Victoria Rinsma, sous chef at Oakville’s Michelin-recognized Hexagon and winner of the Canadian Regional S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition, is making her mark with dishes that balance tradition and innovation. Inspired by her grandmother’s East Coast cooking and fueled by creativity, she’s now preparing to represent Canada at the Grand Finale in Milan this October. We caught up with Victoria to chat about her journey, award-winning dish, and what keeps her inspired in the kitchen.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a sous chef at Hexagon Restaurant in Oakville, Ontario, and last year was named the Canadian Regional Winner for the San Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition. Cooking has been part of my life since childhood. Growing up, I was inspired by my grandmother’s cooking, which was rooted in comfort and tradition. Those early influences sparked a love of food that has stayed with me throughout my career. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to train and refine my skills in professional kitchens, and Hexagon has been a place where I’ve been able to explore my creativity, technique, and connection to local ingredients. For me, cooking is about telling a story, one that honours my roots while pushing me to innovate and evolve. Winning the Regional Finals with my dish “Across the Sea and Home Again” was incredibly meaningful because it reflects both where I come from and where I’m going as a chef. I’m now preparing to represent Canada at the Grand Finale in Milan in October, and I am excited to continue to push myself through this journey.
Photo provided by GOLIN PR Agency
Working at a Michelin-recognized restaurant like Hexagon must be inspiring. What’s one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned there that shaped you as a chef?
At Hexagon, one of the most important lessons I’ve learned is the value of precision paired with creativity. Every dish we put forward has to be executed flawlessly, but it also needs to tell a story and spark curiosity. Working under executive chef Rafael Covarrubias, who is also my mentor for the competition, has shown me how mentorship, attention to detail and respect for ingredients can elevate a dish from something delicious to something unforgettable. That balance between technical mastery and personal expression has shaped the way I approach cooking.
Your winning dish, Across the Sea and Home Again, beautifully bridges heritage and innovation. Share your story behind it and why those East Coast flavours were so important to you?
This dish is deeply personal. It’s rooted in my upbringing, where my grandmother’s cooking left a lasting impression on me. Her split pea soup, in particular, was a dish that always felt like home. For the competition, I wanted to develop a dish that would honour that memory but also reflects my growth as a chef.
Photo provided by GOLIN PR Agency
What ingredients or cooking method do you believe is underrated and deserves more attention in fine dining?
Nixtamalization is a technique that I think deserves more attention in fine dining. It’s often associated with corn, but applying the process to ingredients like butternut squash, as I did in my dish, transforms both the flavour and texture in a unique way. It highlights how traditional methods from one culture can be adapted in creative ways to bring depth and complexity to contemporary cuisine.
What advice would you give aspiring chefs?
My advice would be to stay rooted in what inspires you but stay open to learning from every experience. The dishes that stand out are the ones that feel authentic and personal, but they also show growth and refinement. Seek out mentors who challenge you, embrace techniques outside your comfort zone, and don’t be afraid of failure, it’s where you learn the most. Most importantly, remember that food is a way of connecting with people. If you cook with passion and intention, that will always come through on the plate.
Answers provided by Victoria Rinsma, winner of the Canadian regional finals, S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition
