Chef Phil Cameron
International Culinary Expertise
An Award Winning Chef with International Flavours Going Local
Chef Phil Cameron, a native of Ottawa is the Executive Chef and proud owner of Chef Phil Cameron's Fine Dining Experience. Chef Phil has been cooking professionally for over 10 years following his training at La Cité in Culinary Management concentrating on Classical French cuisine and managing restaurants.
Chef Phil's first catering company Phil-up My Belly is an example of how he takes on culinary initiatives. His work at the Parliamentary Food Production and Dining Room had him build on his skill sets and talent. Chef Phil has worked at the Fairmont Château Laurier and was the chef at The Vanitea Room in Ottawa.
Chef Phil continued his culinary journey accepting the position of Executive Chef at the German Embassy in Ottawa. During that time, he was a proud member of Culinary Team Canada where he travelled to Germany for the culinary Olympics. This started his journey in the international cooking scene. He represented Canada at the 2020 world expo in the Canadian Pavilion as the sous chef sharing his unique style and excellence of the Canadian culinary cuisine.
Phil was on Team Canada for the Culinary Olympics that took place in Germany in the spring of 2024. This was his second time representing Canada and helped the team bring back Gold, Silver and Bronze medals once again!
Chef Phil is continuously working to better the community and has been a volunteer with Food for Thought and The Ottawa Mission, among other organizations and now once again with Kozroots Community Empowerment Projects. He values the work of the Nonprofit and is committed to doing his part in lending a hand to feed people. He is the Past President of the Ottawa Culinary Federation, and is currently the the Vice President of Central Canada for the National Culinary Federation of Canada. He is a strong advocate for chefs and the culinary movement in Canada.
He continuously travels to learn from other international chefs by joining them in their kitchens. He has staged in Barcelona, Berlin, Tulum, Banff and other restaurants. He is hard working and always seeking to build on and improve his talents as a Chef by exploring new and creative menus to serve to his clients and cater special events such as the Eastern Ontario Garlic Festival.
Together with Jesse Bell he has created an outstanding selection of garlic based tapas with food that is 100% local to our region that brought guests tastebuds to a new level of delicious!
The menu for this year will be coming out as we draw closer to the Eastern Ontario Garlic Festival and Growing Together Conference & Summit.
Chef Jesse Bell
Canadian Culinary Focussed & Expertise
A Rogue Chef
Jesse Bell was raised in Cornwall, and now calls Ottawa home.
As a student in Cornwall at 15, he discovered his love for food in a Coop Program where he was influenced by two Red Seal Chefs that mentored him. After studying Culinary Management at Algonquin College he was further inspired by his love of Ottawa and surrounding areas booming local food scene.
He has been the chef at some of Ottawa’s most happening restaurants, most recently Prohibition Public House and The Albion Rooms.
Jesse now runs his own catering and consultation company: A Rogue Chef. Jesse is the president of the Ottawa Culinary Federation and is committed to sharing his creative culinary art with youth and is a professor at Algonquin College in Ottawa.
Jesse pulls inspiration from the local cultures and locally grown food. He sources ingredients and works closely with The Ottawa Farmers Market to create contemporary yet rustic Canadian fare with Nordic influences, providing seasonal ever-changing dishes for any kind of dining. He is committed to having every plate he creates feature the bounty of local farmers and food producers by showcasing the best the region has to offer.
As president of The Ottawa Culinary Federation he focuses on the development of the culinary industry advocating for fairness, recognition for chefs, and the engagement community wherever possible. He believes strongly in giving back and supports several charity events such as Feast of Fields, Taste for Hope, Ottawa Farmers Market, Food for Thought, The Ottawa Culinary Federation, Eastern Ontario Potcake Rescue among others, and now The Eastern Ontario Garlic Festival & Tapa Service with pairing of a selection of local wine and beer.
Jesse will be sourcing a line up of local products and garlic of course to create the menu for Eastern Ontario Garlic Festival and Growing Together Conference and Summit.