Vancouver chef Trevor Bird places second in Top Chef Canada season two

On Monday (June 4), Vancouver chef Trevor Bird placed second on Top Chef Canada season two. After 13 weeks of competition, 26-year-old Carl Heinrich, who was born in Sooke but now lives in Toronto, beat out 15 other chefs to claim the $100,000 prize, GE Monogram kitchen, and title of “Top Chef Canada”.

During the hour and half season finale, the top-three finalists, which included Bird, Heinrich, and 27-year-old Jonathan Korecki from Ottawa, were surprised with a twist: three previously eliminated contestants were brought back to the competition to win a wild-card spot in the final elimination challenge. It was determined after cooking a three-course Prince Edward Island-inspired menu that 37-year-old Toronto chef David Chrystian would compete in final elimination challenge.

To determine the winner, the chefs were required to create one final four-course meal that represented who they were as chefs at Ontario’s Hockley Valley Resort. Four previous competitors, including Whistler’s Jimmy Stewart, were brought back as sous chefs for the finale competitors.

During the elimination challenge, Bird started by creating an amuse-bouche of fig, goat cheese, and pickled raspberry. This was followed by olive oil-poached arctic char and salad, roasted veal loin, and ended with a blueberry lavender tart.

Judges during the finale episode included head judge Mark McEwen, restaurateur Shereen Arazm, host Lisa Ray, and Vancouver chef Vikram Vij.

Chef Bird recently opened his first restaurant, Fable, with Top Chef Canada contestant Curtis Luk.

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