Top Chef Canada Season 2: episode 13: Chef Carl Cuts Compettion

We know that you know that Chef Carl Heinrich took the title of Top Chef Canada but we just wanted to point out that we did kind of call it some time ago. Everyone is talking about self-promotion in social media these days so we are also going to point out that we also called it last year when Chef Dale McKay took the title. We said it before, the skills competition is a really good gauge of who would make it to the final. With Carl taking the skills challenge and a steady performance throughout we kept saying he was the safe bet even though it did seem like anyone’s game going into the final. Heinrich might not have been the flashiest Chef in the kitchen but he was certainly steadiest with 5 wins and only two bottom finishes towards the end of the series when the field is so narrow bottom finishes seem inevitable. We also think the Producers like to throw the top contenders in the bottom a few times just to put a bee in their bonnet. Remember how pissed off Dale McKay looked when it would happen to him? 

We were really glad that David Chrystian was brought back for the final competition. Any Chef that can make  and win a challenge with duck liver ice cream with cherries and wild rice is obviously a brilliant and creative mind. In the final, Chrystian’s dessert also drew praises from the judges. The dish, an homage to Toronto’s Kensington market, was a candy coated Al Waxman Ham, seriously, Chystian made a sweet corn pudding (he dish used corn instead of cream) with sage and dark chocolate truffles and raw chocolate nibs. The idea for corn pudding came from the Restaurant Wars episode when judge Susur Lee criticized his corn soup for being too sweet. Chrystian took the criticism and came up with the idea for the dish as a dessert. Just another example of how enjoyable it was to watch his mind at work in the kitchen.

Trevor Bird seems reborn with his appearance on Top Chef Canada. The show seemed to re-kindle his passion, creativity and inspiration as the Chef rocked out some top dishes on the show. Professionally, Bird left his “corporate” job as a hotel Chef to open his own restaurant. “Regardless of what happens today [final competition] I’m quitting my job.” 

David Korecki, the passionate bandana sporting Chef with fierce Asian chops looks the part of a star. Considering he is an Ottawa based Chef with a top 4 finish on Top Chef Canad he is already big fish in our Nation's capital.

We are of course already looking forward to the next season of Top Chef Canada but in the meantime we have lots to write about with Montreal's summer swinging into high gear. Also keep in mind that your Top Chef Canada season 3 application has to be received by June 19^th

Top Chef Canada Season 2: Episode 12: Judges nail Chrystian

We are sad that Chef David Chrystian is gone and will not be around for the finale because it has been one wild ride. Chrsystian showed a rather unique crash and burn style in the Top Chef kitchen. Amazing and on top with one dish or bad and on the bottom with another. Some great dishes of late included his Chicken Soup Terrine, a Fire Roasted Fish (he is allergic to fish) and a Kraft Dinner Grilled Cheese. Chrystian may not have earned the title of Top Chef but he did take the KD crown. . Once again if you have missed his Top Chef Canada audition video it is worth watching. Chef Chrystian makes a Turducken Tower, inspired by the CN Tower, and really shows off his unique style and approach to cooking. We also liked the fact he says his favorite Chef is Martin Picard. We think a culinary pilgrimage to his restaurant at the Drake Hotel in Toronto seems rather inevitable.

With the show going into the finale we think it will be very exciting because it is really anyone’s game. Here are our impressions of the remaining Chefs going into the finale.

Trevor Bird (2 Quickfire wins): Regardless of the outcome of Top Chef his post show endeavors has Bird following his lifelong dream of opening his own restaurant: Fable. His kitchen staff includes fellow competitor Curtis Luk. The concept of Fable is from farm to table and the concept was born during this season’s episode of Restaurant Wars. The Top Chef experience has definitely been an inspiration to the Chef who really seems to be enjoying the cooking challenges. This new found enthusiasm and passion in the kitchen might be the added advantage in taking the Top Chef title.

Jonathan Korecki (2 Quickfire & 2 elimination wins): Korecki's soup has not become Connie DeSousa’s sausage because the judges have not yet tired of what seems to have become his signature item or secret weapon. Will he serve up soup in the finale? We found it a bit odd that his plating was so off in last week’s fashion challenge only because his platings have been so creative to date.

Carl Heinrich (2 Quickfire & 3 elimination wins): The quiet Chef seems to have come under the radar but slow and steady just might win the race. Also given he is only 26 years-old we can only imagine what his future culinary career will be like. We know we are starting to sound like a broken record by repeating ourselves but he is the safe bet in choosing a winner. Heinrich seemed to be beating himself up about his 2 bottom finishes of late but he is also hot off two back to back wins.

Top Chef Canada: Season 2: episode 11: Xavier gets the axe

This episode seemed to be about icons and noodles. The first iconic noodle was Kraft Dinner as featured in the quick fire challenge. The second icon was guest judge Lidia Bastianich who decided that Xavier Lacaze’s noodle dish was enough for him to pack his knives. Not yet an iconic noodle but definitely worth mentioning is the beautiful mind of Chef David Chrystian. The more we see have him the more we want. The pint sized looking Chef got off to a slow start but as of late has been mind blowing in the kitchen. 

Turns out it was just a trailer teaser when it looked like this episode was going to be a double elimination. The Kraft Dinner quick fire challenge was fun to watch with the Chefs having to prepare two versions (casual and refined) of the dish for a $10,000 prize. As we predicted Chef Lacaze, much to his credit, had little experience with the iconic dish and confessed to being a “KD virgin.” Chrystian continued to entertain, and win, with a sour dough KD grilled cheese sandwich (casual) and bacon wrapped KD with seared scallop. The grilled cheese looked amazing. Chef Chrystian is on a bit of a roll, remember Rob Rossi last season? Chef Rossi kept winning near the end of the series and Chrystian does seem to have some momentum that has also helped him in earning $18,000 over the last few episodes. As Chrystian pointed out, and we agree, Chef Jonathan Korecki's use of coconut milk instead of regular in his coconut curry KD was simple but "genius."

