Jan Hansen, formerly Bailli Honoraire of the Bailliage of Alberta in Calgary, has agreed to step into the formidable shoes of Chef Takashi Murakami as Conseiller Culinaire of Canada.

He was born and raised in Edmonton to Danish parents who immigrated to Canada in the early 1960s. It was in high school that a glimmer of talent was noticed and his food sciences teacher encouraged Jan to explore it as a career. Following a summer at the eminent Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, he was well on his way to pursuing his passion in the food industry.

Jan trained as a chef at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). After finishing his training and travelling back and forth to Denmark, Jan went to work at a Swiss-themed restaurant in Edmonton.

After this he cooked alongside Chef Yoshi Chubachi. “He was my first real mentor,” Jan says. “I was his Sous Chef for three years at the Centre Club. It was great working under Yoshi. I participated in many competitions and was able to learn about high-end food.”

Once in Calgary, Jan considered himself a private club chef for a long time. Eventually he was attracted by an opportunity to develop the main kitchen at Heritage Park making it one of the most impressive in Calgary. Designed in part by him to be functional and multi-purpose, Jan spent 10 years at Heritage Park serving up everything from hot dogs to foie gras.

His culinary style draws inspiration not only from his European heritage, but also from the classical French cuisine and the many mentors he has had along the way. He is passionate about creating a truly Canadian culinary experience.

Jan joined the Hotel Arts Group in early September 2015 as the Executive Chef overseeing all things culinary for the group including banquets, off-site catering, in-room dining as well as the group’s three top-rated restaurants. His move to a hotel restaurant was in a way bringing him back to his roots by giving him the opportunity to feed visitors from across Canada and around the world.

After two great years with the Hotel Arts Group, Jan was presented with the chance to try something totally different. Becoming a Culinary Instructor was something he had not considered previously, but he felt that it was something that he could not pass up.

Now into his second year at SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology), Jan is thrilled to be a mentor, teacher and leader for young culinarians.

Jan has been involved with the Chaîne from the early days of his career as a competitor in the Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition.  Having spent the last four years working with his predecessor, Jan is excited to take on this new role as Conseiller Culinaire.

Eric Jones
Chargé de Presse