Fiodar Huminski Executive Chef of Pizzeria Locali and International Pizza Competition Champion
Chef Fiodar Huminski transitioned from building websites and working security to becoming the executive chef of Pizzeria Locali and a champion of international pizza competitions. Arriving in Toronto from Minsk, Belarus, in 2005 without any professional culinary background, Huminski built a career through various restaurant stations before establishing his own culinary footprint.
Early Life in Minsk and Arrival in Toronto
Growing up in a landlocked country, Huminski ate simply with his family, consuming potatoes, chicken, and his mother’s signature dishes without traveling or dining out frequently. When he landed in Canada with his family in 2005, Toronto introduced him to Chinese and Korean neighborhoods that fundamentally expanded his culinary awareness. He described himself as someone deprived of flavor for most of his life, noting that discovering items like bulgogi, dumplings, and dim sum marked huge personal milestones.
The Accidental Entry into Professional Kitchens
Cooking was initially absent from his career plans after arriving in Toronto, where he worked in a bakery, as a security guard, and as a mover while building websites. With no prior professional experience or childhood dreams of cooking, he wrote optimistically on his résumé that he was a good cook to secure his footing. The turning point occurred at Tavern on the Square, where he attended an interview for a pasta station, arrived two hours early, and claimed the spot of a candidate who stepped out for a smoke. His hand slipped between the lounge cushions, landing on a one-dollar bill that he took as a sign of good luck before chef Steven Leslie told him to start the next day.
Mentorship and Kitchen Stations at Tavern on the Square
Huminski spent six or seven years at Tavern on the Square, advancing through the kitchen:
- Started on the pasta station under chef Steven Leslie
- Moved through the fryer and garde-manger stations
- Worked fish and meat preparation
- Promoted to sous-chef
He credits Leslie with providing the structural foundation of his cooking abilities. Subsequent stages at Park, Cabane à sucre Au Pied de Cochon, and Tripes & Caviar alongside Jean-Michel Leblond further developed his skills and formed a lasting professional friendship.
Expansion into Pizza and Le Bon Vivant
Pizza entered his career when the Tavern chef sent him to assist at a pizzeria on Notre-Dame Street requiring kitchen organization. Huminski slid his first pizza into an oven there and observed the pizzaiolo at work, which led to a partnership with the owner to open Le Bon Vivant on Notre-Dame in 2014. Around 2015 or 2016, while running Le Bon Vivant, he visited No.900 and noticed that prosciutto and pancetta ends were left unused because they were too small for the manual slicer. He ground those scraps with sage and balsamic to create a charcuterie pesto for crostini, an idea that earned a permanent spot on the No.900 menu and led to a full-time role alongside executive chef Mirko D’Agata.
Pandemic Operations at Quartier des Spectacles
In 2019, Huminski and his partner bought a No.900 location in the Quartier des spectacles that other franchisees avoided due to high rent. When the pandemic forced shutdowns without subsidies or leisure activities, Huminski ran the kitchen alongside his partner and a pizzaiolo. Operating strictly as a takeout model serving Uber couriers, the simplified environment provided an ideal training ground.
Fiodar Huminski Moves to Canada and Becomes Executive Chef
When did Fiodar Huminski arrive in Canada?
Huminski arrived in Canada with his family in 2005, moving from Minsk, Belarus.
Which restaurant served as his primary culinary training ground?
Tavern on the Square served as his primary foundation, where he spent six or seven years advancing from the pasta station to sous-chef under mentor Steven Leslie.
What role does he currently hold?
He serves as the executive chef of Pizzeria Locali and is a champion of international pizza competitions.
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