The elimination challenge asked the Chefs to make an Italian family style 6 course feast for guest judge Lidia Bastianich. Chef Chrystian continued his wild ride with a whole fire roasted fish. Keeping the dish so simple in an Italian challenge perfectly exemplified the rustic nature of this style of cuisine. The winner of the challenge was Jonathan Korecki whose soups seem to be his secret Top Chef weapon. Chef Korecki did a play on a traditional stracciatella by using a poached egg. 

The reason Chef Lacaze went home seemed a bit like it was for stubbornness. Guess you got to watch those classically trained French Chefs with their my way is best attitude as Judge Mark McEwan immediately questioned why Lacaze did not use '00' Italian flour. Lacaze's served braised veal breast with pappardelle, aged pecorino and sautéed radicchio. Lacaze said, "My veal is sexy, I would like to make love to my veal, it's beautiful." Not sure how I feel about having food after the Chef has made love to it and this also seemed to be the case with the judges who found the dish salty and his noodle undercooked. All this love was enough for Lacaze to be sent home.

Top Chef Canada: Season 2 Episode 10: Chef Sheen is not winning

Why did the trailer for this episode reveal who was going to be eliminated? It was all there, the narrator's explanation, "One Chef makes the mistake of their lives," Chef Samuelsson's hands and the plastic wrap and finally eliminee Trista Sheen in tears. It seemed too obvious to predict Sheen was going home but noooo. Seriously a bit of a letdown for anyone who saw the trailer that was almost a recap. Speaking of the moment of truth, did anyone notice the way Marcus Samuelsson revealed the plastic with magician like slight of hand movement. The plastic also looked like, for a brief moment, that it would go on forever. In tonight’s trailers we see Trevor Bird in the stew room does that mean he goes home? 

Tonight is also a double elimination challenge. One Chef will be able to boast that they were sent home for bad Kraft Dinner because it is the featured ingredient in the quick fire. Despite the obvious product placement from a sponsor we think it will be a fun challenge. Kraft Dinner is as iconic as one of Andy Warhol's Campbell's soup cans. Since Trevor looks like he makes it to stew room this leaves Chefs Korecki, Lacaze, Chrystian and Heinrich as the one sent home for bad KD. We figure Lacaze goes home only because he might have limited experience with Kraft Dinner. In terms of our pics for the final we really do not see any clear winner and it looks like anyone's game. Rather exciting if you think about it.

In other news, Top Chef Canada has been renewed for another season and is looking for competitors. For more info and to download your application form click here. We also came across a Blog written by Chef Korecki. We found the Chef's food related drawings and designs very interesting (to see his Blog click here). You can also see and order his signature line of bandanas here. You often hear Chefs as talking about their art and being culinary artists so a glimpse into this artistry offers a different perspective of the culinary artist and the creative process. In an episode of The Heat we saw Mark McEwan design dishes by first starting with drawings. Not that all Chefs work in this way but it is perhaps a bit of an overlooked area in the culinary arts. In case you have not noticed Korecki does do some beautiful plating with his dishes. At the the Celebrity Chefs of Canada event Korecki’s plate, co-created with Newfoundland Chef Jermy Charles, looked like a Group of 7 landscape. We have tried the Tacos at his restaurant and it is safe to call them food porn. We also like Chef Korecki because he looks like an intellectual from the Russian Revolution...Go Comrade! We salute you in your crusade to "Make Tacos not War.”

Culinary Arts: Channeling the Group of 7

Taco Porn at Sidedoor Contemporary Kitchen & Bar

Top Chef Canada: Season 2: Episode 9 : Spoilers & Predictions

Who really cares what happened last week? Everybody really wants to know what is going to happen next. Just in case you missed the episode here is quick recap. Trevor Bird won the Quickfire vending-machine challenge. Trista Sheen won the camping elimination challenge and Ryan Gallagher was sent packing his knives. Let’s get to the subject that everyone is talking about, the teaser trailer for tonight’s episode.

According to the trailer, “one Chef makes the biggest mistake of their career.” If you look closely  at the video you will see what look likes guest judge, Top Chef Masters Winner, Marcus Samuelsson’s hands picking a piece of plastic wrap out of his food. The next shot is a sobbing Trista Sheen while Xavier Lacaze and Trevor Bird look uncomfortable. This makes us think that the elimination challenge might be a team effort. It would be too obvious for Trista Sheen to be the one sent home so we think it is going to be Xavier.

We know that Sponge towel is a big sponsor of Top Chef Canada (TCC) and they are getting lots of great product placement, drama and emotion with the shot of Sheen crying into their product. We have often heard the expression “a marketing executive’s wet dream.” In this case at least there are lots of paper towels on hand. Speaking of sponsors we have only noticed one dish making it to the Milestones menu so far. Last season, 3 Chefs had items on the Milestones menu so we are wondering why this season Carl Heinrich’s gazpacho and cucumber sandwich is the only featured item. Perhaps the food this season is just too good adventurous for it to be served at Milestones.

