La Tablée des Chefs: Manitoban Team Wins the 12th Edition of the National Kitchen Brigades Finals
MONTREAL, June 18, 2025 /CNW/ - The national finals of Kitchen Brigades, an initiative by La Tablée des Chefs, were held on June 8 at the Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) in Montreal. After a hard-fought final round, Gordon Bell High School from Winnipeg, Manitoba, claimed top honours—marking the first time in the program's history that a school outside Quebec has won the title.
During the competition, the five finalist brigades (four from Quebec and one from Manitoba) were challenged to create a main dish featuring three mystery ingredients: Brussel sprouts, white turnips and beef strip loin. Their dishes were then evaluated by a panel of expert judges. The winning team stood out thanks to its exceptional mastery of technical skills, remarkable creativity and strong team spirit.
Hosted by celebrity chef Ricardo, the event featured the special presence of Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, who came in person to meet and encourage the young participants.
Looking ahead, the Kitchen Brigades international finale will be held in Montreal on June 21 at Sid Lee's bistro. In a friendly culinary face off, Manitoba's winning team will go head-to-head with the champions from La Tablée des Chefs France, composed of students from the Collège Jean Jaurès, in Pantin, a suburb of Paris.
Quotes
"The entire team at La Tablée des Chefs is thrilled by the victory of Gordon Bell High School's kitchen brigade. Our 'Kitchen Brigades' initiative is far more than just a culinary program; it's a life-changing journey. I hope that the recognition earned by a school outside Quebec will inspire other secondary schools across the country to join this remarkable initiative, which fosters both food autonomy and team spirit among participants."
- Jean-François Archambault, founder and General Manager of La Tablée des Chefs
This year, nearly 350 school groups from across Canada took part in the after-school "Kitchen Brigades" program. Among them, only 174 schools entered the competition phase, with just five advancing to the National finals. Throughout the year, participating youth received close to 40 hours of hands-on culinary training, delivered through 24 workshops that combined technical cooking skills with healthy eating education.
About La Tablée des ChefsLa Tablée des Chefs's mission can be summed up in just two words: feed and educate. Feed today to fight against food insecurity. Educate youth to help them build food autonomy. Since its founding in 2002, the organization has distributed over 21 million cooked meals to community organizations and introduced more than 79,000 young people to cooking and healthy eating. To learn more, visit: www.tableedeschefs.org
SOURCE Tablée des Chefs