Ottawa Chef Jason Sawision Earns Bronze at Prestigious Canadian Culinary Championship
Chef Jason Sawision, the culinary mastermind behind Ottawa's acclaimed Stofa Restaurant on Wellington Street West, has added another significant achievement to his distinguished career. At the recent Canadian Culinary Championship held in Ottawa on January 30-31, Sawision secured a bronze medal in the national competition, demonstrating his exceptional skills against Canada's top culinary talents.
A Decorated Culinary Career
The 43-year-old chef-owner brings considerable experience to the competition circuit. Sawision previously earned a gold medal at the September 2025 regional qualifier, where he outperformed four other Ottawa chefs to advance to the national stage. His competition history includes both silver and bronze medals at previous local events, establishing him as a consistent contender in culinary competitions.
Beyond his personal achievements, Sawision played a crucial supporting role in Canadian culinary history. He served as sous-chef to Marc Lepine during Lepine's groundbreaking victories at the Canadian Culinary Championship in 2012 and 2016. Lepine remains the only chef to have won the national competition twice, with Sawision contributing to both championship kitchens.
The Competition Experience
Despite his impressive track record, Sawision maintains a refreshingly modest perspective on competition participation. "They've asked me, so I do it," he explains. "It's a fun switch to the daily routine of what we're doing here." This balanced approach allows him to enjoy the competitive experience while continuing to focus on his restaurant's operations.
The Canadian Culinary Championship distinguishes itself from more traditional competitions by encouraging chefs to showcase their personal culinary identities. "In this competition, I think the food really speaks to who the chef is," Sawision observes. "This one is designed so that the chefs get to show what they want to show." This flexibility results in a diverse range of presentations, from highly technical creations to comforting, home-style dishes.
From Restaurant to Competition Plate
Sawision's bronze-winning dish exemplifies the connection between his restaurant menu and competition creations. "We pulled this one from a couple of menu items," he reveals. The dish evolved from customer favorites at Stofa, beginning as a scallop preparation before transforming into a sophisticated scallop and shrimp combination.
The chef and his team noticed particular enthusiasm for the shrimp component during development, leading them to refine the dish into a more cohesive presentation. "It morphed into something where everything played really well together," Sawision explains. The critical element that unified the dish proved to be a meticulously balanced mango salsa, which underwent numerous adjustments until achieving perfect harmony with the other components.
This approach reflects Sawision's philosophy that competition food need not diverge dramatically from restaurant offerings. "Our competition food is not tremendously different," he notes, suggesting that the Canadian Culinary Championship celebrates authentic culinary expression rather than requiring chefs to adopt unfamiliar styles.
The bronze medal adds to what Sawision describes as "plenty of positive experiences in culinary contests," further establishing Ottawa's growing reputation as a culinary destination. As the city's restaurant scene continues to evolve, with discussions about potential Michelin Guide recognition emerging, chefs like Sawision demonstrate the quality and creativity that define Canada's capital city dining experience.