With the competition narrowing here is our tale of the tape:

Carl Heinrich: (2 elimination challenge wins - 1 Quickfire win) If slow and steady wins the race then Carl Heinrich is the one to watch. In picking a winner now we think the safe money is the quiet Chef. In his TCC audition video someone else does most of the talking, Heinrich is declared a Chefs’ Chef while displaying top notch butchering skills. We would love to see a butchering throw-down between the original TCC bacon ninja, Connie DeSousa, and Heinrich.

Jonathan Korecki: (1 elimination win – 2 Quickfire wins) We recently ate at Korecki’s restaurant Sidedoor in Ottawa and major TCC sponsor GE Monogram was having a big party in the backroom. Spoiler alert? Perhaps. We are fairly certain that the Chef is going to go very far in the rest of the competition. Korecki can also take some comfort and hope in the rule that if the winner of Top Chef Canada is not able to fulfill their duties the runner-up is asked to step in and assume the title of Top Chef Canada.

Trevor Bird: (1 Quickfire win) Bird just opened his new restaurant Fable in Vancouver. The name is taken from Episode 6: Restaurant Wars and means from farm to table. Remember season one winner Dale MacKay? Chef MacKay also opened his new Vancouver resto Ensemble during the first season of TCC.

Trista Sheen: (2 elimination wins) Last season, Connie DeSousa had a similar meltdown at about the same point in the series. The Chefs are tired and under a lot of pressure so her reaction is normal. Sheen was recently promoted to Head Chef at her restaurant Crush Wine Bar in Toronto.

David Chrystian: (1 Elimination Challenge) Toronto’s Wild Chef! Speaking of Chefs that are tired, emotional and under a lot of stress we think the pressure is also getting to Chrystian. We hope he stays around because his manic behavior is really fun to watch. Who knows what he will do next? The Chef has mentioned a bit of a dark past, divorce, losing his Creuset pots, so it is no surprise that the Chef is a bit out there.

Top Chef Canada Season 2: Episode 8: Go Jimmy Go

Chef Jimmy Stewart has certainly provided lots of entertainment during his stay on Top Chef Canada. It is almost a shame to see him go. Some of Chef Stewart’s finest moments included bread foam and a failed “rocket launch.” In both cases the culprit proved to be a culinary siphon and foam. On another note, Chef Stewart drew praise from fellow competitor Xavier Lacaze who said he was in awe at the 23-year-old and his culinary skills. Given the talented young Chef made it this far in the competition it looks a promising career in the making. 

The show started with a quickfire skills competition. As we said last week the safe bet would be Chef Carl Heinrich who did win. We picked Chef Heinrich because he showed mad butchering skills in his audition video. We also stand by our theory that the skills competition is a bit of foreshadowing of who is going to make it to the final. In case you missed it, the final four Chefs in the competition were Trevor Bird, David Chrystian, Xavier Lacaze and of course winner Carl Heinrich. Our wild card pick is Jonathan Korecki who just keeps impressing us.

The elimination challenge asked the Chefs to cater a buffet lunch for the cast and crew of television's Lost Girl. No easy task, when catering to a large group of people you generally have to deal with all sorts of food requests (vegetarians, vegans, gluten free, lactose intolerant) not to mention the full gambit of food allergies. We also find that catered food does not challenge people's palates (bland is best) because you have to appeal to the general masses. 

Guest judge Chef Michael Blackie is no stranger to catering for large groups of people. He is the Executive Chef of The National Arts Centre in Ottawa. On Saturday (May 5, 2012), Chef Blackie was responsible for catering at the Governor General Awards that was attended by 1200 guests. During the service, Chef Blackie served 12,000 canapés in 45 minutes. This was followed by a one hour 3 course dinner. 

Chef Stewart said he would try and do something simple but this proved to be his downfall. The Chef's green salad looked like a grocery store bag of mixed greens with cucumber and tomato slices. The judges thought his minestrone soup only tasted of truffle oil and porcini mushrooms. Two mistakes in one challenge is just too much on Top Chef at this point in the competition.

Top Chef Canada: Season 2 episode 7: Curtis Luk is Outta Luck

Top Chef Canada has been parading out the celebrity Chefs lately and things are really starting to cook. Last week we saw Susur Lee and this week it was Richard Blais. Chef Blais has a signature style of cooking, that usually involves liquid nitrogen, that is best described as Molecular or Modern Cuisine. This style of cuisine uses "new" (at least on the kitchen) tools, ingredients and methods in creating dishes. Besides liquid nitrogen, examples include the use of a kitchen siphon (foam), gelling agents (like agar and sodium alginate) to make caviars and noodles made with cheese, veggies and fruit. Another element of this cooking style seems to be about deconstruction where traditional dishes are disassembled into their "individual sensory elements." (Dudek, p. 53) With Blais as a judge the Chefs were naturally put to the deconstruction challenge. As described by Chef Ryan Gallagher, during the show, deconstruction is the "same flavors that they [judges] would get from a classic dish but given to them in a totally different way."

We recently read an article on the topic of modern cuisine and the author made a joke that we rather liked. "The postmodern era of gastronomy will truly begin when a diner asks for bacon and eggs and the waiter nonchalantly replies 'ice cream or fried?'" (Dudek, p. 54) Richard Blais did offer some good advice to young Chefs, like 23 year old Jimmy Stewart whose dish was in the bottom, who attempt this cooking style. "When stuff like that happens [foam / ice cream on the plate with a chicken dish] it makes us all look bad in modern cuisine."

