Michael Stadtländer and Jamie Kennedy walk away with new Governor General’s Cuisine Awards
The Governor General’s Awards, heretofore known for honouring the best in Canadian academics and arts, have added a new category to their ranks: cuisine. Yesterday, in an award ceremony at Rideau Hall, celebrity chefs Jamie Kennedy and Michael Stadtländer received a joint distinction for their role as culinary leaders by outgoing GG Michäelle Jean and her husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond (the new awards were apparently his idea).
Kennedy, who came back from the brink of bankruptcy after selling off his signature Wine Bar last year, and Stadtländer, whose Eigensinn Farm is easily one of the best restaurants in the country, shared the leadership prize honour for helping to make Scaramouche a dining legend in the early ’80s and for co-founding Knives and Forks, an advocacy group promoting organic agriculture. They have also been hugely instrumental in the evolution of Canadian cuisine, having mentored countless young, talented chefs and having committed to using local and seasonal ingredients. The two chefs met when Kennedy moved to Europe to expand his cooking knowledge and apprenticed with the German-born Stadtländer. They have remained friends and colleagues for the past three decades.
Twelve others were honoured with awards in six categories, including creativity and innovation, education and awareness, leadership, mentorship and inspiration, stewardship and sustainability, and youth. The full list of recipients can be found here.
• Michaelle Jean honours Canadian cuisine [National Post]
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/food/michael-stadtlander-and-jamie-kennedy-walk-away-with-new-governor-generals-cuisine-awards/&title=Michael Stadtländer and Jamie Kennedy walk away with new Governor General’s Cuisine Awards&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/JamieKennedyMichaelStadtlan.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_29841" align="alignleft" width="320" caption="Honourees Jamie Kennedy, Michael Stadtländer (Images: Edlynne, farmerchefconference)"][/caption]
The Governor General’s Awards, heretofore known for honouring the best in Canadian academics and arts, have added a new category to their ranks: cuisine. Yesterday, in an award ceremony at Rideau Hall, celebrity chefs Jamie Kennedy and Michael Stadtländer received a joint distinction for their role as culinary leaders by outgoing GG Michäelle Jean and her husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond (the new awards were apparently his idea).
Kennedy, who came back from the brink of bankruptcy after selling off his signature Wine Bar last year, and Stadtländer, whose Eigensinn Farm is easily one of the best restaurants in the country, shared the leadership prize honour for helping to make Scaramouche a dining legend in the early ’80s and for co-founding Knives and Forks, an advocacy group promoting organic agriculture. They have also been hugely instrumental in the evolution of Canadian cuisine, having mentored countless young, talented chefs and having committed to using local and seasonal ingredients. The two chefs met when Kennedy moved to Europe to expand his cooking knowledge and apprenticed with the German-born Stadtländer. They have remained friends and colleagues for the past three decades.
Twelve others were honoured with awards in six categories, including creativity and innovation, education and awareness, leadership, mentorship and inspiration, stewardship and sustainability, and youth. The full list of recipients can be found here.
• Michaelle Jean honours Canadian cuisine [National Post]){kind=link}
Well-deserved.
I have one comment regarding this TO Life piece. Jamie Kennedy has contributed so much to this city in the way of sustainable methods of cooking and pioneered innovative approaches to dining – the recent Communal Table at the Brickworks is a great instance; I was lucky enough to attend.
Do you think it’s necessary to vent his recent financial woes upon every mention? Is this an editorial decision, because it’s prevalent in TO Life. The Jamie Kennedy brand shouldn’t be synonymous with recent valleys, acknowledge the peaks. Also, isn’t talking about money every seven seconds kind of gauche?
I agree w Oliver. For this piece and the dozen or so preceding.
Thankfully Toronto Life have turned the corner of the Jamie Kennedy Bashing era of the last 18 months.
The way this magazine conducted itself during a tumultuous period for one of Canada’s most respected chefs has been appalling.
Seemingly the Kennedy bandwagon is ripe to jump on board (once) again. Bandwagons must be in season.
Yes, Toronto Life, please stop telling us the truth about our chefs. We would rather hear nothing but pleasant lies—that every chef is the best chef who ever walked the earth, that none of them ever make stupid business decisions or lay off staff without offering severance. Why can’t you be more of a booster club, like Martiniboys.com?
interesting comments…fact is Jamie Kennedy’s piece did have a negative slant re the financial troubles of his business. Why not bring up one of Michael’s late library book fee incidents or an overdue parking ticket? Why not??? because it DOESN’T MATTER!
Jamie Kennedy has provided this city with groundbreaking gastronomic delights as has Michael. For their work in the kitchen, the product on our plate, and their promotion of sustainable eating is why they should be honoured – bravo!!