Wellington West chef Jason Sawision, co-owner of Stofa, is preparing for one of the biggest moments of his career after capturing gold at the Ottawa edition of Canada’s Great Kitchen Party this fall.
The victory, awarded at a competition at Raphaël Peruvian Cuisine on Sept. 22, also earned him the People’s Choice Award and a spot at the Canadian Culinary Championship in January. The four other chefs he was up against included: Simon Beaudry from Les Fougères, Michael Hauschild from InHaus Cooking, Mitch Lacombe from Gitanes, and Simon Laroche from Restaurant Caméline.
Sawision has become a familiar face in Ottawa’s dining scene, but the roots of his culinary life stretch back to his early years.
“I think I was always surrounded by cooking when I was a young kid and loved helping out in the kitchen,” he told KT.
As he grew older and found his way into professional kitchens, he discovered he thrived there. “I liked the closeness of which the entire team works together. The fast pace… I really enjoy a bit of a high pressure situation during service.”
Originally from the Toronto area, Sawision moved to Ottawa when his wife began her master’s degree here nearly two decades ago.
Working at Atelier for seven years helped deepen his creative instincts and sharpen the idea of what his own restaurant could be. When an appealing space opened in Wellington West about eight years ago, he decided to take the plunge.
“Wellington West has got a large grouping of really, really good restaurants, maybe some of the best in the city… It feels like a neighbourhood, so that was also very attractive.”
Stofa emerged from Sawision’s desire to offer food that was imaginative without formality.
“We call it contemporary Canadian and I guess fine dining,” he said. “Modern décor, high-end service, but fun and creative food.”
There’s no single cuisine guiding the menu. Instead, he draws on flavours that interest him and on the places he’s worked. “It’s a bit of a mixed bag of flavours, but we’ve seemed to find a style that kind of represents this place and represents what we wanted to show.”
That spirit was at the heart of the dish that brought him to the top of the podium this year. Judges from across the national culinary community praised his plate of seared scallops with almond pudding, green tomato and mango salsa, poblano pepper sauce and a tortilla tuile, paired with a Fumé Blanc from Niagara.
“There were some really, really exceptional dishes in Ottawa tonight,” said National Head Judge Chris Johns, according to a press release. “It’s as good a competition as I have ever seen in this city.”
Sawision is now turning his attention toward the national championships, which take place in Ottawa on Jan. 30 and 31.
“I’ve competed at the national event before, so I know that it’s a really well received event and it’s a lot of fun and brings a lot of, you know, really excellent chefs together,” he said. “We’re really excited to represent Ottawa.”