Top chef winner returns to Whitby’s Bistro ’67 for pair of sold-out events

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Published February 27, 2023 at 9:56 am

Top Chef Canada winner Tre Sanderson Photo Jordan Rushton

Last year’s Top Chef Canada champ made a triumphant return to the place where he honed his culinary skills with sold-out pop-up events at Bistro ’67 in Whitby last week.

Trevane ‘Tre’ Sanderson, winner of Top Chef Canada Season 10 and a 2015 grad of Durham College’s Culinary Management program, was back at the student-run restaurant for a pair of hot ticket evenings Thursday and Friday, an event that was sponsored by RBC.

An Evening with Tre Sanderson brought in more than 140 guests to enjoy a delicious four-course meal made up of many of the celebrated chef’s dishes from the Top Chef competition, as well as the opportunity to meet Sanderson himself.

Sanderson, who used his Jamaican background and his passion to elevate Caribbean cuisine to wow the Top Chef judges on the sunny beaches of the Cayman Islands – his jerk shrimp, grilled triggerfish and red snapper excovitch dishes put him over the top – worked alongside current culinary students at the dinners, sharing his skills and experiences and inspiring them with his success story.

“It wasn’t long ago I was in the same situation as them, fresh and green, ambitious, eager to learn and not scared to challenge themselves,” Sanderson said. “Once you’re in a comfort zone, you’re not being challenged so being able to work with these young chefs and see them asking questions is humbling.”

Funds from the RBC sponsorship will also support the Tre Sanderson Culinary Management Bursary, which will help future students pursue their paths at Durham College.

“We’re incredibly proud to have played a role in Tre’s journey and grateful for his dedication to giving back to the next generation of young culinary professionals,” said Kelly O’Brien, associate dean, Faculty of Hospitality & Horticultural Science. “And with the support of our title sponsor, RBC, we were able to host an incredible event that not only showcases Tre’s talents but also how Durham College’s programs can lead the way to a bright and inspiring future.”

The food, service, ambience and décor all received rave reviews and Sanderson, who has worked at many of Toronto’s top restaurants and is currently the chef de partie at Vela, couldn’t be happier.

“This menu is the dream,” said the first Black Top Chef winner. “It’s my dream, to elevate Caribbean cuisine.”

Sanderson has also been invited to participate in Graze Toronto, a first-class food festival presented by Food Network Canada this fall at Corus Quay and Sugar Beach with the weekend of September 22-24 featuring some of the biggest names in the Canadian food scene.

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