Top Chef Canada just kicked off its 12th season, and three Ontario chefs are in the running— including one who works alongside Matty Matheson. Toronto’s Coulson Armstrong and Shai-Ann Tyson, along with Prince Edward County’s Charlotte Langley (Nice Cans and Langley Foods) are all in the running for the crown.
Here’s what they told us about stepping into Canada’s toughest kitchen.
Coulson Armstrong,Toronto, Culinary Director at Our House Hospitality
What inspired you to step into the Top Chef Canada kitchen this season, and how did it feel walking onto set for the first time?
“I was inspired by my family and my co-workers at Our House Hospitality Company. The first episode was filmed at St. Lawrence Market on a busy Sunday morning — it was overwhelming but exciting. I took a moment to take it all in and assess what this competition was all about.”
If Top Chef Canada had a mystery ingredient basket, what’s the one item you’d be thrilled to see…and the one you’d dread?
“Thrilled to see: good quality beef One I’d dread: through my cooking career there were ingredients that I didn’t really care for like grapefruit or mushrooms, but as a chef you learn to appreciate all ingredients and try to make anything work. But maybe the durian fruit could be a challenge. Or turtle…”
What was Matty Matheson’s reaction to you joining Top Chef Canada, and did he share any advice before filming?
“He said one thing to me — you better win. That’s it.”
Charlotte Langley, Prince Edward County, Nice Cans and Langley Foods
You’ve spent decades perfecting seafood dishes and sustainable practices — how did competing on Top Chef Canada push you to rethink or stretch your culinary boundaries?
“Top Chef pushed me to move faster, trust deeper, and create without hesitation. It reminded me that innovation and sustainability go hand in hand — it’s about adaptability and respect for every ingredient.”
Win or lose, what do you hope people take away about you and your cooking after watching the season?
That I cook with joy, integrity, and purpose. I want people to see that Canadian ingredients — from our fisheries to our farms — can be craveable, sexy, and full of heart. My hope is that viewers walk away inspired to eat more consciously and cook more fearlessly.
If you could convince the Top Chef judges to let you make a dish highlighting tinned seafood, what would it be and how would you wow them?
“A warm sardine escabeche — MSC-certified sardines reimagined with charred citrus, pickled fennel, and a silky smoked tomato emulsion. It’s humble but high-impact.”
Shai-Ann Tyson, Toronto, Balmy Beach Club & S.A.L.T. Pop-Up Restaurant Co.
How did your cultural background — Canadian, Trinidadian, and Venezuelan — influence the dishes you chose to make for the judges?
“My background plays a huge role in how I cook. I blend traditional Caribbean and Latin ingredients with fresh Canadian flavours — it all comes together in a way that still feels like home.”
If you could swap kitchens with any chef in the world for a day, who would it be and why?
Massimo Bottura. I love how he takes tradition and turns it into something completely new while keeping the heart of the dish alive. I’d love to experience his creative process and see how he finds inspiration in the smallest details.
Imagine you take home the title — what’s the first meal you’re cooking to celebrate, and who’s sitting at the table with you?
Definitely a big family-style meal, doubles, arepas, maybe some ceviche in honour of my husband’s roots. The table would be full of family, close friends, laughter, and music. I’d want it to feel like home. Because that’s what food is to me: love and celebration.
