Chef Ron McKinlay of Canoe Restaurant

As an absolute technician in the kitchen, Chef Ron McKinlay has ushered the Toronto stalwart, Canoe Restaurant, into a new era with his breath-taking craftsmanship that combines old-world technique with modern day sensibilities. After taking over Canoe four years ago, Chef Ron has continued to push the narrative and shine a spotlight on the amazing ingredients coming from the forests, oceans, and farms that make up his culinary ecosystem. Working for some of the best chefs around the globe, Chef Ron has now found the perfect place to showcase his talents.

Chef Ron McKinlay is the chef of the highly acclaimed Canoe restaurant in Toronto, Canada, where he produces breathtaking food using classic techniques, done in a modern way. At Canoe, Chef Ron focuses on highlighting the beautiful foods coming from the forests, oceans, and farms that make up his culinary ecosystem. Whether it‘s the pristine seafood from the cold waters of northern Canada or mushrooms from the dense spruce forests, when they are in the hands of Chef Ron McKinlay, they’re going to be showcased in a magnificent way.

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Early in his career and after completing a Culinary Arts diploma in his hometown of Vancouver, BC, Chef Ron moved to New Zealand to play competitive rugby until an unfortunate injury ended his career in his early twenties, which is when he decided to return to Canada and take his chances at cooking.

…. A defining moment in his career happened when Chef Ron booked a ticket to Edinburgh, Scotland on the spur of the moment in 2006 while studying Michelin-starred restaurants in the United Kingdom. He was fortunate to secure a position as a trainee under Michelin-starred Chef @Tom_Kitchin, who would become a huge inspiration and mentor. He worked at @TheKitchin for over four years, making classic French cuisine with Scottish ingredients and putting in 17-hour days. He put in a lot of time and effort to polish his old-school culinary techniques, build a strong sense of discipline, and learn to tolerate criticism in the kitchen.
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In 2010, he relocated to Melbourne, Australia, where he assisted in the opening of Maze by chef Gordon Ramsay before moving on to Estelle Bar & Kitchen to work under chef Scott Pickett (@ScottPickettChef). Chef Pickett appointed him to open and head Saint Crispin as chef de cuisine after he rose through the ranks to senior sous chef. In 2014, the restaurant earned two hats. The following year, he took a chef de cuisine position at the Six Senses resort in Zighy Bay, Oman (@SixSensesZighyBay). While he enjoyed his independence and took advantage of the opportunity to invent and test new dishes, he was ready to return to Canada after 18 months.