Professor Chef Leo J.K. Chan

People, East Asian, People

Renowned Chinese Canadian Professor Chef Leo Chan was born in Macau and came to Canada in 1966. He is the recipient of numerous achievement awards from the hospitality industry in Canada. After obtaining his B.A. in Political Science from York University, Glendon College, Toronto, he furthered his studies in Hotel, Restaurant and Resort Management at Ryerson University and became a Graduate of Cornell School of Hospitality of Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. His illustrious professional training includes completing an Italian Culinary D.O.P. course for chefs (Italian Trade Commission in Toronto), securing a Diploma of Austrian Patisserie (Innsbruck, Austria), being awarded an I.B.S. diplome from the International Bartender Association in Bordeaux, France, and holding a Culturally Inclusive Educator Certificate from the Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, Toronto, Canada.

Professor Chef Chan is immensely active in the hospitality industry and has contributed much to the Toronto community. Among his numerous achievements are his being one of the original members of Les Compagnons des vins de France, Toronto Chapter, a member of the German Wine Society & the Opimian Wine Society and the Board of Directors of the Ontario Restaurant Association. In addition, he was Advisor to the Ontario Chinese Restaurant & Food Services Association, appointed Ambassador representing the Toronto Cathay Lions Club, District A7 to regional and international meetings in Canada and USA.

His varied community work includes his being appointed by Government of Ontario to the Ontario Science Center Board of Directors, and elected to the Board of Directors of the Grapes of Humanity Canada, Toronto Chapter. He was also a volunteer supervisor of the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games & Parapan Am Games.

Professor Chef Chan has contributed much to student training, as Professor Chef of Chinese Cuisine, Food and Beverage Cost Control & Mixology, George Brown Hospitality Centre, Toronto (since 1989), and Adjunct Professor Chef of Asian Cuisine, Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, School of Hospitality, Recreation & Tourism, Toronto. He is also the Instructor of Cocktails, Wine Appreciation & Smart Serve Training, Richmond Hill Culinary Art Centre, Richmond Hill.

Professor Chef Chan has also held senior management positions in Mandarin Restaurant Franchise Corporation, the largest buffet chain in Canada, and the Sarku Japan Restaurants Group in the United States.

Does he look familiar? Yes, as he had numerous media appearances as Guest Lecturer, Television and Radio Guest Host on Breakfast Television, City TV, CTV Canada AM, Telelatino Network, Fairchild TV, CHIN Radio, OMNI TV, Canadian Chinese Media Network WOW TV, Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), Loblaws Supermarkets, Toronto Board of Education, Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs (ACCE), Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Eastern Canada) Association, Toronto Cathay Lions Club and Toronto Hong Kong Lions Club, Richmond Hill & Markham Chinese Business Association, Centre for Information & Community Services (CICS), Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Toronto Public Library (TPL), Asian Foodprints Conference at Munk Centre at University of Toronto, Connaught Seminar, Culinaria Research Centre, UTSC, South Grey Museum at Flesherton, Ontario, Agincourt Community Services, Toronto, and CIBC Wood Gundy -Thornhill, Ontario.

His community services include being an Executive of the Cornell Hotel Society, Toronto Chapter; President of the Toronto Cathay Lions Club; Board of Governor, The Doctors Hospital, Toronto; and he was on the Board of Directors of Ontario Science Centre, Mon Sheong Foundation Home for the Aged and Mon Sheong Foundation Chinese School; IMF-TD Bank Gala at the Art Gallery of Toronto and Annual Dragon Ball, Toronto. He is the Founder & Chairman of the VinCambridge Annual Food & Wine Festival Gala, Annual Trillium Chefs Canada Awards Dinner, in addition to being a Member of the Friends of Toronto Public Library, South Chapter.

Most notably, Professor Chef Chan is the Founder of Cambridge Food & Wine Society - Cambridge Hospitality Consulting. The Cambridge Food and Wine Society of Canada, an organization co-founded by Professor Chef Leo Chan and Professor Gian Paolo (J.P.) Michelini, celebrates its 29th anniversary this year. The members of the Society meet regularly for gourmet food and wine tasting and other educational activities. An important part of the Society's commitment is the on-going mentorship of young people in the hospitality industry. The Cambridge Society has a library of cook and wine books, as well as periodicals on hospitality. In addition to conducting food and wine tours, it also provides annual scholarship funds to accomplished high school, university and community college students.

For the past 28 years, the Society donated funds and supported Villa Charities, Second Harvest, North York Harvest Food Bank, Toronto Hispano-American Film Festival, Jean Lumb Foundation, CareFirst Seniors, Scarborough Hospital Foundation, the highly successful Canadian and Ontario culinary teams at the 2004, 2012 and 2016 World Culinary Olympics in Germany, the 2006 Expo Gast Culinary World Cup in Luxemburg, the CCFCC Junior Chef Competition, the Trillium Chefs Canada, the 2011 New Zealand, the 2016 Ecuador and Italy Earthquake Relief, the Retina Society, the Grapes for Humanity, the Geddy Lee Scholarship Niagara College, the 2013 Humber College Golf Classic, 2016 Toronto Chung Wah Chinese School Charity Golf Tournament, 2016 Fort McMurray Fire Relief, Heritage Toronto, West Humber C.I. Social Justice Club, Global Medic and the University of Toronto Scarborough Culinaria Research Centre.

Contact Information:
Cambridge Food and Wine Society
cambridgesociety@yahoo.ca