Cast of Top Chef Canada, Season 7. (L-R): Renée Lavallée, Max Straczek, Erin Smith, Sebastien Laframboise, Takeshi Horinoue,  Phillip Scarfone, Mijune Pak, Mark McEwan, Eden Grinshpan, Chris Nuttall-Smith,  Janet Zuccarini, Chef Contender, Wallace Wong, Paul Moran, Tania Ganassini, Hayden Johnston, and Dennis Peckham. Image Courtesy of Food Network Canada.

Food Network Canada‘s #1 series last spring*, Top Chef Canada, returns with the nation’s best and brightest professional chefs as they prepare to enter the toughest culinary competition in the country starting Monday, April 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Representing the coming of age in the Canadian culinary scene, 11 chefs enter the competition and are introduced to a brand-new twist that sees three talented chef contenders compete against each other in order to earn the coveted 12^th spot in the competition.

Prepared to impress the judges, each chef must spark the taste buds of Top Chef Canada‘s expert panel of judges comprised of chef, restaurant co-owner and host, Eden Grinshpan, owner of The McEwan Group, head judge chef Mark McEwan and resident judges: powerhouse restaurateur Janet Zuccarini, writer and international food personality Mijune Pak and renowned food journalist and critic Chris Nuttall-Smith. This season the chefs will compete for the prestigious title of Canada’s Top Chef and the grand prize of $100,000 provided by Interac Corp., a design-inspired Café kitchen, a culinary tour of Italy for two from Air Transat and $5,000 worth of Cuisinart® products.

Following a nation-wide search, this season’s competitors represent Canada’s culinary scene from coast to coast and beyond including Dartmouth, N.S., Quebec City, Que., Tofino, B.C., Toronto, Ont., Vancouver, B.C., and more. The 11 competitors confirmed to compete for the title of Canada’s Top Chef are:

• Tania Ganassini, 31 – Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.
• Takeshi Horinoue, 37 – Montreal, Que.
• Hayden Johnston, 29 – Toronto, Ont.
• Sebastien Laframboise, 31 – Quebec City, Que.
• Renée Lavallée, 43 – Dartmouth, N.S.
• Paul Moran, 31 – Tofino, B.C.
• Dennis Peckham, 41 – Port Moody, B.C.
• Phillip Scarfone, 33 – Vancouver, B.C.
• Erin Smith, 32 – Toronto, Ont.
• Max Straczek, 32 – Vancouver, B.C.
• Wallace Wong, 27 – Toronto, Ont.

In a never-seen-before twist, the three talented chef contenders set to compete for the final spot in the competition are:

• • Alexei Boldireff, 25 – Edmonton, Alta.
  • Benet Hunt, 28 – Saskatoon, Sask.
  • Paul Kim, 33 – Toronto, Ont.

This season’s Quickfire and Elimination Challenges will test the chefs’ culinary chops and demonstrate their creativity. Each week their dishes will be served to the esteemed Top Chef Canada judging panel, who will be joined by culinary masters and noted food lovers as guest judges. Some of the celebrated culinary personalities from Canada and abroad include Emma Bengtsson (Executive Chef, Aquavit, New York City, N.Y.), Richard Blais (Top Chef: All Stars winner, Owner Juniper & Ivy, San Diego, Calif.), Craig Harding (Chef and Owner, Campagnolo, La Palma and Constantine, Toronto, Ont.), James Beard award- winning restaurant critic Adam Platt, Rob Rossi (Top Chef Canada, Season 1, Chef and Owner, Giulietta,Toronto, Ont.), Marcus Samuelsson (Owner, Red Rooster, Harlem, N.Y.), and Michael Solomonov (Owner, Zahav, Philadelphia, Pa).

On foodnetwork.ca, viewers can get a sneak peek of this season’s most exhilarating locations, learn about the judges’ best ever bites from the series and get to know some of host Eden Grinshpan’s most uniquely lovable “Eden-isms.” Plus, learn more about the competitors and get their restaurant recommendations from across the country. Week-to-week, recaps will be available online highlighting the best and most shocking moments from the season. Fans can also watch full episodes online after broadcast at foodnetwork.ca/topchefcanada and On Demand with participating providers.

Food Network Canada is available on a National Free Preview from March 1 to April 30. Please check local listings for additional details.

Top Chef Canada is the homegrown version of the hit Emmy Award-winning NBCUniversal Series Top Chef and is produced by Insight Production Company Ltd. in association with Food Network Canada. Executive Producers are John Brunton and Mark Lysakowski, and Co-Executive Producer and Showrunner is Eric Abboud.