Niagara College culinary alum a contestant on Top Chef Canada

A Niagara College Culinary grad will be testing his kitchen skills against the best when he competes on the upcoming season of “Top Chef Canada.”

Vaishnav (‘Vish’) Mayekar, who graduated from the Culinary Management program in 2014, has been selected to compete on the Food Network Canada show during September, this time dubbed “Top Chef Canada X” to mark its 10th season.

He’ll be one of 11 chefs from across the country who will be vying for the coveted title of Canada’s Top Chef.

“It’s an absolute honour. You know it’s not something everyone gets to do or is able to do so being selected to compete in one of the most prestigious competitions in Canada feels amazing,” said Mayekar, who grew up in Mumbai, India.

“I’m stoked and, personally, I’ve wanted to do this for a few years now, but it’s come at the right time, and I can’t wait for everyone to watch me compete.”

Trained and well-versed in Italian cuisine, he is currently head chef at Pepino’s Spaghetti House and wine bar Caffe La Tana in Vancouver, B.C.

He also cooks for some of Hollywood’s biggest stars every year at the Cannes Film Festival, where he is the Head Chef at the American Pavilion.

A member of Culinary Team Canada, Mayekar is also preparing to represent Canada on the world stage in 2024 at the IKA Culinary Olympics.

He has a lot on his plate, balancing his career with Team Canada and Top Chef competitions, but Mayekar believes “where there’s a will, there’s a way. I just like staying busy, always being involved in things and always trying to be a better cook and a better person each day.”

The announcement of Mayekar’s selection for Season 10, comes just months after Niagara College alumna Erica Karbelnik (nee Hakien) was declared the winner of Season 9 of Top Chef Canada, while her husband Josh Karbelnik also cooked his way to the top four.

The Karbelniks both graduated from the college’s program in 2011 and were the first married couple to compete on the show.