TORONTO — Laura Maxwell is the new executive chef at The Drake Hotel, located on Queen West, downtown Toronto.
“I feel very lucky and couldn’t be more excited to be surrounded by supportive and like-minded peers who value the people behind the business,” says Maxwell. “It would be an understatement to say the past year hasn’t been challenging and I’m very fortunate to be working with such a resilient, hard-working group of people who have made progress possible.”
Inspired by Toronto’s dynamic culinary scene and bolstered by her worldly experience, Maxwell focuses on bringing locally sourced, naturally cultivated and sustainable ingredients to her menu.
“With the support of my great and growing team, I’m eager to share a new menu and bring fresh, tasty, shareable plates that cater to every palate,” adds Maxwell. “As the city re-opens, one of the things I’m most looking forward to is contributing to joyful and momentous occasions.”
Born and raised in Toronto, Maxwell is a graduate of George Brown’s Culinary Arts Management Program. After becoming a Red Seal-certified chef in 2008, among other accolades, Maxwell won the Ontario Hostelry Institute’s Top-30-Under-30 award at the age of 26 and in 2018 was the recipient of the Gold Good Food Innovation Award for her Food Day Canada menu. As an executive chef at Le Sélect Bistro for more than three years, she designed and maintained the restaurant’s award-winning menu and leaned into her philanthropic philosophy, supporting local charities and non-profits at off-site fundraising events whenever possible.
