Chef Profiles
These are the chefs trusted to lead the room. Menus are kept private until closer to service — what we reveal here is the craft behind each name: training, victories, leadership, and the standard they bring into the Society.
Chef Jae-Anthony Dougan
Executive Chef • Founder • Caribbean Reimagined
Erica & Josh Karbelnik
TV Winners • Fine Dining • Surgical Execution
Chef Nicholas Stennett
Competition Dominance • Jerk Authority • Products
Chef Andrea Bolis
Milan-Trained • Global Kitchens • Bolissimo
Chef Jae-Anthony Dougan
With over 12 years of culinary expertise, Chef Jae-Anthony has built his reputation on reimagining Caribbean cuisine for a modern audience — rooted in tradition, delivered with innovation, and executed with the control of a true service leader.
Born out of his passion for blending tradition with innovation, he created the Jerk Chicken Poutine in 2012 — a Caribbean-Canadian staple that has since become a signature moment in his story.
Chef Jae-Anthony has been featured on Top Chef Canada, served as a judge on Food Network’s Wall of Chefs, and appeared on Big Food Bucket List — bringing his style to platforms where execution and personality both matter.
His restaurant Tropikal was recognized by Canada’s 100 Best and Air Canada enRoute Magazine as one of the best restaurants in the country in 2021. That same year, he made history as the first Black chef to be featured on the cover of enRoute Magazine, one of Canada’s most prestigious lifestyle publications.
Over the course of his career, he has cooked for countless celebrities, developed menus and recipes for national restaurant chains, and founded two acclaimed restaurants — built to last, built to perform.
Accolades & Media
High authority, clearly stated.
- Top Chef Canada — Featured
- Food Network — Wall of Chefs — Judge
- Big Food Bucket List — Featured
- Canada’s 100 Best — Tropikal recognized
- Air Canada enRoute Magazine — Tropikal recognized (2021)
- enRoute Magazine — First Black chef featured on the cover (2021)
- Seasoned Dreams — Founded (2012)
- Tropikal — Founded (Montreal & Ottawa)
- Developed menus/recipes for national restaurant chains
- Season One headliner chef — Black Apron Society
Season Menu
Menus remain private until closer to service. The reveal is part of the theatre.
Erica & Josh Karbelnik
Erica and Josh Karbelnik are a husband-and-wife culinary force built inside Toronto’s most disciplined fine-dining kitchens. Their authority is proven in competition, service, and leadership — under the kind of pressure that exposes weak execution.
Erica began her professional culinary career as an apprentice at ONE Restaurant under renowned chef Mark McEwan. During that same period, Josh was training at North 44, another flagship in McEwan’s group — and encouraged Erica to pursue the precision and standards of fine dining.
By the age of 27, Erica became one of the youngest Junior Sous Chefs in the company, working at Figo in Toronto’s core. She later rose to become Chef de Cuisine at Weslodge, becoming the second female CDC at Icon-INK.
She later served as Executive Head Chef at Elmwood Spa (Terrace Restaurant), a luxury environment that demands controlled timing, flawless plating, and calm leadership.
Together, Erica and Josh bring the Society its most important ingredient: repeatable excellence.
Accolades & Media
No vague wording. Clear proof.
- Top Chef Canada — Season 9: Erica Karbelnik — WINNER
- Top Chef Canada — Season 9: Josh Karbelnik — FINALIST (served as Erica’s sous chef in the finale)
- Chopped Canada — Season 3: Erica & Josh — EPISODE WINNERS
- Gold Medal Winner — National Tapas Competition (Erica)
- Canadian Representative — National Tapas Competition (Erica)
- Culinary Ambassador — NBA (Erica)
- Canadian Choice Business Awards 2024/2025 — Toronto Caterer (Karbs Catering & Private Events)
- Hosts — Gusto TV’s Bring On The Karbs (Josh & Erica)
- Judge — CTV’s Milk Masters (Erica)
- Canadian Representative — Spain’s Culinary World Competition (Josh, 2023)
- Canadian Representative — Spain’s Culinary World Competition (Erica, 2021 & 2023)
- Training lineage under Mark McEwan — ONE Restaurant (Erica) and North 44 (Josh)
- Chef de Cuisine, Weslodge — Icon-INK Hospitality
- Executive Head Chef, Elmwood Spa Terrace Restaurant
- Season One chefs — Black Apron Society
Season Menu
Menus remain private until closer to service. The reveal is part of the theatre.
Chef Nicholas Stennett
Chef Nicholas Stennett is a Jamaican-Canadian chef whose name has become synonymous with award-winning jerk and competition dominance. Since migrating to Canada in 2013, he has actively competed across major Caribbean and Canadian food circuits.
He entered MasterChef Canada as a contestant and has since earned an extraordinary competition record: 15 gold medals and 6 trophies.
Beyond the competitions, Nicholas built TricNic into a full ecosystem: TricNic Catering, TricNic Jerk Centre, and TricNic Products.
His flagship product, TricNic Jerk Marinade, was invented in Westmoreland, Jamaica in 2002 and built from 17 Jamaican herbs and spices.
He has been featured in major publications including the Toronto Star (August 2014) and Jamaica’s Gleaner.
Accolades & Media
Awards, wins, and recognition — clearly listed.
- MasterChef Canada — Contestant
- 15 Gold Medals and 6 Trophies across culinary competitions
- First Place — TD Jerk Food Festival
- First Place — Grace Caribbean Cook-Off
- First Place — Celebrity Men Who Cook
- First Place — Chefs of the Kingdom
- First Place — Jerk Wars / Jerk Warz
- Media features: Toronto Star (Aug 2014), Jamaica Gleaner
- Founder ecosystem: TricNic Catering, TricNic Jerk Centre, TricNic Products
- Season One chef — Black Apron Society
Season Menu
Menus remain private until closer to service. The reveal is part of the theatre.
Chef Andrea Bolis
Chef Andrea Bolis is a classically trained Italian chef whose authority is built on education, repetition, and international discipline — not television exposure.
Born and raised in Milano, Andrea entered culinary school at 13, graduating in 2006 from the Institute of Culinary Arts of Milan with a final grade of 92/100.
His path includes Four Seasons Hotel (Milan), Grossi Florentino (Melbourne), Vertical (Toronto), Capocaccia Ristorante, and Cumbrae’s butcher training.
In 2017, Andrea founded Bolissimo and has earned consistent five-star reviews through refined private dining and precise execution.
Accolades & Media
Career milestones and proof points — clearly stated.
- Born and trained in Milano, Italy
- Graduated: Institute of Culinary Arts of Milan (2006) — 92/100
- Assistant Pastry Chef — Four Seasons Hotel (Milan)
- Fine dining — Grossi Florentino (Melbourne)
- Chef de Partie → Sous Chef — Vertical (Toronto)
- Head Chef — Capocaccia Ristorante
- Butcher training — Cumbrae’s (2.5 years)
- Founder — Bolissimo (2017)
- Five-star reviews — Take a Chef
- Season One chef — Black Apron Society
Season Menu
Menus remain private until closer to service. The reveal is part of the theatre.