Latest news with #CédricToullec
CBC
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Halifax pizzeria ranked among top 100 in the world
When Cédric Toullec opened his pizzeria in Halifax in 2022, he never imagined his pizza would get recognition on an international scale. Every year, the Best Pizza Awards, an accredited awards body made up of more than 500 expert panelists from 60 countries, votes on the 100 best pizza restaurants in the world. This year, the panel ranked Toullec's restaurant, Lou Pécou, located on Cunard Street, No. 93 on its list. It was one of only two Canadian pizzerias to make the list. "To be honest, it was a real surprise," Toullec said. "We knew about this assessment, we knew about this organization, but it was way beyond our reasonable thoughts to think like after just three years being new in Nova Scotia, we could have been noticed and assessed like that." Born and raised in Marseille, France, Toullec's journey to becoming one of the world's top pizza chefs began after attending a world championship pizza competition in Rome, where he witnessed the craft at the "highest level." Toullec said that up until that point he was still finding himself as a young chef. He was unsure if he wanted to be a cook or pastry chef or an ice cream maker. But attending the competition settled it for him. "It really hooked me because it was just stitching everything I love together," he said. "So pizza was the perfect medium for me to find clarity and alignment in my career." Upon moving from Marseille and opening Lou Pécou in Halifax, Toullec noted a strong reaction from the locals to his "classico" style of pizza making. He says that Haligonians tend to be very passionate about pizza and have certain expectations of how it should be prepared, which were often at odds with Toullec's European sensibilities. When Lou Pécou first opened, Toullec initially didn't slice his pizzas, common for most European pizzerias, but in Halifax led to him receiving many complaints. But none of this has discouraged Toullec, who is still committed to bringing gourmet pizza to the city and exposing people to different tastes and cultures. Included on Lou Pécou's menu are Nova Scotian staples such as garlic fingers, but also gourmet options with toppings like apple chips, pine oil and truffle ricotta on an organic pizza dough. He hopes that newfound exposure from the Best Pizza Awards will help in this mission. "The entire food scene will shine and the agriculture will shine, the new talent will shine," he said. "It's more like a moment where we share."
Global News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Global News
Halifax pizzaiolo named one of the top 100 pizza chefs in the world
Halifax-based master artisan pizzaiolo Cédric Toullec says he was shocked when he found out he had been named one of the top 100 pizza chefs in the world. Toullec, who is the chef at Lou Pécou Pizzeria in north-end Halifax, says he thought he was being scammed at first. 'I told my team that we have received the biggest scam,' he said. 'For us to pretend to have access to this kind (of recognition), it's way beyond reasonable.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Originally from Marseille, France, Toullec says when the restaurant opened three years ago, he wanted to use local ingredients and deliver fresh, authentic pizza. The Best Chef Awards is an international culinary ranking that works in the same way the Michelin Guide does. Story continues below advertisement Owners and staff are never aware that their restaurant is being judged. 'I was happy before that happened, I didn't need that to be happy or alive. I was proud of what I was doing, I was proud of my team, I was proud about Halifax,' he said. 'That is just a little cherry on the cake. That I like.' Despite the new international recognition, he stresses the importance of supporting local restaurants and cafes. 'Small restaurants are really the soul and the guardian and the heir of what Nova Scotia has to give, the best of what it has to offer,' said Toullec. 'There is so many places that deserve attention, deserve the same amount of recognition.' For more on this story, watch the video above.