The quick fire challenge featured an array of cans with no labels and the Chefs had to use whatever they got using a 3 can minimum. We noticed that caterers are starting to serve dishes in cans and this trend seems to stem from Spain and be part of the whole molecular cuisine phenomena. Spain is home to Feran Adrià's, elBulli, that has spearheaded the Molecular Cuisine movement. We were recently reading the menu from Chef José Andrés' (who has worked with Adrià) new restaurant in South Beach Florida, The Bazaar, and came across this useful bit of information, "Although the technique (canning) was invented in France in 1810 by Mr. Nicolas Appert, Spain has become known for producing the highest quality canned goods in the world. At SLS [one of Andrés' restos] these dishes are prepared fresh daily, but we pay tribute to this groundbreaking practice by preparing selections typical of Spanish canning and presenting them in cans." 

We know that Cheftestant Ryan Gallagher said, "my dog eats out of cans," but do not be perturbed at your next cocktail your waiter hands you something in a can. You know the story behind the can and you can look witty in front of the other guests when you explain why your food is being served this way. In the quick fire challenged we were surprised with how good some of the dishes looked considering how nasty some of the stuff looked when the Chefs opened the cans. Chef Gallagher took the challenge with his Grilled Mackerel with Romesco sauce that was served in an oval plate sized can.

Catering Equipment: Canned Food coming soon to a cocktail party near you 

The elimination challenge asked the Chef to make deconstructed dishes. With the Chefs coming off of having just cooked for Susur Lee and now facing Richard Blais they really seemed to step up their game because there were some amazing looking dishes. There was also no added pressure of doing restaurant wars (service) like Susur Lee. Honestly, we have been waiting for Chef Chrystian to do cook like his audition video since the series began, he made a Turducken Tower. Chrystian’s Chicken Noodle Soup Terrine in this week’s challenge was the first sign of what we have expecting from the Chef. The same can be said of challenge winner, French Chef Xavier Lacaze, who finally did right by his country and its proud culinary tradition. Chef Lacaze served up a beautiful looking Quiche Lorraine made with shortbread and bacon cylinders with scrambled egg mousse and caramelized onions. If Lacaze and Chrystian keep this up they will definitely make it to the final no problem.

Despite all the brilliance there is of course the loser, Curtis Luk, who served up a Tuna Casserole Cannelloni. The idea of a tuna cannelloni makes us think of bad hospital food but perhaps that is just us. With only 6 years of culinary experience and no formal training, Luk's background is in science and mathematics, he is obviously a very talented Chef to have made it this far in the competition. Luk also displayed a very deft hand, except when he cut himself, with his desserts in the competition. 

Next week, the quick fire looks to be a skills competition. We noticed that they had not done this challenge this season. Last season, it was the first challenge and an almost a spoiler of who would be the finalists. Obviously we will be paying very close attention to this challenge. We also think that Chef Heinrich is the safe bet in this challenge if you are looking to us to make some predictions.

Work cited: Gastronomica, vol. 8 no. 2, pgs. 51-54 'Reading a Plate' by Nir Dudek.

Top Chef Canada Season 2: Episode 6: Sad News, Chefs Rivasplata and Cruz both lose

This has to have been one of the the most exciting episodes of Top Chef Canada ever. Double elimination challenge, Judge Susur Lee and restaurant wars where get to see the Chefs handle a service. We had wondered about the double elimination challenge because they did it in episode 2 last year. The double elimination this far in the series was a bit of a surprise to us and from the looks of things the Chefs too. The only thing that is perhaps more exciting than all of this is the fact the Richard Blais will be the guest judge on the next episode.

Gabriell Cruz was the first to go home in the soup and sandwich quick fire challenge. Chef Cruz presented a prosciutto sandwich with pickled onions and truffles. The offering seemed to weird out the judges and the sandwich did look a but cafésque.  The winner of the challenge was Jonathan Korecki who served up a Vietnamese sandwich and chicken consommé. Though Korecki won, Chef Carl Heinrich's gazpacho with bacon, cucumber and tomato sandwich was selected to be a Top Chef Canada featured menu item at Milestones. We assume that the Milestones crowd was deemed not yet ready for Vietnamese Banh Minh. Heinrich’s dish will not have the kitchen staff at Milestone's filling their larders with strange ingredients or scratching their heads when having to make a bacon, cucumber and tomato sandwich. You can make gazpacho in the blender but we wonder if it will pre-prepared for the Milestones kitchens. Heinrich’s sandwich does not seem very exciting and sounds like something you can make in your own toaster as a late night snack. 

Korecki certainly made a strategic move with his reward for winning the challenge by choosing Elizabeth Rivasplata as the opposing team leader. Chef Rivasplata has been bunting heads with the other Chefs in the kitchen and Korecki’s move was diplomatically described as "sneaky" by Chef David Chrystian. Korecki’s move also made for some exciting television.

We liked that fact that both teams chose Canadian themes with their resto concepts. There may have been no standout with the teams in their services as a whole but team name Fable (farm to table) was a winning idea. We have heard rumours that Chef Trevor Bird's new resto, that is opening soon, will bear this moniker. The other team chose to be True North offering a reflection of Canadian dishes. In this context Chef Rivasplata’s octopus dish left her team-mates scratching their heads. Rivasplata’s attempt at running the pass seemed to be her second downfall amongst her team-mates and with the judges who were left waiting for their food. Jimmy Stewart did offer a potato "risotto"dish  that was all potato no rice or veggies and deemed the worst dish by the judges. The win went to team Fable but was described by judge Mark McEwan as "not a perfect day." Team Fable seemed a bit surprised, they served melted ice cream, that the judges did declare no winner for this challenge.

