Biography

Thanks to the encouragement Chef Riley Bennett received from his high school chef instructor he pursued his passion at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) where he graduated with honours while working at the Westin Hotel Calgary as an apprentice. Chef Bennett also joined the culinary competition team to represent SAIT and Canada on the world stage at the Food Hotel Asia in 2002 in Singapore.
 
In Singapore, Team SAIT won World’s Best Apprentice Team, silver medals in the cold and hot competition and a grand gold medal in the hot and cold competition. Prior to the world stage, Chef Bennett competed in multiple regional competitions where he won a gold medal in the Culinary Arts Salon in Calgary, Alberta, a Gold Medal in Skills Alberta, a bronze medal in Skills Alberta and cooked at a professional level for the Fetzer Food and Wine Pairing competition in Calgary.
 
After landing back in Canada from Singapore, Chef Bennett decided to get back in the kitchens and moved to Sooke on Vancouver Island where he worked at Sooke Harbour House, where at that time was rated as one of the top restaurants in the world. At Sooke Harbour House, Chef Bennett had the opportunity to work with Chefs who now have Michelin Stars and restaurants around the world.
 
In 2003, after completing just over a year at Sooke Harbour House, Chef Bennett moved to open his own catering business called Twin Elements Catering in Burlington, Ontario where his twin brother and him catered for large events, weddings, corporate settings, bar mitzvahs, birthdays and began specializing in home and office catering for Christmas parties and specific clientele. During this, Chef Bennett was the Specialty Chef at the famed Lord Nelson in Burlington, where he developed and cooked 7-course tasting menus for the local VIP's including ambassadors coming from Belgium, France and Italy.
 
In 2005, Chef Bennett then moved back to British Columbia where expanded his catering clientele and still catered to his clients in Ontario, the twin Chefs were flown back for yearly Christmas parties, birthday parties and special celebration. The menus highlighted indigenous British Columbian ingredients as the base for the menus. While operating the catering business, Chef Bennett also ran the family restaurant in Falkland, where he would cater on the side and bring people together to celebrate the Okanagan at his biweekly 'Taste of the Valley' events where people travelled for hours to come to the dinner that sold out quickly. 
 
In 2007, Chef Bennett accepted an offer at Mission Hill Family Estate in Kelowna British Columbia as the Chef de Partie, where he quickly worked his way up to Restaurant Chef and Executive Sous Chef of the property. At Mission Hill, Chef Bennett brought in multiple organic farmers he worked with during Tastes of the Valley and his catering operations, some of which were childhood friends. At Mission Hill, Chef Bennett started to hone his craft and future. He learned about wines, food, terroir, beverages and the importance of agriculture and the connection between soil, food and wine and how they affected one another. Mission Hill Family Estate menus are focused on a local concept, where 90% of the foods would come from within the Okanagan Valley. Chef Bennett tightened that loop by speaking with farmers in the North and South Okanagan to extend the season of the menus. 
 
In 2010, Chef Bennett was chosen as one of the top 5 competitors to compete for a chance to represent Canada at the Bocuse D'or in Lyon France. After training for months, he found out the day before the competition he was having twin boys who are now part of the family business. 
 
Chef Bennett left the Okanagan after accepting an offer at George Brown College's signature restaurant  and later received an offer in 2016 for Full Professor at George Brown while teaching at both George Brown and Humber College. Chef Bennett hit the ground running where he developed and coordinated multiple academic and competition programs leading to student medals at the National level. He then enrolled in the University of Guelph MBA Program specializing in Sustainable Commerce while developing university degree level curriculum at George Brown. He brought the students to the industry and industry to the classroom as part of his philosophy to connect students to the industry they will be entering. Chef Bennett supported in setting up students globally in jobs on top of recruitment and marketing efforts for students. The Honours Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Culinary Management is still running as one of only three programs in North America and is considered one of the top programs linking culinary arts and business together. 

‘I owe my success to the people who have always supported me in my journey and invite new clients to join me in celebrating Canada and its food scene. This business (Bennett by Twin Elements Hospitality) is a hobby with plans for growth. I look forward to building on the vision together with my clients as it is a way for me to stay connected to industry and get some creative juices flowing while staying within the trends. So, let’s have some fun and get creative for your events. Let me take on the burden and use my skills to make it easy for you while having fun in the kitchen and letting the food bring people together with lots of laughs, smiles and joy!’