Jean Louis Themistocle

A recipient of a Hilton Culinary Institute Scholarship 40 years ago, Jean-Louis trained at the famous Queen Elizabeth Hotel and under 5 Star Strasbourg France Chef Marcel Kretz (first chef to receive Order of Canada) at the historic La Sapiniere in the Laurentians. Jean-Louis is currently a senior culinary professor at the prestigious Quebec Tourism and Hotel Institute (ITHQ). Former president of the Montreal Chefs Association and also graduate of the ITHQ, Jean-Louis has been nominated "Chef of the Year" several times, most recently in 2008, by the Quebec Chapter of the Society of Chefs. Jean-Louis's highly acclaimed restaurants, L’ile de Madagascar & L’Exotic served Hollywood celebrities and political & royal dignitaries from around the world.

For over 35 years, Jean-Louis has made the culinary arts accessible to everyone through comedy, music and dance. Television and film appearances include, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” (NBC) & “The Travellers” (Discovery Channel), and "2001 A Space Travesty".  Author of several recipe books and recipient of the 1999 Canadian Prize for Special Interest Culinary Literature, Jean-Louis is a prolific recording artist, lyricist, and composer, whose CD's extoll fabulous food as a key to good health.

In 2003, Jean-Louis founded the non profit organization, Cuisiniers Sans Frontieres (Chefs Without Borders), whose mission is to eliminate poverty through the culinary arts.  Jean-Louis returned to his native Madagascar and built a culinary institute for adolescents from the most destitute villages.  Building a solid foundation in culinary skills, Jean-Louis helps the disenfranchised and marginalized secure a future, gain self worth, and experience the most basic of human rights, health and dignity.

Since it's 2006 founding, Jean Louis has built 3 schools in Africa (2 in Madagascar & 1 in Benin), 1 for street kids in Montreal (Cafe dans la rue) and this Spring, departs for the Far East where he will build a school in Vietnam.   Next year's school will be built in Peru.

Jean Louis will assist Chef Phil Andriano in designing and setting up TVP's Hospitality & Culinary Institute.  Plans are in the works to host the Pacific Rim Headquarters of "Chefs Without Borders" at Volcano House, or in Volcano Village.

Click here to watch a 4 minute video of Jean-Louis in action in Montreal and Africa.