At the judges’ table Chef Rivasplata started by showing a united team standing together but was immediately called out by Jimmy Stewart, the guy with the worst dish, for failing as a leader and at the pass. Rivasplata did throw herself on her own sword, we thought, when she said she would  "take credit" for the mistakes of her team as their leader. “You saved your ass,” Chef Rivasplata told Stewart while accusing him of you screwing her over in order to save Ryan who did front of house. Rivasplata’s final words to Stewart as she exited was “you are not right.” Rivasplata's departure leaves 1 female Chef in the competition. As the field narrows we think it is about time to start making some predictions about who will make it to the finals..

Top Chef Canada Season 2: episode 5: Chef Aubie is going Surfin' in Tofino

Joel Aubie was sent to pack his knives. Given that Chef has been in the bottom of the elimination challenges a few times, 3 in 5 episodes, it is no surprise that the surfin' Chef from Tofino was sent home. In watching the Chef packing his knives we could not stop thinking about this song, Chef Aubie, this one is dedicated to you...

Jimmy Stewart might want to forget the foam. The Chef had a funny moment when his foam, inspired by the moon landing rocket launch, failed to launch. This is the second time in the series that the Chef has made foam. His bread foam in episode 1 did not impress the judges and this time... Houston we have a problem. The presentation looked like the end of a can of shaving cream with flat liquid leaking out of the canister. Judge Mark McEwan seemed to be having fun with the scenario, calling the Chef t"space ranger Jimmy" and such phrases as "foam failure," and telling the Chef to "leave the foam home." In describing the situation McEwan told the Chef that he looked like "a faltering space ranger out there."

The quick fire challenge challenged the guests to make snack food with Tostitos chips. The Chefs did some rather elaborate, or was it complicated, dishes but simplicity won out with Chef Xavier Lacaze coating the chip with caramel. Caramel and corn is a winning combination, the saltiness of the chips would also add to the formula, that seemed to elude the other Chefs in this challenge.

As suspected, Chef Rivasplata is being portrayed as the villain in the kitchen. We expect more of this in the next episode because stress levels and tension runs high when it is restaurant wars. Remember last season when Dale freaked out because he was worried his soufflé would fall? Dale's freak out was dismissed as what happens in the kitchen stays in the kitchen but we wonder if this will be the case if Rivasplata has a similar melt down. The Chefs have some added pressure because the guest judge is Susur Lee who they will no doubt be trying to impress.

Cheftestants: This is how you do it

Top Chef Canada Season 2: episode 4: Mattoscio's poutine is no go

Once-again tragedy has reared its head on this season of Top Chef Canada. Remember Kunal Ghose? The Chef / Owner of Redfish Bluefish, that specializes in seafood tacos, was sent home for making a taco. Now, Montreal's Sergio Mattoscio is sent home for his beef tongue poutine. Why the tragedy? Besides the obvious, a Chef from Québec being sent home for poutine, in his audition video Mattoscio showed off his signature dish gnocchi poutine. 

We did pay a couple of visits to Mattoscio's, Macaroni Bar in Montreal when we found out he was going to be on Top Chef Canada. The establishment reopened after some renovations when it was announced that Chef Mattoscio would be competing for the title of Canada's next Top Chef. On both occasions we did sample the gnocchi poutine. The dish comes as a small appetizer ($15). Eating the poutine made us think a lot about our province's signature dish.  A variety of poutine combinations exist in our city. Consider that La Banquise's offers over 25 varieties of the dish but never strays from the basic building blocks of fries, gravy and cheese. Has anyone tried the Pogo medallion poutine? Mattoscio's creation is certainly one of the more unique combinations in Montreal's wide world of poutines. The use of gnocchi instead of fries is a logical step given the potato connection. From the look and taste of the dish we think that it has been baked under the broiler since the gnocchi has a deep amber color. You know when marshmallows are perfectly roasted and have a crisp outer skin and soft middle? We found the gnocchi took on the same consistency under the broiler. And the gravy? We were told it was made from fond de vœu and cut with ricotta. Obviously the dish is very rich, almost dessert like, and in Montreal's poutine landscape it is definitely at the top of our list. Our one suggestion would be to offer a bigger portion. This is after all your signature dish.

Gnocchi Poutine at Macaroni Bar

The theme ingredient for the elimination challenge in this episode of Top Chef Canada featured offal. This is one episode that had us longing for last year's Cheftestant Connie DeSousa, aka the butcher ballerina or bacon ninja, who can butcher a pig's head in record time. The challenge was not so much about butchering skills but what to do with your nasty bits in the kitchen. These days it seems like all the Chefs are talking about nose to tail as one of their kitchen philosophies. The trendy topic shows customers a social consciousness by not wasting food. You know how food trends work? The cheap cuts of meat are a great way for restaurant's to mange their cost to profit margins. The cheap cuts of meat prepared by famous Chefs in their restaurants results in the item becoming gourmet and expensive. The offal challenge forced the Chefs to put their money where their mouth is by having them prepare a variety of animal parts.

The combination of offal and Chefs also reminded us, sorry Chris Consentino, of Sue Towsend's Book Adrian Mole: The Cappucino Years. The book, published and set in the late 1990s, features protagonist Adrian Mole working as a celebrity Chef in London's Soho area. The book features lots-of Kitchen Confidential moments like a waiter with foot fungus who washes his feet in the sink, an insane coke-head owner and a scatological review from critic A.A. Gill. Mole, who has no formal culinary training, specializes in English working-class cuisine and therefore offal. Adrian also gets his own cooking show, Offaly Good, and book deal. Townsend's book was made into a television series and is available on YouTube. Ep 3.2 

To see the filming of Offaly Good hit the 4:45 mark.

