Judges
Samantha Gutmanis
Samantha Gutmanis is an expert in creating family meals and does so from North Vancouver.
Mom to three young daughters who keep her on her toes (in and out of the kitchen) and is married to an (almost) always hungry husband. When she’s not in the kitchen or with her family, she also plays soccer or enjoys hiking in the mountains.
Life’s big celebrations and humble everyday moments often revolve around food, and it brings Samantha much joy to cook for these occasions. You'll likely find her covered in food from cooking with her girls or unwinding with a glass of wine (or possibly both), but it’s a good day when food, family, and friends intersect.
Website: https://www.mykitchenlove.com/
Facebook: @mykitchenlove.samantha
Instagram: @mykitchenlove
Art Napoleon
Art Napoleon (Âciw) is host and co-producer of APTN’s popular show Moosemeat & Marmalade, an international food series that showcases Indigenous foods, traditional knowledge and outdoor cooking techniques. This former chief is as comfortable on a big city stage or boardroom as he is skinning a moose in a hailstorm with a pocketknife. Art grew up in the boreal forests and mountains of Northern BC where he learned hunting, plant use and outdoor cooking. Art holds an MA in Language Revitalization from the University of Victoria, is an advocate of Indigenous food sovereignty and practices subsistence activities on a seasonal basis. Based in Victoria BC, Art remains connected to his home territory and his Cree and Dane Zaa roots. When he is not producing TV, he tours regularly as a performer and speaker. His moose stew has been known to cure hangovers and his campfire tales have mended broken hearts…or so the stories go.
Website: http://www.artnapoleon.com/
Barbara Finley
Barb Finley is the Founder and Director of the Project CHEF Education Society and Project CHEF: Cook Healthy Edible Food, an experiential program in Vancouver (VSB) elementary schools. Educated as a teacher, (UBC B Ed, M Ed), she taught with the Langley and Vancouver School Districts and the Faculty of Education at U.B.C.
Combining her love of teaching and cooking she returned to culinary school, training at the Dubrulle Culinary Institute, then taught in the professional culinary and pastry programs at Dubrulle Culinary Institute, Arts Institute and at Northwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver.
Barb designed a number of culinary programs for children throughout the Lower Mainland, including Dubulle Culinary Institute, Northwest Culinary Academy, Vista d’Oro Farms, Dirty Apron Cooking School, Quince, Prince of Wales High School Life Skills program and York House School.
Wanting to develop a program that could reach all children, in 2007 Barb developed the curriculum-based school program, Project CHEF and began implementation in VSB schools. Since that time she has taught over 17,500 Vancouver children and over 8,000 parent volunteers about wholesome food and how to prepare it. A non-profit program, Project CHEF partners with the Vancouver School District and the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.
Since the start of Project CHEF, program Barb has received a number of awards for her work, including being inducted into the BC restaurant Hall of Fame (2019), the Governor General of Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal (2018), the Maple Leaf Foods Feed it Forward Award (2016), the Canadian Association of Foodservice Professionals Community Leadership Award (2016); and the BC School Superintendents Association Award of Recognition for leadership and contributions to enhance public education (2013).
Barb is a past trustee with the Canada Post Foundation for Children, a member of the BC College of Teachers, Les Dames d’Escoffier (BC Chapter) and Chefs’ Table Society of BC.
Photo credit: @leilalikes