Chef Paul Moran wins Season 7 of Top Chef Canada

Executive chef at Tofino’s 1909 Kitchen beats stiff competition on Food Network Canada’s popular cooking show

1909 Kitchen’s Chef Paul Moran won the coveted title of Canada’s Top Chef during the final episode of Top Chef Canada Season 7, which aired last night on Food Network Canada, when he competed against the best and brightest professional chefs from across Canada for the last time.

“Competing on Top Chef Canada has been an unforgettable experience,” says Chef Paul Moran. “The intensity and level of talent on the show created a unique environment that I am very grateful to have been a part of.”

During the season finale of Top Chef Canada, Chef Paul excelled in the first elimination challenge alongside fellow BC chef Phil Scarfone (Nightingale Restaurant, Vancouver) with an ambitious potato, truffle and kabocha squash gnocchi with charred eggplant truffle purée. The esteemed judging panel commented on the dish – “a masterpiece of vegetarian cookery” (Chris Nuttall-Smith), which demonstrated “tremendous maturity” (Chef Mark McEwan).

In the final challenge, held at Langdon Hall Country House Hotel, Paul’s winning multi-course menu was inspired by his entire cooking career, starting with a taste of Tofino-inspired amuse bouche canapé selection with Pacific Geoduck and Dungeness Crab and followed by side stripe shrimp sashimi with stuffed shitake mushrooms which received praise from the series judges in the finale – “a spectacular dish”, according to judge Janet Zuccarini. Two main courses included a play on vitello tonnato that was “perfectly balanced and artistically put together” (Chef Mark McEwan), then a squab prepared two ways with bacon-wrapped breast and confit leg with glazed sunchokes, currants and stuffed morels, a nod to Paul’s time spent working in French kitchens: “out of this world” according to show host Eden Grinshpan. To finish the meal, a sorrel sorbet, sesame almond macaron and lemon curd stole the show.

“Paul truly understood what he was doing with all these international ingredients but managed to make them very uniquely Canadian,” declared Top Chef Canada judge Mijune Pak during the finale.

Chef Moran started his career as an apprentice with West Restaurant in his hometown of Vancouver under the leadership of renowned Chef David Hawksworth. He was the first-ever recipient of the Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship, which awarded him the opportunity to stage at the legendary Pujol in Mexico City. Chef Moran’s career includes prestigious restaurants in Dubai including the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and two Michelin-starred restaurants in France: Hotel Negresco and Saturne Restaurant. Drawn back to the west coast of Canada, Moran has held Executive Chef roles at West Coast Fishing Club’s Outpost Lodge in Haida Gwaii and the award-winning Nita Lake Lodge in Whistler. An avid forager, Moran became the Executive Chef at 1909 Kitchen at Tofino Resort + Marina in 2017 and as he is passionate about a locally sourced, ingredient driven menu, he finds the oceanside community a perfect fit.

Full episodes of Food Network Canada’s Top Chef Canada are available online at foodnetwork.ca/topchefcanada.

To experience Canada’s Top Chef, Paul Moran in his element at 1909 Kitchen please call 250.726.6122 to reserve. For more information, visit tofinoresortandmarina.com.

To celebrate, Tofino Resort + Marina and 1909 Kitchen have launched a contest to win a culinary package to Tofino, including a 6-course west coast themed dinner, prepared and presented by Canada’s Top Chef, Paul Moran. Enter via Instagram until June 3rd.