Let's get back to Top Chef Canada. It is looking like Chef Elizabeth Rivasplata, who is also a very strong competitor, might be emerging as the next Top Chef villain. We will have to wait and see but this might shed the show's reputation as being a polite version of the original U.S. series.

Poutine Porn at Burger de Ville: Goat Cheese & Black Pepper Sauce

Gail Simmons' Favorite Montreal restos

In case you missed it writer and Top Chef Desserts Judge, Gail Simmons, visited our city to plug her new book, Talking with my Mouth Full. Simmons gave talks at her alma mater, McGill University, and at Appetite for Books. McGill posted a few videos of the event including her favorite restaurants. You will find the usual suspects on Simmons list but we were very happy to see that she also included Nouveau Palais.

Speaking of McGill events you might want to take note that The Food Science & Agricultural Chemistry Department at Macdonald Campus is celebrating 25 years with a symposium. On the bill, Maxime Bilet, chef and co-author of Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking. The 5 volume cookbook just won awards from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) in the design and professional kitchens category. The event is scheduled for April 15, 2012. For more information click here.

Top Chef Canada season 2: episode 3: Bye Bye Chef Sarah Tsai

If we had to pick a theme for this week's episode of Top Chef Canada we would have to say bizarre combinations. The strange combos started with the first challenge and was also why Chef Sarah Tsai was sent to pack her knives. 

The quick fire challenge featured last year's host Thea Andrews, who like resident judge Shereen Arazam, is expecting a baby. The challenge focussed on odd food combinations in-reference-to the cliché that pregnant women have strange cravings. Not sure how many of these combinations and ingredients were researched because a few of the combinations bordered on ridiculous. We suppose the producers are making the challenges tough for the Chefs but putting together ingredients for the sake of doing so does not really have anything to do with gastronomy. Durian, wasabi, really? Are these things that pregnant women really crave? The show is walking a fine line by making the Chefs jump through hoops with this challenge. The challenge almost bordered on Fear Factor or Survivor but then again tough is tough and this is a reality show. Chef Jimmy Stewart really did make a smart move with his winning dish Oatmeal and Wasabi Chicken Wings because who doesn’t like a good chicken wing?

We are a bit unsure why Sarah Tsai was sent home over the other guys in the baby shower elimination challenge. Chef Tsai did win a quick fire challenge, in episode 1, and we have been seeing a-lot-of David Chrystian, Joel Aubie and Xavier Lacaze at the bottom. Chef Lacaze from France has hardly been doing right by his country and their culinary reputation. When was the last time you saw the judges spit our their food and wipe their tongues with their napkins? That is what happened when they tasted Lacaze’s dish. Mark McEwan said, after tasting Xavier’s Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Ball with Figs and Balsamic Jam, "if I stayed up late at night trying to figure out something more nasty to prepare, I don't think I could do it. Why did Xavier not go home? Shereen Arazam told Chef Chrystian to wake up based on his performance thus far in the show. At this point it looks a bit like Chrsystian and Lacaze are coasting on their reputations and this is why they were not sent home. What about bottom feeder Joel Aubie? Judge McEwan said his Scallop Sausage Wrapped in Bacon was “like biting a bladder.” The surfin' in Tofino Chef might appeal to the female demographic but he has also been in the bottom a few times. Maybe his sausage was not his fault. Perhaps it is true when Aubie mused that Connie DeSousa must have worn out the sausage press last year. Sarah Tsai served up a sweet arancine ball with spicy prosciutto chocolate sauce. The judges thought her dish was awful but was it really the worst? At least they kept it down. We guess it was just too bizarre a combination.

Last week Xavier pointed out that desserts can get you sent home on Top Chef. This was not the case with the winning dish this episode with Curtis Lok's Pink Macaron with Pink Peppercorn, Meyer lemon and Lemon Grass. Pink at a baby shower as one judge said “perfect.” Like the chicken wings in the quick fire there is nothing like a good macaron. 

In seeing the preview for tonight's episode we are very nervous because the are lots of shots of Montreal Chef Sergio Mattoscio looking dejected. Fingers crossed that this was just a teaser and not a spoiler in the nose to tail challenge featuring Chef Chris Consentino.

Top Chef Canada: Season 2: episode 2: Kunal Ghose is sent packing with his taco

Still too many Chefs in the middle, under the radar, to start picking any favorites. The one exception, the female Chefs, have shown they are a force to be reckoned with.  Out of the 4 challenges thus far, the women Chefs have take 3 titles. With one quick fire going to the men, Trista Sheen served up one of the top dishes.

When we saw the preview for episode 2 and that Mike Holmes was the guest judge we rolled our eyes. Much to our surprise, he was a good judge by picking surprise winning dishes. Instead of being big plug for Mike Holmes' TV show the episode featured the charitable organization Habitat for Humanity. Very positive and brilliant cross promotion from Shaw media that produces both shows. Holmes persona, as a bad ass, was to hold the Chefs to the challenges. When watching Top Chef sometimes it feels like the Chefs make the dish they feel comfortable making no matter what the challenge. When the Chefs do not follow the instructions you wonder if they are just playing it safe. Why put yourself out there when you can fly under the radar at this point in the show? In this case we saw 2 Chefs, during the quick fire, serve Holmes raw fish when he had asked for meat. The second challenge was a BBQ for the 100 habitat for humanity house builders. The judges questioned Chef Aubie’s use of salmon. We figure the West Coast surfin’ Tofino Chef must eat BBQ’d salmon all the time. Even stranger than salmon at a BBQ was Kunal Ghose’s “taco” that was not a taco.

