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At just 25, Negus King is doing what many chefs spend decades chasing: earning a place on Culinary Team Canada and preparing to compete on one of the world’s biggest stages at the 2028 International Exhibition of Culinary Art in Stuttgart, Germany. His rise from a first-year Honours Bachelor of Culinary Management student at George Brown Polytechnic to an Olympic-bound chef is not a story of luck but of discipline, grit, and an unshakable belief in what he could become.
Through this passion, he has carved a path that now makes him one of Canada’s most exciting emerging culinary talents.
Early inspiration and finding his direction
Negus’s relationship with food began early. “At a young age, I watched a lot of Food Network,” he says. “I’ve always been in the kitchen asking questions… and I also eat a lot. My aunt and my mom always told me I eat a lot, so I could as well just learn how to cook so I can feed myself.”
That curiosity and hunger — both literal and figurative — stayed with him. When it came time to choose a school, George Brown’s reputation and the structure of its four-year culinary degree made it the right fit. Now in his final semester, Negus says the program has shaped him into a young professional ready to meet the industry's expectations. Learning how to present himself, communicate, and navigate professional spaces, he says, has had a greater impact than he ever imagined.
A competitive fire
Negus’s competitive career began almost by accident. In his first semester, he was searching for a way to stay focused, and when a callout for competitors circulated, he decided to try. His early results were humbling. “My first competition… I did miserably bad. I did not do good at all,” he recalls. “But for some reason, my coach, Chef Riley Bennett, still invited me to join the team — he saw something in me and wanted to teach me and develop me as a chef.”
That disappointment stayed with him. His loss at nationals in 2023 lingered, and he admits, “After nationals, I felt like I got wronged… so the following year I was like, no, I need to do better.”
He returned stronger than ever in 2024, winning gold medals at Skills Ontario and Skills Canada, and earning the Best of Region award at the national competition. Those victories propelled him further into the competitive community, including a standout performance at Cooks the Books, where he caught the attention of influential chefs across the country.
Mentorship that shaped him
Throughout his journey, Negus has been surrounded by mentors who believed in him as much as they challenged him. One of the most influential, he noted, has been Chef Trevor Ritchie. “Working under [Chef Ritchie] and being trained by him — it’s just a lot of respect, and I want to learn everything he has to teach,” Negus says.
From Chef School faculty like Chef Andrew Evans and Chef Lucy Godoy, who put him through his paces in structured competition training, to Restaurant No. 8’s Chef Stephen Baidacoff and team, who provided space and guidance during crucial training periods, Negus is quick to emphasize that his success is shared. “Everyone has had a little role in my development,” he says.
“Negus has grown substantially in our kitchen, pairing professionalism and humility with a rare ability to turn feedback into immediate improvement,” said Chef Baidacoff. “His composure under pressure, along with his intentional and precise approach, sets a consistently high standard for himself and those around him. Working alongside Chef Nick Lin, co‑chef of No.8, has further broadened his exposure to regional Chinese cuisine refined through French technique. With a foundation shaped by strong mentors and an ever-expanding grasp of technique, he’s not just progressing as a young cook — he’s becoming someone who will help shape the future of Canadian cuisine.”
A life-changing invitation
Negus’s path to Culinary Team Canada began during Cooks the Books 2025, when judge Chef Carmelo Vadacchino connected with him and recognized something special. That led to an invitation to a four-course cooking interview where Negus prepared a vegan dumpling dish — inspired by techniques he learned from Chef Lin — along with terrine, duck, and red meat courses.
The response was immediate. “He debriefed me after the cook test… and immediately he said he’d be willing to have me on the team. As soon as he said that, I broke down. I was like, okay — this is serious.”
Suddenly, Negus found himself a member of the senior national culinary team. “The junior team stops at 24… I’m just 25, and I’m the youngest person on the team right now,” he says.
With that opportunity came enormous expectations. “It’s definitely a lot of pressure… I have to present my dish to the team. I’m trying to develop a world-class dish to really show why I deserve a spot.”
Precision, focus, and the demands of elite competition
Balancing school, work, and Olympic-level training requires meticulous structure. “I treat my life like I would in the kitchen — very precise with timing,” Negus says. “I have a lot of alarms set… I document my day. There’s really no downtime.”
This unrelenting discipline has become both his trademark and his competitive advantage.
What’s next
After graduation, Negus plans to continue competing nationally and internationally while working in top restaurants to sharpen his skills. His long-term vision includes elevating his craft, building his name, and contributing to Canada’s culinary identity on the world stage.
When asked what advice he would give to young chefs, he doesn’t hesitate. “Be ready to sacrifice a lot of time… set high goals and be obsessed with achieving them. That’s how I got through most of my competitions.”
And to his younger self? His answer reflects everything he has lived so far. “Trust the process… keep believing in yourself and just keep pushing harder and harder.”
Representation and being a role model during Black Futures Month
Negus understands the meaning of representation — especially in a field where Black chefs remain underrepresented. His hope is that his journey can serve as inspiration for other young Black culinary students. “I want them to use me as an example — to push yourself, always push your boundaries, just believe in yourself, and be dedicated and willing to work hard.”