After weeks of cooking his heart out on Top Chef Canada, the nation乌鸦传媒檚 most prestigious culinary competition, Tofino乌鸦传媒檚 Paul Moran has emerged victorious.

Moran, the executive chef for 1909 Kitchen at Tofino Resort + Marina, celebrated the win on May 20 surrounded by family and friends at a season finale viewing party at The Hatch Waterfront Pub.

In the 乌鸦传媒榃inner Takes All乌鸦传媒� final episode, the judges called Moran乌鸦传媒檚 dishes 乌鸦传媒渟ophisticated, artful, and delicious.乌鸦传媒�

They said he showed culinary maturity beyond his years. One judge hailed the crispy confit pigeon leg Moran served as his last main as 乌鸦传媒渙ne of the best dishes he乌鸦传媒檚 eaten in his life.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚 come from a long line of foragers. My great grandma in Austria, that乌鸦传媒檚 how she fed the family was foraging wild plants and mushrooms and selling them at the farmer乌鸦传媒檚 market. That乌鸦传媒檚 how she made a living,乌鸦传媒� said Moran, who met his fianc茅e Danielle in Tofino a couple years ago.

Originality and cooking philosophy, notes Moran, is likely what made that fine difference between winning the title of Top Chef Canada and the $100,000 grand prize and packing up his knives empty handed.

乌鸦传媒淥bviously, the win is good for myself, but it乌鸦传媒檚 also great for everyone that works here and it乌鸦传媒檚 good a testament to all their hard work. Without the team, I wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be where I am; I wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 have been able to go to that. I乌鸦传媒檓 super appreciative of the team that we have here and happy to be a little bit more visible in the community,乌鸦传媒� said Moran, adding that the food and beverage team at Tofino Resort + Marina is about 75 people strong.

The seventh season of Top Chef Canada was filmed last September and October.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a long time to keep a secret like that,乌鸦传媒� said Moran, who had to sign a confidentiality agreement with Food Network Canada. At the casting audition in Vancouver, Moran made the judges a wild mushroom dish.

乌鸦传媒淭hat was it. They told me I was on a few weeks after that.乌鸦传媒�

Tofino乌鸦传媒檚 Lisa Ahier, executive chef at the award-winning Sobo Restaurant, attended the season final viewing party. She told the Westerly News she thought Moran would be the winner from day one.

乌鸦传媒淚 think he乌鸦传媒檚 fantastic. I think he乌鸦传媒檚 a nice, young man. He乌鸦传媒檚 worked very hard and his heart乌鸦传媒檚 in the right place,乌鸦传媒� Ahier said.

乌鸦传媒淚 know his background. I know how he乌鸦传媒檚 trained. I know how he is with his family. I know how he is as a human. All those factors are top chef qualities. He乌鸦传媒檚 not a one flash in pan. From dessert to appies to fish to foraging乌鸦传媒� he乌鸦传媒檚 got all of it.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淲hat I really liked was his family connection. I think with food it乌鸦传媒檚 from the heart and if you don乌鸦传媒檛 connect your food to your heart and your family I just don乌鸦传媒檛 think it translates to as many people,乌鸦传媒� she said.

Moran said it was great to see everyone show up for the viewing party.

乌鸦传媒淲e had a lot of support from a lot of the local restaurants and businesses here in town. A lot of our local guests who have been supportive since we opened. So far, I乌鸦传媒檝e been getting a lot of positive feedback from people in the community to say the least,乌鸦传媒� he said.

As for being $100k richer, Moran said he doesn乌鸦传媒檛 have much planned for the loot quite yet.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檒l see what happens in the future. I乌鸦传媒檓 committed to staying here in Tofino and here at 1909,乌鸦传媒� said Canada乌鸦传媒檚 Top Chef, also known as the 乌鸦传媒楳ushroom Man乌鸦传媒�.

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