John Ledwell

John Ledwell worked his way up from the bottom of the ladder. He got his start at Gentleman Jim’s as a dishwasher before moving up the ranks to become a line cook, and then a cook aboard an Imperial Oil tanker, prior to enrolling at The Culinary Institute of Canada to hone his craft. After leaving Holland College, he moved to Quebec, where he worked in some of the top kitchens in Montreal, before being recruited by Daniel Langlois (founder of Softimage) to the position of Executive Chef of his exclusive, members-only club Le 357c. John’s cuisine had many fans, among them former Prime Ministers Jean Chretien and Brian Mulroney, as well as international celebrities Barbra Streisand, Robert DeNiro, and Celine Dion.

John was always at the leading edge of culinary trends: from Kobe beef to Colville Bay oysters, he was among the first to recognize and promote exciting new ingredients. His unrelenting pursuit of the best culinary products brought prosperity to small producers of quality ingredients. He was known to welcome young, aspiring chefs into his kitchen to inspire and mentor the next generation. When he passed away suddenly in 2007 of a heart attack at the age of 45, the Montreal Gazette remembered him in a glowing tribute to a career cut tragically short.

John received a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2013.