CHINESE RESTAURANT AWARDS PRESENTS DINING BY THE AWARDS
The new city series unfolds in Toronto and Montreal this June, featuring five chefs highlighting Chinese cuisine in dialogue with other culinary traditions
This June, the Chinese Restaurant Awards is expanding its DINING by the Awards signature culinary event programming with the launch of its new City Series, debuting in Toronto (June 11) and Montreal (June 13). Designed as exclusive, one-night-only events, the City Series extends the Awards’ signature dining experiences across Canada, showcasing contemporary Chinese cuisine with Canadian talent, ahead of the Awards ceremony this September.
In Toronto, the collaboration features DaiLo’s chef Nick Liu and 2025 CRA Elite 30 CANADA honouree Lai Wah Heen’s executive chef Sin Chung Ho and dim sum head chef Victor Huang. In Montreal, 2025 CRA Canada’s Rising Star Chef award recipient chef Andersen Lee of 2025 CRA Elite 30 CANADA ranked No. 24 restaurant Oncle Lee Kǎo is joined by chef Stephen Leslie of Taverne Sur le Square.
Each evening features a multi-course tasting journey, paired with whisky and cocktail creations by The Dalmore – highlighting how the complexity, maturation, and cask-led character of Highland single malt whisky complements Chinese cuisine. .
“Chinese Restaurant Awards’ DINING by the Awards has always been about creating meaningful and unique culinary experiences for guests to joy,” says Rae Kung, CEO of Chinese Restaurant Awards. “With our new City Series, we are expanding that vision by bringing together chefs, ideas, and perspectives in more focused, one-night evenings across the country. As we continue to build on our national coverage from the past year, this is an opportunity to go deeper into the richness and diversity of Chinese cuisine in Canada, and to create space for new collaborations and dialogue.”
TORONTO — JUNE 11. THURSDAY
Lai Wah Heen – Elite 30 CANADA Top 50 Honouree (2025)
x DaiLo’s Chef Nick Liu
Where: Lai Wah Heen at DoubleTree by Hilton, 108 Chestnut St, Toronto, ON M5G 1R3
6 p.m. reception | 7pm DINING commences
Ticket: CAD $300 + HST, including The Dalmore’s whisky pairing and cocktail experience
To reserve the experience: Call (416)260-8988 / events@laiwahheen.com or reserve online
Toronto’s edition brings together Executive Chef Sin Chung Ho and Dim Sum Head Chef Victor Huang of Lai Wah Heen with Chef Nick Liu of DaiLo. Rooted in Cantonese discipline — wok mastery, ingredient clarity, and refined dim sum craftsmanship — the menu meets Liu’s New Asian perspective with Hakka influence, shaped by French technique and seasonality. The result is a focused dialogue between tradition and modern expression, paired with the layered complexity of The Dalmore.
MONTREAL — JUNE 13. SATURDAY
Oncle Lee Kǎo – Elite 30 CANADA, ranked No. 24 (2025)
x Taverne Sur Le Square’s Chef Stephen Leslie
Where: Oncle Lee Kǎo – 112 Rue McGill, Montréal, QC H2Y 2E5
Doors open at 5:30 pm
Ticket: CAD $215 +GST/QST , including The Dalmore’s whisky pairing and cocktail experience
To reserve the experience: Call (514) 303-1100 / info@restaurantonclelee.com or reserve online
In Montreal, Rising Star Chef 2025 award recipient Chef Andersen Lee hosts a deeply personal collaboration at Oncle Lee Kǎo with acclaimed Chef Stephen Leslie of Taverne Sur Le Square, who had an early influence in his culinary journey. Lee’s globally informed yet identity-driven approach to Chinese cuisine meets Leslie’s classical European foundation shaped by French training and Quebec seasonality. Together, they present a menu that reflects continuity across generations and technique, alongside the depth and elegance of The Dalmore.
Guiding the whisky experience is Emma Coady, The Dalmore’s Single Malt Whisky Expert. “Each pairing is a reflection of heritage and innovation, crafted with intention to create harmony at the table,” says Coady. “This is a month to savour and these two one-night events by the Chinese Restaurant Awards are just the beginning, with further opportunities for diners to experience The Dalmore alongside Chinese cuisine.”
For more information about DINING by the Awards, the City Series, and the Chefs, please visit chineserestaurantawards.com.
BEYOND A DINNER
Building on more than a decade of DINING by the Awards, the City Series offers a more focused and immersive format for culinary exploration—celebrating talent, fostering exchange, and advancing the expression of Chinese cuisine across Canada.
Two cities. Two nights. A continued evolution of Chinese cuisine through collaboration, craft, and perspective.
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ABOUT CHINESE RESTAURANT AWARDS
Founded in 2008 in Canada, the Chinese Restaurant Awards is the world’s longest-running restaurant awards devoted to Chinese cuisine. Established to heighten public appreciation of Chinese dining and foster cross-cultural exchange, the Awards is guided by a team of culinary and marketing professionals united by a deep passion for Chinese gastronomy. Over the years, it has built a legacy of influential events and collaborations that showcase the diversity, creativity, and excellence of Chinese restaurants. In 2025, the Awards embarks on a pivotal new chapter, expanding beyond Canada to celebrate exceptional restaurants and culinary talent across Asia, defining a new era as an emerging global voice in Chinese gastronomy.
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