Here’s How We Find Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants

Gold Sponsor
Diageo World Class Canada logo
Share

It has been more than 20 years since we first set out in search of Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants, sending one food writer on the ultimate food trip across the country to dine under an alias – entirely on our tab. Restaurants have just one night to make an impression, with special treatment and freebies completely off the table.

The annual search starts with our national panel of culinary experts, who tip us off on recent openings in their regions – that means any food establishment that was up and running between late spring 2023 and 2024. Next, we map out a month-long itinerary of flights, meal reservations and hotel stays from coast to coast. Then the feasting begins.

This year, Tara O’Brady – cookbook author, Wall of Bakers judge and food writer extraordinaire – stepped up to the plate to accept the tastiest of missions. Her travels took her to more than 30 restaurants in 16 cities and communities, from the craggy cliffs of Bay Bulls, Newfoundland, to the crowded stalls of Victoria Public Market. From crudos to crullers and everything in between, she tasted the best this nation has to offer and then some.

Meet the team of experts who shaped this year’s list.

Black and white photo of Joie Alvaro Kent

Joie Alvaro Kent

Joie Alvaro Kent is Vancouver’s head judge for the Canadian Culinary Championship and co-author of the award-winning cookbooks Maenam and Where the River Narrows.

Black and white photo of Rodney Bowers

Rodney Bowers

Rodney Bowers is a chef who has travelled and cooked globally, opened and operated eight restaurants, and is a culinary arts professor at Centennial College in Toronto. He is a frequent CBC and Food Network personality.

Black and white photo of Christa Bruneau-Guenther

Christa Bruneau-Guenther

Christa Bruneau-Guenther celebrates her Saulteaux Cree and French Métis roots as a proud member of Peguis First Nation. She is the head chef and owner of Feast Café Bistro in her hometown of Winnipeg.

Black and white photo of Emily Butcher

Emily Butcher

Emily Butcher is the executive chef of Nola and Bar Accanto in Winnipeg. She appeared on Top Chef Canada Season 9 and is involved in various culinary events, such as RAW:almond and Storefront’s Table for 1200.

Black and white photo of Twyla Campbell

Twyla Campbell

Twyla Campbell served as CBC Edmonton’s food columnist for 13 years. She currently writes for Modern Luxuria and is the author of Maps, Markets and Matzo Ball Soup: The Inspiring Life of Gail Hall.

Black and white photo of Sousanh Chanthalangsy

Sousanh Chanthalangsy

Sousanh Chanthalangsy owns One of a Thai food truck in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, where she is also a personal trainer and competitive powerlifter. She is currently working on opening a second Thai food truck.

Black and white photo of Shane Mederic Chartrand

Shane Mederic Chartrand

Shane Mederic Chartrand is an acclaimed chef from the Enoch Cree Nation. Chartrand advocates sustainable Indigenous cuisine and is co-author of the award-winning cookbook Tawâw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine. He is currently working on projects that showcase his culinary heritage.

Black and white photo of Cinda Chavich

Cinda Chavich

Cinda Chavich is an award-winning freelance food and travel journalist based in Victoria. She is a former food editor at the Calgary Herald and food columnist for CBC Radio, and contributes to publications such as YAM Magazine, EAT Magazine and edible Vancouver & Wine Country.

Black and white photo of Alex Chen

Alex Chen

Alex Chen is the chef of Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar in Vancouver and Wild Blue in Whistler, the latter of which was celebrated on Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants list in 2023. He is currently mentoring the next generation of chefs.

Black and white photo of Pay Chen

Pay Chen

Pay Chen is a Toronto-based food and travel writer and media personality. Born in Taiwan and raised in Nova Scotia, she is a frequent guest and contributor to TV and radio programs across the country. She recently co-created the miso condiment “Sacha-ish.”

Black and white photo of Carmen Cheng

Carmen Cheng

Carmen Cheng is a Calgary-based food writer who shares her culinary adventures with Avenue Calgary, CBC and other outlets. She also works as an inclusion and talent strategies leader.

Black and white photo of Evelyn Chick

Evelyn Chick

Evelyn Chick is globally recognized as a Wine & Spirit Education Trust sommelier and a Certified Specialist of Spirits. She is the founder of Ahma event space, the award-winning Toronto snack and cocktail bar Simpl Things and cocktail kit company, Love of Cocktails.

Black and white photo of Pailin Chongchitnant

Pailin Chongchitnant

Pailin Chongchitnant is a Vancouver-based chef and author of two cookbooks. She’s also the creator behind one of YouTube’s biggest Thai cooking shows, Hot Thai Kitchen, which counts nearly two million subscribers.

