Inside the Chefs’ Exchange
RC Show’s All-Star Event for Culinary Leaders and Rising Talent
The Chefs’ Exchange is an invitation-only event that brings Canada’s culinary community together for a rare gathering at RC Show.
The event, presented by Restaurants Canada and Garland Canada, creates the kind of opportunity chefs rarely get during service season—a space built for intimate conversation, connection and collaboration. It’s where culinary leaders can compare notes on what’s working (and what isn’t), swap perspectives on operational pressure points, and talk shop with peers who understand the view from behind the pass.
The event takes place at the RC Pop Up Experience (Hall 1), a natural networking hub built for discovery at RC Show. Expect energy, a cross-section of philosophies and segments, and a space that celebrates restaurant and bar design, world-class equipment, and outstanding food and beverage—complete with an open-kitchen area for demos and discussions, and a custom-crafted bar by Angelik bar spotlighting top bartenders.
What chefs can look forward to:
- A courageous and elegant cocktail menu from Brant Porter and Jennifer Connor of Humboldt Bar in Victoria BC.
- Grown-Ass Pizza Party with live DJ sets courtesy of No Def Collective.
- Delectable bites from High Liner Foodservice’s live cooking station: Pollock Spice Purse, Gumbo Po Boy, Cabos Taco, and Pollock + Pastina.
- Meeting the competitors in the 2026 Garland Canada Culinary Competition and RC Pizza Competition.
- Seacutierie: Crisps, Chips and Dips from NICE CANS.
- Chef-created Fried Chicken Sandwiches topped with Cotton Candy from Maple Leaf Foods.
- Wine tastings by Lailey Wines, Tawse Winery, Rosehall Run, and Front Road Cellars from Ontario Craft Wineries.
- Passed canapés from Olymel.
- Ontario Cheese Board from Cheese Boutique and Wines of Ontario VQA selection from Culinary Tourism Alliance.
- Cider tastings from Ontario Craft Cider.
- Premium spirit tastings from Crown Royal.
…and a special dish from Chef Moeen Abuzaid (Arbequina) and Chef Chris Commandant (Indigenous Culinary of Associated Nations).
The Chefs’ Exchange – invitation only
RC Pop Up Experience | Sunday, March 8, 2026 | 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Presented by: Restaurants Canada and Garland Canada
If you’re a chef or culinary leader and would like to attend The Chefs’ Exchange, please reach out by Friday, February 27, to: events@restaurantscanada.org.
Invitations will be extended as availability allows.
With Support From:
True Refrigeration | Maple Leaf Foods | Crown Royal | No Def Collective | Olymel | Nice Cans | Culinary Tourism Alliance | Ontario Craft Wineries | High Liner Foodservice