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Christopher McDonald (born February 4, 1958) is an acclaimed Canadian Chef, restaurant consultant, writer, restaurateur, wine enthusiast. In addition to this classical culinary training, he is an expert in classical music and culture of Spanish, Latin Americas Cusine and Italian Cusine, including regional and local variations. He is known for his haute cuisine dishes,. and was chef-owner of acclaimed Avalon Restaurant in Toronto. Avalon closed in 2002. And subsequently he opened Cava and XocoCava Restaurants in Toronto. Xococava was closed in 2013 and he sold Cava in 2014 to his chef partner, Doug Penfold.

According to Food Network Canada ″Chef Chris McDonald is one of Canada’s most respected chefs, known for a creative, first-principles approach to cooking, and an exceptional knowledge of the intricate relationships between food and wine. Much of this knowledge was derived from a 15-year educational odyssey of learning both the spoken and culinary languages of the world’s great cuisines. Chris McDonald has been influential in bringing his experience to several acclaimed projects in Canada, acting as chef at the VIP lounge of the Ontario pavilion at Expo 86 in Vancouver; as chef de cuisine at Centro, a project that introduced the emerging California cuisine to Toronto; as opening chef at Santa Fe Bar and Grill in Toronto, a highly successful project showcasing his southwestern and Mexican culinary skills; and at Massimo Rosticceria in 1990, which drew on an intensely personal vision that grew out of his experience in Italy. In 1995, he opened Avalon restaurant in Toronto, an 11-year project investigating the culinary boundaries of urban fine dining.″