You might have heard that Top Chef can be a good for a Chef's career. After the first few episodes this season we are wondering if being on the show might be hazardous to your business. Think about it, Chef Ghose was sent home for a “taco” made with store bought tortillas. One of the opposing teams, the one with Ottawa taco king Chef Korecki, made fresh tortillas. You figure it out, but Ghose runs a taco stand in Victoria. When the Chef packed his knives he commented that at least he was not sent home for making a fish taco. We wonder if Ghose serves homemade tortillas at his restaurant? Being sent home for making one of your signature dishes is a rather tragic moment.  

Last week, David Chrystian was in the bottom, for serving a chicken dish seasoned to reflect each one of Toronto's ethnic neighborhoods. Cool? No, the judges described the dish as bland. We are not sure if Chef Chrystian uses this spice at his restaurant, he did threaten to use it again. We do know, from reading about him online, that he offers a tasting menu where each dish reflects one of Toronto's ethnic neighborhoods. Once again, bad branding when your dish, featuring one of your restaurant’s signature concepts, is featured in the bottom.

Top Chef Canada 2 episode 1: Nice to meet you Chefs

After watching the first episode of Top Chef Canada a few times we now have a few ideas about how the competition might pan out. It is really too early to pick any possible winners or even finalists because there are so many people in the kitchen. The people in the top or bottom are called out on the show put the Chef’s in the middle are really under the radar. Last season in episode 1 thequick fire challenge was a skills competition that really did demonstrate who had some of the best chops in the kitchen so we were a bit disappointed that they chose not do this again. We guess the show’s Producers wanted to throw a curve ball at the Chefs by not repeating the same challenge.

We noticed that the 3 female competitors look very fierce despite their obvious mistakes. Chef Elizabeth Rivasplata, who mistook a parmesan tuile for potato in the quick fire, also had one of the best dishes in the second half of the show. Remember Connie DeSousa the butcher ballerina, and finalist, from season 1? Rivasplata, originally from Lima Peru, is a martial arts expert. As we pointed out earlier if there is any truth to what Anthony Bourdain says about Peruvians in the kitchen then Rivasplata will no doubt be a strong competitor. Sarah Tsai, who took the quickfire challenge, but overcooked her beef in the next challenge. Despite her diminutive size Chef Tsai looks like a force to be reckoned with. Trista Sheen took top honors in the 2nd challenge and looks like she will go far in the competition. In fact, if we had to pick one Chef after the first episode we would go with Sheen.

Despite the lack of female competitors in the competition (and Montreal) we are excited about the the fact this crop of Chefs really reflects Canada’s cultural mosaic and therefore our cuisines. The different backgrounds of the Chefs will no doubt mean that we will see some interesting plates. Kunal Ghose’s east Indian Fish & Chips, one of the top dishes, is a perfect example. Using a cucumber raita as a tartar sauce for the Chef sounds like a delicious idea. If Ghose can keep this type of innovative cuisine he will go far in the competition.  We were also very impressed with Curtis Lok’s Peking Duck because who does not love this dish? Lok, despite having no formal culinary training, showed real kitchen smarts by serving the judges his duck.

And the worst? We know it is not a real season of Top Chef without foam and Jimmy Stewart delivered the goods with his bread foam. Bread foam just sounds like foam for the sake of foam’s sake and was just a bad idea. William Thompson’s dish looked like a mistake on the plate and was sent home. 

The next episode of Top Chef features guest judge Mike Holmes. Is his show produced by Shaw media like Top Chef? Seems weird to have him on the show. From the look of things, colored construction hats, the show will be a team challenge. 

Top Chef Canada Season 2: Chef Biographies

Just like last year we are bringing you our rundown of Cheftestants for the sophomore season of Top Chef Canada. The series begins March 12, at 10 pm ET, and airs on The Food Network. Also like last year, the competition seems to be more about Toronto and Ontario than Canadian cuisine. Seriously, consider these stats, 10 Chefs, out of 16, are from Ontario (62.5%) and 6 of them are from Toronto (37.5%). We know Toronto is jealous of Montreal because we make the coolest food shows, in Canada and the U.S., thanks to Martin Picard, Chuck Hughes and Nadia G, but do you have to make up for it by making the entire cast of Top Chef from Ontario? How is it possible that Ottawa has twice as many Chefs as Montreal? We should credit the selection committee for really outdoing themselves this year by casting one more female than the previous season. That’s 3 women in the whole competition folks. On a true positive note, there are quite a few Chefs whose ethnic backgrounds (India, China, Peru) should bring some exciting new flavors and cuisines to the competition. In fact, we think that the diverse backgrounds of all the Chefs this year should make for a very exciting season. 

Joel Aubie, originally from Bathurst (Go Maritimes!), is Head Chef at Shelter in Tofino, British Columbia. The surfin’ Chef finishes his audition video by running off into the sunset  and surf. We really liked it when Chef Aubie wore his jacket to go crabbing so we were a bit disappointed when the Chef dropped his whites when hitting the waves. The new faux-hawk among Chefs seems to be an ingredient or cooking utensil tattoo. Aubie just might rule the competition with his fresh herb body ink. Given, fellow Chefestant, William Thompson’s, passion for cars and greaser looking hairdo (or is it Raveen) we expect major heat in the kitchen as Chefs battle it out in the cool department (surfers vs. rockers?). Note to Nadia G. and Chuck Hughes, look out guys we think you might have some competition. 

