Ben Kersley
Chef, The Common Stove, Orillia, Ont.
In his current role as head chef at The Common Stove, Ben Kersley
is credited with being creative, enthusiastic, adaptive and compassionate. Kersley transitioned to this new role in 2019, and has spent the majority of his time navigating a global crisis, demonstrating exceptional leadership and flexibility, from sharing his techniques with a new team to curating special take-out menus and street-feast dinners.
“Throughout it all, Ben leads his kitchen firmly and paternally. Things must be done correctly, but he always sees mistakes as opportunities to learn,” says Simon MacRae, owner of Common Hospitality Inc. “In service, he is bold and calm. He gives clear, precise instruction; he never shouts. In the down time, he jokes and cajoles and after service continues to mentor his team, encouraging them to reflect on their performance and discuss tomorrow’s service.”
With Kersley’s enthusiasm for food and drive to develop new flavours, The Common Stove has achieved great aclaim. The restaurant was listed on Open Table’s Top 10 Best Overall Restaurants and Best Restaurants for Overall Cuisine and it won the Re-building Orillia award for its contribution to the community over the last year.
