the West celebration, where the chefs' culinary creations were paired with live performances by notable musicians Geoffrey Kelly, Barney Bentall, Matthew Harder, and Luke Doucet. This festive atmosphere culminated in the crowning of Canada's top chef.
"To compete at this level is incredibly demanding, and to be named Canadian Culinary Champion is truly humbling," expressed Chef Jay Park. "This result reflects months of preparation and the unwavering support of my team at Boulevard. I'm deeply grateful to everyone who helped make this possible."
Supporting Youth Through Culinary Excellence
The Canadian Culinary Championship represents the pinnacle of Canada's Great Kitchen Party program. This initiative has a dual mission: to celebrate Canadian culinary excellence while raising essential funds to ensure that youth across the country have equitable access to music education, sports opportunities, and food security programs.
Chef Park's national victory significantly enhances the already strong reputation of Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar on Canada's culinary stage. Located in Vancouver's downtown shopping district, Boulevard is an award-winning dining destination led by Executive General Manager Lisa Haley, Executive Chef Roger Ma, and Executive Pastry Chef Kenta Takahashi. The restaurant is renowned for its commitment to culinary excellence, offering innovative dishes, impeccable service, and an elegant dining ambiance.
