Beyond the classroom: AC faculty brings expertise to Japan at World Expo
Posted on Monday, June 23rd, 2025
From April to October 2025, Algonquin College faculty member Phil Cameron has stepped away from the classroom and into world-class cuisine, leading a team of new culinary graduates from across Canada, including Kaito Webb from Algonquin College, at the renowned Expo event in Osaka, Japan. The opportunity to lead the team is a full-circle moment for Cameron, after he worked as a sous Chef with his mentor Wayne Murphy at the 2020 Expo in Dubai.
Chef Cameron (back centre) pictured with his student group.
World Expos, also known as International Registered Exhibitions, have a rich history of uniting countries since the Great Exhibition in London, England in 1851, with previous Canadian exhibits in Montreal in 1967 and Vancouver in 1986.
This year, Cameron oversees the culinary program at the Canada pavilion as the executive chef, with a theme of regeneration, focused on working together, sustainability, and collaboration between countries. The pavilion sees millions of visitors daily, ranging from tourists to politicians and other VIP guests. Cameron changes the menu daily based on who they are serving that day. Service can range from buffet style to multi-course meals, afternoon tea or canapés-style serving.
Left: Osaka Castle; Right: Canada Pavilion at the Expo in Osaka, Japan.
“The Expo is an opportunity for cooks to explore their creative freedom, they make something truly their own and master it,” Cameron shared.
Chefs from different cultures collaborate, create together and work together. Cameron highlighted the value of the experience stating, “You meet incredible people. You’re immersed in the culture and have to figure it out, everyone is always trying to help each other.”
Chef Cameron, second from the right, is pictured with Canadian students he oversees in the Canada Pavilion at Expo in Osaka, Japan.
Cameron has focused on Canadian ingredients such as scallops and lobster from the East Coast, blueberries and maple syrup from Quebec and beef from Alberta, to name a few.
Examples of the food prepared by Cameron and his team at the Expo.
When he’s not jet-setting around the world, Cameron brings these once-in-a-career experiences to learners in the classroom at Algonquin College and La Cité. “Work hard, believe in yourself, stay open-minded and stay curious. If you work hard and keep your mind open, you will always be hungry for knowledge,” Cameron advises students and graduates.