Kim Canteenwalla

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Kim Canteenwalla is a Canadian chef, restaurateur, and hospitality consultant based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is the principal And Co-founder of Blau + Associates, a restaurant planning and development firm.

He served as executive chef of the MGM Grand Las Vegas and the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi. He is a four-time participant in the Best Hotel Chefs in America series at the James Beard House and a winner on the Food Network series Iron Chef America.

Early life

Canteenwalla was born in Karachi, Pakistan. His family immigrated to Montreal, Canada, where he grew up and attended Riverdale High School. He is of mixed heritage; his mother English and his father was Parsi (Zoroastrian). He was named after The Title character of Rudyard Kipling's novel Kim.

The surname Canteenwalla is of Parsi origin, combining the English word "canteen" with the Sanskrit suffix -wala (meaning "keeper of" or "one associated with"). The name is historically associated with Parsi merchants who supplied provisions to British regiments on the Indian subcontinent.

According to historian John R. Hinnells, a Ruttonji Framji Canteenwala relocated his provisions and liquor trade from Poona to Karachi around 1839-1840 to supply the British forces there. A popular anecdote, occasionally encountered in media profiles, attributes the family name to an ancestor running a canteen at Cotton Green in Bombay. This story in fact originates from a comedic sketch by Indian humorist Cyrus Broacha, in which he describes a fictional "Mr Canteenwala" as a partner in an air force canteen at Cotton Green.

Canteenwalla has cited his father as his primary culinary influence, recalling regular trips to the Atwater Market in Montreal to source ingredients for family meals.

Career

Training and international roles

Canteenwalla received his formal culinary training at the Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) on Saint-Denis Street in Montreal. He subsequently held culinary positions across several international markets, including the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto, Raffles Hotel in Singapore, Le Royal in Phnom Penh, the Grand Mirage in Bali, Le Méridien in Dubai, and the Royal Garden Group in Bangkok.

Las Vegas and major resorts

Returning to North America, Canteenwalla served as executive chef of Steve Wynn's Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi, where he was recorded for the Great Chefs of America television series in 2000. He then became executive chef of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where he oversaw 14 food and beverage outlets and support kitchens for the 5,034-room resort.

In 2005, Canteenwalla partnered with chef Kerry Simon on Iron Chef America, where the pair defeated Cat Cora in "Battle Hamburger".

He later served as executive chef and managing partner of Society Café at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, which was named one of the "Best New Restaurants of 2009" by food critic John Mariani.

Blau + Associates and restaurant ventures

In 2002, Canteenwalla co-founded Blau + Associates (also styled Blau & Associates) with his wife, restaurateur Elizabeth Blau. The firm provides strategic restaurant planning and development for hotels and resorts internationally, with past clients including the Park Hyatt in Chicago, the Plaza in New York City, and the Ritz-Carlton in Palm Beach.

As an owner and operator, Canteenwalla has opened several restaurants:

  • Honey Salt (2012, Las Vegas): A farm-to-table restaurant focusing on seasonal, market-driven cuisine.
  • Buddy V's Ristorante (Las Vegas): A partnership with Buddy Valastro ("The Cake Boss"), located at the Venetian.
  • Crown Block (Dallas, Texas): A steakhouse and seafood restaurant at Reunion Tower.

In 2017, Canteenwalla conceptualised and developed multiple food and beverage outlets at Parq Vancouver in Vancouver, Canada.

Personal life

Canteenwalla is married to restaurateur Elizabeth Blau. They reside in Las Vegas with their son. Both serve on the Culinary Council of Three Square Food Bank, a Southern Nevada food bank. In 2009, the I Have a Dream Foundation of Las Vegas named Canteenwalla Dream Builder of the Year.

In 2024, Canteenwalla was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal in Victoria, British Columbia, in recognition of his philanthropic work in Canada.

Publications

  • – Named Best Cookbook of 2018 by Food & Beverage Magazine.