This prestigious event, often regarded as the world’s toughest culinary competition, saw our very own first-year honours degree student, Joseph Mongillo, playing a key role.
This achievement secures Team Canada’s spot at the Bocuse d’Or Grand Final in Lyon, France, in 2025, where they will continue to represent Canada on the world stage.
"As a student of George Brown College, I feel honoured to have been part of Team Canada at the Bocuse d’Or Americas competition," said Mongillo. "The experience was incredibly rewarding and competing at such a high level alongside some of the best chefs in the world has been a dream come true."
Team Canada’s remarkable culinary creations included a plateau themed around wild boar and a plate celebrating Cajun cooking, featuring alligator, crab, shrimp, and grits. Despite the challenge of sourcing some of these ingredients in Canada during training, their dedication and skill earned them a place among the top teams.
“We are extremely proud of Team Canada’s outstanding performance at the Bocuse d’Or Americas competition and especially thrilled about Joseph Mongillo’s contribution,” said Rudi Fischbacher, Dean, Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts at GBC. “This achievement not only highlights the exceptional talent and dedication of our students but also underscores the real-world learning opportunities that our programs provide. We look forward to supporting Joseph and the team as they represent Canada and George Brown College in Lyon.”
Competing against eight other countries, including the United States, Mexico, Argentina, and Columbia, Team Canada demonstrated exceptional talent and teamwork. The team was composed of Coach John Placko, Chef Keith Pears, and jury member Alex Cheng, supported by over twenty culinary professionals, including Sebastien Remillard (R&D), Chef Dan Craig (Westin Harbour Castle), and Alexander Manu (OCAD University).
