Chef Asela Bulner: From Sri Lanka to Blackshop

For Chef Ace—Asela Bulner—cooking has never been simply a career. It is the continuation of a life shaped by restaurants, family, travel, and an enduring fascination with flavour.

Now Executive Chef at Blackshop Restaurant & Wine Bar in Cambridge, Ontario, Chef Ace brings more than 23 years of culinary experience to the kitchen. His career has taken him through luxury hotels, private clubs, major sports venues, and respected restaurants in Canada and abroad, giving him a broad perspective on both hospitality and the discipline required to deliver memorable dining experiences.

Chef Asela Bulner in black chef whites piping garnish onto a line of plated desserts

Originally from Sri Lanka, Chef Ace grew up surrounded by hospitality. His grandparents were involved in operating restaurants and sports bars, and some of his earliest memories are of following them from one location to another. What captured him most, however, were the kitchens. Chefs would invite him behind the scenes, show him what they were preparing, and let him taste new creations.

Those early experiences planted the foundation for his career, but his greatest culinary influence remains his mother, whom he affectionately calls “the Queen of Chefs.” Her instinctive approach to cooking—guided by flavour, aroma, texture, and balance rather than strict measurements—continues to influence the way he develops dishes today.

Chef Ace later studied in Germany, where his cooking absorbed a subtle influence of precision, structure, and comforting flavours. He went on to work in five-star hotels in the Middle East before moving to Canada in 2008.

Since then, his résumé has included roles with Royal Mayfair Golf & Country Club, Westmount Golf & Country Club, Whistle Bear Golf Club, Rogers Place and the Edmonton Oilers, the Edmonton Expo Centre, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders organization.

A grilled fish topped with chopped peppers, herbs and lime on a bright green herb sauce

At Blackshop, Chef Ace is focused on building more than a strong menu. His vision is to create a true dining destination—modern, refined, creative, and approachable. He is working to strengthen relationships with local farmers, fishermen, producers, and artisans while expanding tasting menus, seasonal experiences, wine dinners, and chef-driven events.

For him, every plate should tell part of that story, combining technical discipline with the flavours and memories that have followed him since childhood and across continents.

Equally important is the culture behind the kitchen doors. Chef Ace is committed to mentoring young cooks and building a team that learns, challenges itself, and takes pride in its work.

His ambitions are significant, but his philosophy remains simple: awards are welcome, but memorable food matters more. For Chef Ace, success means creating dishes guests remember long after the final plate has already left the table—and a restaurant worth travelling for.