Culinary student takes centre stage at Ottawa’s Best Restaurants event

When Sierra Conboy steps into the spotlight as one of the featured chefs at the Ottawa Citizen’s upcoming Best Restaurants event on Oct. 19, she’ll be representing more than her culinary talent. The current Algonquin College Culinary Management student will be showcasing her unique blend of Inuit and Indigenous cuisine while celebrating the mentors, classmates and community that have helped shape her journey.

Conboy, 22, was invited to participate in the prestigious event through connections she developed in Ottawa’s culinary community. She will be serving an Arctic char ceviche, a dish that reflects both her cultural roots and the culinary techniques she has refined through years of professional experience and formal training. “I’m so excited,” she said of participating in the event alongside one of her longtime mentor Trudy Metcalfe-Coe. “It’s a kind of passing the torch moment.”

The opportunity comes at a busy time. Conboy is currently in her third semester of Algonquin College’s Culinary Management program while simultaneously operating Tuktu Catering, a growing business specializing in Inuit and Indigenous-inspired cuisine. Her menus combine traditional ingredients with modern French techniques, drawing on the guidance of mentors Metcalfe-Coe and Georges Laurier.

Balancing a full course load with a thriving business requires discipline and careful planning. Conboy intentionally limits the number of catering events she accepts during the school year, prioritizing her studies while continuing to serve clients across Ottawa through Indigenous organizations, schools and community groups.

As she works toward completing her diploma this spring, Conboy says many of the lessons she learns in class directly support her growing business.

“I feel like we always need to keep learning,” she said. “I’m learning new techniques of doing the same things that I’ve done and learning that we could have the same end result, but a thousand different ways to do it.”

She credits Algonquin College with helping her grow both personally and professionally. Through hands-on learning, team-based kitchen environments and exposure to experienced chefs, she has developed new skills while building valuable industry connections.

“It’s great networking and it’s wonderful to work in a team,” she said. “We really get to work with other chefs here and the other student chefs.”

Conboy says her professors have encouraged her entrepreneurial ambitions and understand the realities of balancing school with industry opportunities. By maintaining open communication and staying on top of her academic responsibilities, she has been able to pursue career-building experiences while continuing to excel in the classroom.

She adds that many of her instructors have experience in restaurants and catering themselves, creating an environment built on mutual understanding. “They’re so happy and they think it’s wonderful to be able to be so young and balance everything very efficiently and organized,” she said.

The Best Restaurants event also carries special personal significance. Conboy is participating in honour of her friend and fellow aspiring chef, Joshua Qiyuk, who passed away in 2025. The two shared mentors, worked together at events and often encouraged each other as young Inuit chefs beginning their careers.

“Josh was also an Inuk chef in training, and so am I, and we were just at the start of our careers,” Conboy said.

Following his passing, Algonquin College awarded Conboy a bursary established in Qiyuk’s name, a recognition she says means a great deal to her. She also carries with her a cherished gift from his family: an ulu, the traditional Inuit women’s knife, given to her by Qiyuk’s mother and engraved with his name.

“It’s nice to have a piece of Josh,” she said. “I was gifted an ulu from his mother, and I’m going to have him with me that night.”

For Conboy, the event is both a professional milestone and a personal tribute. As she continues building her business and pursuing her culinary education, she remains focused on sharing Inuit culture through food while carrying forward the encouragement she received from a friend who believed in her potential.

Ottawa’s Best Restaurants 2026 will celebrate Ottawa’s rich culinary landscape, giving eventgoers the chance to eat, drink and connect with some of the capital’s top chefs.