Lesia Burlak-Gordii
Chef
Lesia was born and raised in a small village in Western Ukraine, and in 1990, at the age of 10, immigrated to Canada. Lesia spent the next 7 years completing her studies, including enrolling in a hospitality class. Upon accepting a position in 1997 at the Pinocchio Restaurante in Etobicoke, Lesia realized a passion for food and a hidden talent in cooking. It was then that Lesia decided this would be her chosen career.
Lesia moved on to The Islington Golf and Country Club in 1998 as a prep cook, and was very quickly utilized in the role of tournant. It was at this time that Lesia started her Apprenticeship and began her Culinary Schooling at Humber College in the Chef Apprentice Program.
Lesia’s talents were brought to the attention of the Management of Culinary Team Ontario. Subsequently, she was asked to become a Support Member for the Team, assisting in fundraising events, all practices and travel to Germany for the World Culinary Olympics 2000, where the Team won Gold and ranked Second Overall world-wide in the Regional Category.
In January 2001, after a strong performance in Germany, Lesia was asked to become a Support Member for Culinary Team Canada competing at the 2001 Culinary Grand Prix in Glasgow, Scotland. Team Canada won 4 Gold Medals and was declared World Champions.
For the years to come, Lesia dedicated herself to her passion for cooking. Working in various restaurants, sports clubs, hotels in Toronto, as well as owning and operating a private culinary college.
In 2002 at Expogast in Luxembourg, Lesia supported Culinary Team Canada to a Gold and Silver Medal, but truly represented Canadian Culinarians by competing in the Individual Chef Category with a Buffet Platter and Six Appetizers, winning a Gold Medal and the Individual “World Cup”, over 300 competing Chefs, and again while still completing her apprenticeship. Lesia went on to become a core member of Culinary Team Canada which won 3 Gold Medals and 1 Olympic Championship Gold and placed 4th overall in the world.
In 2007, Lesia went on to host one of the hottest cooking show “Foodies”. Lesia has also appeared on TV’s “The Next Great Chef” as Canada’s youngest judge for upcoming and aspiring chefs.
Lesia continues feeding her passion by training and coaching the upcoming generations of chefs and cooks as a professor/instructor at George Brown College.