Executive Chef & Owner

Chef Thompson currently runs his take-out only restaurant & food manufacturing company the Wooden Boat Food Company specializing in Vietnamese and French fare in Kitchener, Ontario. His award-winning dipping sauce NUOC CHAM (dipping/dressing sauce), can be found in over 250 retailers in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.

Chef sits on the Board of Directors for the CTA (Culinary Tourism Alliance) and is an advisor for the Food System Roundtable of Waterloo Region. His passion for equitable access to food, sustainability in food systems, and the importance of food literacy, food education, and food security continues to drive him to do better in every facet of his work.

As a former chef instructor, chef has worked in both the private and public sectors of the food industry and has spent years honing his skills at several prestigious restaurants in Vancouver namely Bishop’s, Il Giardino, and Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club. Chef Thompson can be seen providing lively and engaging information-packed cooking demonstrations in BC and Ontario.

Chef Thompson holds a Bachelor of Music degree in classical guitar performance, a Bachelor of Education, a diploma from Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, and his Level 2 Wine and Spirit Education Trust. In his pursuit of happiness, he also took a two-year hiatus from both cooking and teaching to pursue a musical dream that culminated in a Grammy Award nomination in 2010.

Chef Thompson now lives in the close-knit community of Kitchener, Ontario with his lovely wife, two darling children, and their lovable fur ball Jetson.

Our Mission; Sustainability & Localism

We believe sustainability in today's business environment is an essential building block for long-term success, and therefore, every decision we make starts with the question of sustainability and how our actions will affect the environment in the short and long-term.

We believe in localism by creating a caring community and a thriving local, economy through action, active engagement and participation through collaboration and partnerships. By collaborating with our local farmers, other chefs and small businesses in the region we are able to promote community over competition.

The Wooden Boat is a saran wrap, aluminum foil, & parchment free kitchen. We source local, sustainable, pasture-raised or free-range proteins whenever possible.