Following in the footsteps of famed fellow Nova Scotia-based Top Chef Canada competitors Stephanie Ogilvie and Renée Lavallée may be a formidable task for season 9 chef Stéphane Levac, but rising up to meet a challenge is nothing new for the creative Kentville-based cook.
After setting his sights on becoming a full-time chef roughly eight years ago, the one-time bingo caller and blackjack dealer’s rapid ascension from a part-time private chef to becoming “the bagel guy” at the Wolfville Farmers’ Market, to his current role of executive chef at Kentville’s award-winning Maritime Express Cider Co. has been nothing short of remarkable.
A fervent forager with a penchant for creating imaginative dishes that connect to both his local landscape and his Indigenous roots, Levac’s self-taught culinary technique has earned him a reputation as one of Atlantic Canada’s elite chefs.
We recently caught up with Levac ahead of the Top Chef Canada season premiere (April 19 on Food Network Canada), who shared a few of his favourite food and drink destinations in the Annapolis Valley.
Breakfast
Naked Crèpe in Wolfville has something for everyone at a reasonable price.
Lunch
Luckett Vineyards in Gaspereau Valley has the best patio in Nova Scotia. It has a great atmosphere and who doesn’t like eating oysters with a view?
Dinner
My favourite place for dinner is Hop Scotch Dinner Club in Halifax. I mean, it’s chefs Stephanie Ogilvie and Brock Unger! What else do you want to know?
Drinks
Lot Six Bar and Bar Stillwell in Halifax both have great atmospheres. Lot Six has some of the best bartenders in the city and Stillwell has some of the best beers.
You might want to grab a snack at Stillwell from my man, chef Joe Martin!