Black and white photo of Dan Clapson

Dan Clapson

Dan Clapson is an award-winning food writer and bestselling cookbook author based in Calgary. He is also the co-founder of the Canadian food website Eat North and co-hosts the podcast Wish We Never Met.

Black and white photo of Inez Cook

Inez Cook

Inez Cook is a proud member of the Nuxalk Nation and co-founder/owner of Salmon n’ Bannock Bistro in Vancouver. She recently retired from a 33-year airline career and is working on new projects.

Black and white photo of Tommy Dion

Tommy Dion

Tommy Dion is a Montreal-based food critic for Time Out and founder of the Quebec-centric blog Le Cuisinomane.

Black and white photo of Jessica Emin

Jessica Emin

Jessica Emin is a photographer, food stylist, recipe developer, and host of the CBC TV series Les quatre coins de l’assiette. Through her lens, she captures the textures and beauty of the food industry.

Black and white photo of Sheila Flaherty

Sheila Flaherty

Sheila Flaherty is the chef and founder of sijjakkut, an Inuit culinary tourism venture located in Iqaluit. She also serves as the Nunavut director on the board of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada.

Black and white photo of Iris Gagnon-Paradis

Iris Gagnon-Paradis

Iris Gagnon-Paradis has been a restaurant critic for Montreal news medium La Presse since 2017 and head of its Inspiration section since 2023.

Black and white photo of Alexandra Gill

Alexandra Gill

Alexandra Gill is The Globe and Mail’s former restaurant critic, editor of Canada’s 50 Best Bars, and owner of Dine Like a Critic, which creates culinary experiences for private groups and corporate clients.

Black and white photo of Naomi Hansen

Naomi Hansen

Naomi Hansen is an award-winning food writer based in Saskatoon. She wrote Only in Saskatchewan: Recipes & Stories from the Province’s Best-Loved Eateries and is a CBC Saskatchewan food columnist.

Black and white photo of David Hawksworth

David Hawksworth

David Hawksworth owns and operates the acclaimed Vancouver-based Hawksworth Restaurant and Nightingale as well as Bel Café. As Air Canada’s culinary partner, he has also created menus for International Business Class and Signature Lounge travellers.

Black and white photo of Briana Kim

Briana Kim

Briana Kim is the chef-owner of Antheia, an upcoming fermentation lab and restaurant in Ottawa. Her previous restaurant, Alice, was award-winning, and she won the Canadian Culinary Championship in 2023.

Black and white photo of Bartley Kives

Bartley Kives

Bartley Kives is a CBC reporter in Winnipeg, a former restaurant critic, and author of three books, including the bestseller A Daytripper’s Guide to Manitoba.

Black and white photo of Catherine Lefebvre

Catherine Lefebvre

Catherine Lefebvre has been a food and travel writer in Quebec for over 15 years. She co-hosts the food podcast On s’appelle et on déjeune and produces the documentary series L’effet Bocuse d’Or as well as the podcast series Mange ton Saint-Laurent!

Black and white photo of Marissa Leon-John

Marissa Leon-John

Marissa Leon-John is a MasterChef Canada alumnus whose kitchen reflects her Caribbean heritage and the multicultural food haven of Montreal. She supports and advocates for young, black LGBTQ+ members of the culinary community.

Black and white photo of Jenni Lessard

Jenni Lessard

Jenni Lessard is a chef and culinary consultant in Saskatchewan. She leads the Han Wi Moon dinner series and Field to Shield culinary tour and is on the board of the Indigenous Culinary of Associated Nations.

Black and white photo of Stephane Levac

Stéphane Levac

Stéphane Levac is the executive chef at Maritime Express Cider in Kentville, Nova Scotia, and a former Top Chef Canada and Chefs de bois contestant.

Black and white photo of Nancy Matsumoto

Nancy Matsumoto

Nancy Matsumoto is the co-author of the James Beard award-winning Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake and critic emeritus of Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants.

Black and white photo of Lori McCarthy

Lori McCarthy

Lori McCarthy is a Newfoundland and Labrador-based chef, educator and author passionate about conservation and sustainability. She co-hosts the East Coast Forager YouTube show and Wildcrafted Women workshops.

Black and white photo of Ren Navarro

Ren Navarro

Ren Navarro launched Beer. Diversity. in 2018 and has earned renown at breweries, wineries, distilleries and beyond. In early 2023, she introduced B. Diversity., expanding the company into the non-alcoholic market.

