Donald
Berkman, CFM
Director of Food & Beverage
Our Local Flavours
Experience the flavours of Nova Scotia, from Cape Breton to the South Shore and beyond, all within our Centre! Our Local Flavours Program collaborates with over 100 local suppliers to source the freshest ingredients for our kitchen. We are committed to showcasing local producers, which not only helps to support our local industry but also ensures that your guests are getting high-quality, fresh ingredients. Our menu items are carefully crafted to showcase the best of Nova Scotia's food scene, from traditional dishes to modern twists on classic recipes. You can feel good about your meal knowing that it was made with care using ingredients sourced from Nova Scotia's best culinary producers.
Learn more about our Local Program
Our Food Philosophy
Our culinary team at the Halifax Convention Centre is dedicated to providing an exceptional dining experience for our guests. We believe that food is not just fuel, but an experience that brings people together. We are proud to showcase the best of Nova Scotia's culinary offerings and are excited to share our love of food with you. We look forward to welcoming you to our table!
Our Team
Combining Nova Scotian ingredients with international flair, Executive Chef Christophe Luzeux (CCC) leads our team of culinary experts. Our team draws inspiration from all corners of our province, incorporating the abundance of local ingredients available in Nova Scotia to craft mouth-watering dishes. Chef Luzeux and his team of culinary artists have created a menu that'll take you on a food journey you won't forget.
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Tidal Bay
Nova Scotia’s signature wine is described as the taste of Nova Scotia in a glass. Cool, crisp, lively, and aromatic, it’s the perfect pairing for our local seafood. Cheers!
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Alexander Keith
You can’t call it a trip to Nova Scotia without a pint of our famed Alexander Keith’s beer. Crafted here since 1820, it’s one of the oldest working breweries in North America, and part of our heritage. If you want a taste of Nova Scotia, we’ll pour you one!
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The Pork Shop
With over two decades offering the finest pork products, you could say these folks have certainly earned the blue ribbon. They supply over 70 products, including the chicken sausage they create just for us.
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Stone Hearth Bakery
For over 40 years, Stone Hearth Bakery has provided Halifax with delicious, locally baked goods. They also provide learning, training, and employment pathways for those facing challenges to finding sustainable and meaningful work. Doing good tastes great, and we love working with this team.
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Wild Nova Scotia Blueberries
Our provincial berry may be small, but it packs big flavour! Over 65 million pounds of wild blueberries are produced annually in Nova Scotia, and once you’ve tasted , you’ll understand the hype!
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Eden Valley Chicken
Eden Valley producers supply the best quality poultry from their family farms, straight from Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley to our kitchen.
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Sustainable Blue
The world's most responsible sustainable fishery uses zero antibiotics, zero hormones, and produces zero wastewater, to ensure the healthiest—and tastiest—salmon ends up on our menu.
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Java Blend Coffee Roasters
This small, locally owned roaster is building community and making early events starts that much brighter, one delicious cup at a time.
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Egg Farmers of Nova Scotia
A non-profit organization representing the province’s 25 registered egg farmers, they provide the highest quality eggs to Nova Scotians, so we can start our mornings—and cakes, and hollandaise sauces, and croissants —right.
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Riverview Herbs
A year-round, family-run greenhouse specializing in fresh-cut culinary herbs and over 150 varieties of plants, Riverview Herbs helps our team enhance our dishes with a uniquely Nova Scotian flavour.
Donald Berkman, CFM
Director of Food & Beverage
Our Director of Food & Beverage, Donnie Berkman was on his way to becoming an accountant before his culinary calling led him to join our team. He was drawn to the unique and diverse nature of the business, with every event bringing new and exciting opportunities to collaborate with event planners to develop a menu that meets their needs.
Since stepping into the hospitality industry, Donnie has held many roles, including stewarding, front-desk agent, sales, marketing and catering. He credits his team’s culinary success to their collaborative approach of working toward a common goal – that every event is exceptional. As a certified food and beverage manager for TIANS, Donnie strives to provide each guest with a memorable experience during their time in Nova Scotia.
Local flavours inspire our culinary creations, and this is something that Donnie and his team pride themselves on. You can find a lot of this Nova Scotia influence in our new Halifax Convention Centre menu! Dig in here.
Christophe Luzeux, CCC
Executive Chef
Our Executive Chef, Christophe Luzeux – or Chef, as he’s known as around here – is a world-renowned, award-winning culinary artist, having received many regional, national and international accolades for his work.
Originally from France, Chef touched down in Halifax nearly three decades ago; the personable, lively city that now continually makes him proud to call home. As a veteran member of the Halifax Convention Centre team, Chef often says that his culinary team responds to today’s client needs with the same passion and professionalism they did over 25 years ago. For Chef, his team is a key part of his daily inspiration.
When he’s not preparing delicious cuisine, Chef enjoys home renovation projects and searching for antiques. His ideal day in Nova Scotia includes taking in the scenery on the South Shore, exploring Lunenburg and Mahone Bay. Or, venturing to the Annapolis Valley to experience the finest that wine country has to offer.
Kevin Leggat
Executive Sous Chef
Kevin has worked for more than 20 years in kitchens around the world, initially learning techniques in Toronto and while traveling through Southeast Asia and Indochina. He returned to Canada to work at the Fairmont Château Lake Louise in Alberta before moving to Vancouver to work at the Opus Hotel during the 2010 Winter Olympics. Ever the adventurer, Kevin found himself back in Paris and then the French Alps working alongside prestigious chefs in a gastronomic kitchen.
As the Executive Sous Chef here at the Halifax Convention Centre, Kevin plans and designs customized event menus as a culinary point of contact with our guests and clients. He administers, coordinates, and helps execute culinary requirements during events, and finds fulfillment in coaching, and mentoring members of our culinary teams.
When Kevin’s not in the kitchen, you can find him out hiking, fishing, going to concerts, or practicing archery. He also has a passion for scuba diving, and he looks forward to diving off our coastal shores.
Charmaine Roma, CCC
Sous Chef
Charmaine’s team prepares nearly all of our delicious selections from scratch, providing our clients and their delegates with a flexible menu that can accommodate dietary restrictions, custom creations and more. Our team is always looking for ways to infuse local flavours and ingredients into our dishes to give delegates a taste of Nova Scotia.
Our Sous Chef, Charmaine, is an outstanding food industry professional and she has the hardware to back it up! Charmaine has her Red Seal certification and won the 2017 Culinarian of the Year award from the Nova Scotia Association of Chefs and Cooks. Outside our kitchen, Charmaine volunteers at the Dartmouth North Community Centre teaching cooking skills to youth. Charmaine loves working with her diverse, award-winning team and looks forward to helping you create the very best event and culinary experience for your guests.
Gary Chin, CCC
Sous Chef
When it comes to mentorship and teamwork, we couldn’t find a better leader for our culinary team than Gary. A Red Seal Chef with over 27 years of experience in the culinary industry, Gary has worked with culinary teams from across Canada. Before joining our team, Gary worked as a faculty member at the Nova Scotia Community College in the Culinary Management program. He is also certified in Adult Education and is involved in many industry and community organizations.
Gary began his career at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, where he obtained his Journeyman Certificate. Since then, he has worked in upscale hospitality and mentorship roles in Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia before joining our team as Sous Chef. He is happiest when helping to refine the skills and successes of our award-winning culinary team and helping to support the next generation of culinary experts.