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Award winning chef and food stylist, Selwyn Richards has been planning and cooking delicious food with artistic flare since 1985.

Selwyn Richards has been planning and cooking delicious, artistic meals for over 25 years. He studied Culinary Management at George Brown College in Toronto and started his culinary career as a kitchen manager with Culture’s Food Service. Chef Richards has worked in a variety of prestigious restaurants in and around Toronto, including the Skyline Hotel, The Island Yacht Club, the CN Tower (as a sous chef), and The Earl Of Whitchurch-Stouffville. He also played a crucial role in the opening of the SkyDome, where he managed his own department as head chef.
In January 2014 Chef Richards was featured at Marché Toronto at the Spirit and Spice Festival. He has also appeared on the Celebrity Chef Stage at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in 2013 and 2014, an honor reserved for the world’s finest chefs.

Chef Richards creates a feast for the eyes as well as the palate!
-Raving Fan

When Grace Kennedy (Ontario) celebrated its 25th year in the province of Ontario. Chef Richards was enlisted to collaborate with the dean of hospitality at Centennial College, where they used Grace products as their main featured ingredients. Chef Richards joined forces with the culinary students and teachers and presented a variety of delicious dishes to more than 600 guests. This event has been noted as one of Grace Kennedy’s most successful culinary extravaganzas. Since then, Chef Richards has served as corporate chef for the company, where he continues to play a vital role in the transformation of products through his culinary creations.

Chef Richard’s broad experience in the hospitality and food services industries, coupled with a talent and enthusiasm for restaurant excellence, has resulted in him owning and managing his own upscale Caribbean restaurant, Pepperpot Café. He is also currently serving as CEO of The Art of Catering, which he operates with his brothers Lennox and Travis. The catering company is widely sought after across the Caribbean, North America, and Europe, and has been featured in a number of local newspapers and magazines. Chef Richards has also appeared on City TV’s Breakfast Television, CTV Canada AM, CBC TV, and Global News, and was the premier chef for the Jamaican 50th celebrations in Canada.

Chef Richards creates a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds! At the Food & Wine Show in 1987 (sponsored by the Escofier Society of Toronto), he was recognized for a high standard of excellence in the culinary arts, and was awarded two silver medals and one bronze medal.
An avid community builder, Chef Richards allows time to participate in numerous non-profits events, school functions, and public speaking engagements. A resident of the City of Pickering, Mr. Richards has supported the Career Fair at Pickering High School (where his youngest son is a student ) for the past four years. He also provides Sunday brunch to Joy Divine Praise Church for their Friendship Café, which is opened once per month to the public and congregation.

In September 2013, Mr. Richards teamed up with United Way of Peel Region to participate in a Guinness Book World Record event for the largest number of people to make soup at one time. He was one of two master chefs enlisted for this undertaking. Over 700 volunteers braved the cold and came out at 5am to clean, chop, and wash vegetables, producing over 1600 litres of soup. Mayor of Mississauga Hazel McCallion was on hand to stir in bits of vegetables. At the end of the day, a hearty and healthy “stone soup” was donated to several shelters throughout the Peel Region.

Chef Richards is also an author/writer. His new book The Art of Cooking – Soul of the Caribbean was launched in March 2014. The book chronicles Chef Richards’ culinary career and features food from the Caribbean.

As a diabetic, he takes great care to ensure that his meals are healthy, and is conscientious in providing healthier food options to promote physical well-being.

Recognized as an expert in his field and a niche as a food stylist, Chef Richards and his company The Art of Catering are renowned for their appearances on TV shows such as I Do…Let’s Eat! (Food Network), Rich Bride, Poor Bride (Life Network), and Soul Food (BET Network/Showtime). Interviews and live radio broadcasts with Selwyn have also been heard in Toronto on G98.7 FM, Irie FM Jamaica, CIUT 89.5 FM, AM 640, and CHRY 105.5 FM, and in Buffalo on the Jamaica Diaspora Radio Show on Blog Talk Radio and WBLK 93.7 FM. Selwyn is a contributor to publications such as Planet Africa magazine, Wisdom, Pride, Extra, and Share newspaper, where you can read articles featuring his recipes and recognizing his work.

The following are some of the film and TV productions that Selwyn has contributed his food styling expertise to in the past few years:
Alphas – American Pie5: The Naked Mile – Copper – Horizon – Take This Waltz – Copper – Cheaper by the Dozen 2 – Covert Affairs – Nikita – The Bridge – Breakout Kings – Defiance – Poe – The Strain – Carrie – Home Again – Suits – Unnatural History.