Chef Eli Silverthorne
Collaboration with Stratford Chefs School
Our Garlic Festival is not just about Garlic, it is about many local food products, food preparation, education and community.
In 2026, we begin a collaboration with the Stratford Chefs School to bring together talented, world-class chefs, passionate food lovers and area producers.
The Stratford Chefs School has built an international reputation for culinary excellence. Teamed together with our Garlic Festival, patrons are going to find a huge variety of experiences. there will be hands-on education, demonstrations and delicious food to purchase.
Chef Eli Silverthorne, Core instructor at the Stratford Chefs School says "This year, we aim to bring an even stronger culinary focus to the festival. While chef demonstrations and educational talks will continue on side stages, my role will shift to a more central presence - having a centered display where I will be both demonstrating how to prepare and serving food to the public."
The new collaboration demonstrates what can happen when a community comes together.
Check out "Food & Drink" under Activities to see all the delicious food options at the Festival.
The schedule of all presentations for the weekend can be found under Activities/Presentations.
Biographies
Chef Eli Silverthorne
Core Instructor at the Stratford Chefs School
Chef Eli Silverthorne is one of Stratford's best-known culinary educators and is a highly-respected Red Seal Chef. He is a graduate of the Stratford Chefs School's Professional Apprenticeship Program (Class of 2015) where he graduated with distinction and as class valedictorian. Today Chef Eli serves as Open Kitchen Manager and Chef Instructor at the Chefs School where he leads a wide variety of hands-on classes not only for aspiring professsionals but also for home gastronomes. Chef Eli's journey has included such highly-regarded Canadian restaurants as The Prune, The Berlin, Araxi, Scaramouche, Maison Publique and Richmond Station.
He is a strong advocate for Ontario ingredients and local food producers, and he regularly showcases regional products and seasonal cooking in his classes and demonstrations.
Chef Eli has participated for many years at the Stratford Garlic Festival teaching audiences how to prepare various recipes. In 2026, Eli and the Stratford Chefs School will be highlighted as one of the festival's new food vendors.
He is a strong supporter of the Kiwanis mission of raising funds for children and families in Stratford and area. He has become an excellent ambassador, not just for garlic, food and drink, but his emphasis on local agriculture, education on food and nutrition, approachable cooking and community support aligns perfectly with the goals of the Stratford Garlic Festival.