Black and white photo of Mijune Pak

Mijune Pak

Mijune Pak is a resident judge on Top Chef Canada and Iron Chef Canada. As an advocate for culinary tourism, Pak was named one of the “World’s Most Extreme Foodies” by the Sunday Times. She is also a culinary expert for Destination Vancouver and hosted the recent Michelin Guide Vancouver ceremony.

Black and white photo of Robert Pendergast

Robert Pendergast

Robert Pendergast focuses on oyster shucking, maritime cooking, heritage food and mentoring. He is also passionate about food festivals, including Summerside Lobster Carnival and Festival Route 11.

Black and white photo of Gabby Peyton

Gabby Peyton

Gabby Peyton is a food and travel writer based in St. John’s, where she previously worked as food critic for the Telegram. She’s also the author of the bestselling book Where We Ate, which chronicles the history of 150 restaurants across Canada.

Black and white photo of Allan Pulga

Allan Pulga

Allan Pulga is a Regina-based food writer and communications consultant who runs the food column for CBC Saskatchewan. He is a proud Filipino-Canadian.

Black and white photo of Devan Rajkumar

Devan Rajkumar

Devan Rajkumar is a dynamic culinary personality on a quest to modernize the craft, traditions, and tastes of East and West Indian cuisines. His debut cookbook, Mad Love: Big Flavors Made to Share, from South Asia to the West Indies, was released in May 2024.

Black and white photo of Nuit Regular

Nuit Regular

Nuit Regular is executive chef and co-owner of restaurants PAI, Kiin and Sukhothai in Toronto. She has transformed the city’s food scene through the distinct flavours of Northern and Royal Thai cuisine.

Black and white photo of Amy Rosen

Amy Rosen

Amy Rosen is a Toronto-based food writer who ate her way across Canada for the 2023 edition of Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants. She also writes cookbooks and runs a restaurant consulting business. Her novel, Off Menu, will be released summer 2025.

Black and white photo of Shayma Owaise Saadat

Shayma Owaise Saadat

Shayma Owaise Saadat is a food writer and digital content creator based in Toronto. She shares recipes from her Pakistani, Afghan and Persian heritage on Instagram, TikTok, and her website, Spice Spoon.

Black and white photo of Joseph Shawana

Joseph Shawana

Joseph Shawana is the acclaimed executive chef of ᑯᑯᒼx Indigenous Kitchen, the board chair of the Indigenous Culinary of Associated Nations and chef professor at Centennial College in Toronto. He actively promotes food sovereignty in Canada and abroad.

Black and white photo of Dwight Smith

Dwight Smith

Dwight Smith is a Toronto-based Red Seal chef with over 20 years of professional kitchen experience, working alongside some of Canada’s top chefs and appearing on Food Network’s Fire Masters.

Black and white photo of Elise Tastet

Élise Tastet

Élise Tastet is the founder of Tastet, Montreal’s comprehensive online guide to the best local food spots, from cafés to fine dining and everything in between.

Black and white photo of Imrun Texeira

Imrun Texeira

Imrun Texeira is an award-winning chef who has worked at some of the world’s most influential restaurants, including the three Michelin-starred Noma in Copenhagen. Celebrated for his innovative dishes, he champions better conditions for hospitality professionals and educates youth on culinary opportunities.

Black and white photo of Joe Thottungal

Joe Thottungal

Joe Thottungal is the chef-owner of Coconut Lagoon and Thali restaurants in Ottawa. He recently published his second cookbook, My Thali, and has received multiple awards, including the Order of Ottawa.

Black and white photo of Paul Toussaint

Paul Toussaint

Paul Toussaint is the chef-owner of Kamúy, Americas BBQ, and Paul Toussaint in Montreal. He is currently working on a new concept at the city’s Jean-Talon Market.

Black and white photo of Vikram Vij

Vikram Vij

Vikram Vij is a chef and entrepreneur who has launched award-winning restaurants in British Columbia, including Vij’s and My Shanti. He is currently working on a new menu, cookbook and wine collaboration.

Black and white photo of Jenna White

Jenna White

Jenna White is an Indigenous chef, restaurateur, and founder of A Taste of the Atlantic, a festival dedicated to connecting people through food, culture and authentic culinary traditions.

Black and white photo of Chanthy Yen

Chanthy Yen

Chanthy Yen has worked in some of the world’s best restaurants and is the former personal chef for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He is now at the helm of Bacaro, a Venetian-inspired restaurant in Vancouver, where he brings his global culinary expertise to the table.

Gold Sponsor
Diageo World Class Canada logo