Meet Chef Mark McEwan, the “father of modern Canadian cuisine” who revolutionized Toronto’s culinary scene with innovative restaurants like ONE, North44, Bymark, Fabbrica, and Diwan.

Chef McEwan began his career as the executive chef at Toronto’s upscale Sutton Place Hotel. This was a great honor as he was the youngest chef in Canada to hold this position. There he had the privilege of cooking for Pope John Paul II when the Pontiff visited Toronto in 1984 and subsequently opened North 44, which set a new standard for Toronto’s culinary scene. He went on to launch McEwan Catering, Bymark, ONE, Fabbrica and Diwan which have all been recognized as top restaurants in Canada by leading publications like Miele Guide, OpenTable and Toronto Life Magazine. Inspired by global food halls, Chef McEwan opened McEwan’s Groceries which have 2 locations across Toronto.

Next up: Chef McEwan showcased his innovative approaches to Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian cuisine with Diwan at The Aga Khan Museum. Now, Chef McEwan mentors budding chefs in his kitchens—through his bestselling cookbooks and as head judge on Food Network’s hit series Top Chef.