Edmonton Chef Wins Culinary Competitions
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Simon Smotkowicz was practically destined to be a chef.
“I always liked food and enjoyed cooking‚” Smotkowicz says. “Mealtime was a big part of our family. My mom was a great cook‚ and so was my grandmother.”
A native of Toulouse‚ France‚ he immigrated to Canada in 1975 after graduating from the Toulouse Hotel School in 1968.
“I came to Canada almost by accident‚” Smotkowicz says. Vacationing in Toronto‚ he was offered a job by a cousin in Edmonton who needed a chef for his restaurant.
Smotkowicz accepted and went on to hone his culinary skills at the Edmonton Plaza‚ the Four Seasons Hotel Edmonton‚ and Delta Hotels in Edmonton‚ Winnipeg and Montreal over the next several years.
In 1988‚ he became the executive chef of the Shaw Conference Centre‚ where he and his staff create fine meals for as many as 3‚500 people at a time.
“They were looking for a chef and approached me‚ and I wanted to come back to Edmonton‚” Smotkowicz says. “I like the quality of life. The city has grown quite a bit since 1988‚ and there [are] plenty of things to do.”
Smotkowicz’s culinary abilities have resulted in many awards‚ including the Canadian Culinary Federation’s National Chef of the Year in 1998.
He also has won numerous gold medals and a few world champion titles in international culinary competitions with Culinary Team Alberta‚ of which he is past manager.
Smotkowicz says he loves his career because “every day is a different challenge. I enjoy creating and working with other people under pressure.”
Story by Jessica Mozo
Photo by Michael W. Bunch
