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.”
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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.
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.”
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