Canada’s culinary scene is often led by Michelin-trained, European or Asian chefs. Dwight Smith recognized this, but stepped into those circles anyway, championing Jamaican cuisine in Canada with signature dishes and a phone camera.
After one viral video led to many, Smith became a judge on Food Network Canada’s Bake Master Battle in 2025, working to redefine Canadian food culture with every dish.
Smith began his culinary journey with a George Brown culinary degree, then worked at restaurants such as Alouette and Oliver & Bonacini. Enjoying these experiences, and making content along the way, he realized he was on the right path when the Jamaican and Black communities responded to his online videos.
“They just kind of embraced what I was doing and said, ‘You know what this is? This is our guy, and I was just floored by that,” Smith said.
Even with positive community reaction, Smith shared that he still feels imposter syndrome. “Sometimes you sit in these rooms and you say, ‘Do I belong here?’”
Through content creation, Smith works to break stereotypes and inspire other Canadian chefs.
He hears the stereotype that top chefs are mainly Michelin-trained and of European or Asian backgrounds.
Smith said, “I’m trying to step into that as a Black chef here in Canada.”
So far, he’s posted his twist on dishes like homemade beef patties, rigatoni, and lamb online.
His favourite thing to cook is comfort food rooted in Jamaican heritage, like braised oxtail and rice and peas.
Cooking can often seem complicated, and not everyone believes they’re a good chef, but as a professional chef, Smith believes everyone has the potential to learn and that food’s a necessity for living, leaving you with little choice.
“There are a lot of products out there that make things a lot easier for people. And you know, if all you got is a microwave or an air fryer, you can still make it happen,” Smith said.
But a good meal can also be shared on a first date, and for that, he recommends cooking a classic spinach ravioli.
“It’s so neutral. You blend the spinach in with the ricotta and the Parmesan cheese, as long as there’s no dairy allergies… You can put any sauce with it… ” It’s super versatile,” he explained.
“Boom, boom, boom, get it together. Little bit extra lemon zest, maybe some Parmesan on top, call it a day,” Smith said.
He added that when it’s homemade, all you have to do is add your own flair. “An old chef used to say, if you do it with flair, it shows you care,” Smith shared.
But the most important and sometimes controversial question lots of cooking lovers ask: what do you do with your chicken before cooking?
“It has to be washed. It has to be washed… It has to be washed in lime vinegar, a little bit of water. Get in there, removes any odours, any bacteria, and you start in a great place when you’ve washed your meat.”
When Smith films his food videos, there are always leftovers, so he loves to give his crew food that “feed[s] their soul.”
These food videos also helped Smith become a judge on Bake Master Battle. So what is the show?
There are a group of strong professional bakers competing, but the vibe remains family-friendly with great camaraderie, he explained.
Viewers can expect a dessert dash: quick challenges with themes for bakers to improvise and judges to sample.
Contestants compete for $10,000 with three hours to bake. Smith has seen everything from waffle towers to anti-gravity optical illusion cakes.
Despite being a chef rather than a baker, Smith has tremendous respect for the industry and understands bakers’ “full game plan” and the science behind it. He joked that cooking for him is more of “a little pinch of that.”
Though Smith has quite the sweet tooth and a 55-45 savoury-to-sweet ratio. He joked, “If I went out with you… I need dessert after the main.”
Bake Master Battle returned to air on Food Network on April 6.