Trevor Bird, originally from Montreal, is working in Vancouver as Chef de Partie at Market Restaurant at the Shangri-La hotel in his audition video. Market is a project of 3 star Michelin Chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichte. No stranger to competition he was on Global TV‘s, Next Great Chef 2005. Bird has worked at the now defunct Garçon in Montreal that was one of EnRoute magazine’s best new restos in 2005.  According to the (Straight.com) Bird is currently running his own catering company in Vancouver and is also in the process of opening his own restaurant. When season 1 of Top Chef Canada aired, TCC champ Dale MacKay announced the opening of his new restaurant Ensemble. The fact that Bird has the collateral to open a restaurant might be-an-indication of how the competition ends. Like Dale Mackay, Bird worked at Daniel Boulud’s shuttered Lumière in Vancouver. 

David Chrystian is from Toronto where he is partner and Executive Chef at Victor at Le Germain Hotel. From his audition video Chrystian seems a bit nerdy but very confident. Not sure if it was because he was playing golf or perhaps the glasses but for some reason he reminded us a bit of Jamie Hertz from season 1. As much as we would like to nominate Chrystian, as a possible candidate for the next Top Chef villain, we really liked his cooking demo as the Chef goes all out. The dish is inspired by Chrystian’s favorite Chef Martin Picard of Au Pied de Cochon. The dish is a bit Epic Meal Time so we can't help smiling. Behold, Chef Chrystian’s, Turducken Tower that consists of a mashed potato moat, a roast turkey as base, a bridge of phyllo pastry, 2 ducks, a chicken, a fried potato nest, some quail, quail eggs, gravy and Hollandaise sauce. We found Chrystian’s restaurant menus interesting with plates reflecting Toronto’s diverse ethnic cuisines. From what we have seen thus far we are itching for more of Chrystian’s outside the box dishes and presentations during the show. 

Gabriell Cruz works as Sous-Chef at Restaurant Quatrefoil in Dundas, Ontario, He is originally from Hamilton, Ontario. Quatrefoil was one one of EnRoute magazine’s best restaurants in 2010. You have all noticed that desserts can be a Chef's downfall on the show as they lack repertoire in this area. Cruz displays in-depth knowledge of desserts which will definitely be an asset. We also expect that Cruz’s pastry prowess to be an advantage in the plating and presentation departments. In his audition video Cruz does a sous-vide, olive-oil, poached-halibut. This only had us wondering if any of the Chefs used sous-vide during season 1. This might be Cruz’s chance to make TCC history.

Ryan Gallagher is from Toronto where he works at Ruby Watchco where the Chef/Owner is Canadian celebrity Chef Lynn Crawford. Like David Chrystian, Gallagher’s audition video is unique in its approach. The Chef does not cook, he does not show us his restaurant, he does not talk about local fresh sustainable ingredients and he does not clean his house after hosting a wild BBQ. We also discover that Gallagher likes to make furniture out of  logs. Gallagher offers us a tour of the leftovers from his shin-dig where dishes included potato salad, corn on the cob with chili lime butter, homemade pickles (the Chef tries to grow his own ingredients at home - example jalapeno) hamburgers and hot dogs. If his audition video is any indication expect Gallagher to be going after the Top Chef Life of the Party Award. Then again playing the lummox might be smart strategy, with all the other Chefs battling in out to strut their chops for the camera, Gallagher might just fly under the radar and surprise everybody. 

Kunal Ghose works and is from Victoria, British Columbia. He is owner of Red Fish Blue Fish that appears to be a pier food stand. Ghose’s operation is about sustainable seafood and zero waste. In his audition video we learn that Ghose formerly worked at Go Fish in Vancouver where he created the city's famous Tacone. Ghose decsribes the dish as a “Mexican/ Japanese hybrid hand-roll”. Chef Ghose serves a variety of fish tacones at his restaurant. Ghose seems adept at cooking Indian food at home and is the oldest Chef in the competition. Despite his age Ghose looks like he will be an original in the Top Chef Kitchen. 

Carl Heinrich, works as Executive Chef in Toronto at Marben restaurant and is originally from Sooke, British Columbia. In his audition video, the Chef debones a chicken and a side of beef so we expect Heinrich to be the next bacon ninja in the Quick Fire Challenges. Given his young age and reputation as a Chef’s, Chef we think Heinrich is a safe bet if forced to pick an early favourite in the challenges. 

Jonathan Korecki, works in Ottawa and is originally from Caledon, Ontario. Korecki is Chef at the Side Door Contemporary Kitchen and Bar. I know what you are thinking, Ottawa has some great cool places to eat! Just a joke, actually the Side Door was highly recommended to us by a waiter at another Ottawa restaurant. Expect Korecki to sport some boss bandanas during the show because he runs a head dress printing business for Chefs out of his basement. In looking over Korecki’s menu we noticed Asian flavors, gourmet tacos and homemade donuts for dessert (he makes them in his audition video). We are really hoping that the show’s Two Taco Kings, Kunal Ghose and Korecki, go head to head in at least one episode. Whose Canadian Taco will reign supreme? 

Xavier Lacaze, works in Calgary and is originally from Auch, France. He is the Executive Chef at Muse restaurant. It will be interesting to see the French Chef, who has only lived in Canada for 4 years, bring his style to the Top Chef Canada kitchen. No pressure but you are representing your country’s proud culinary tradition in a cooking competition. 

Curtis Luk, according to his audition video, Luk moved to to Canada from Hong Kong when he was 5-years-old. An Ottawa based Sous-Chef with no formal training the self confessed kitchen gadget freak makes baked Alaska with liquid nitrogen for his audition video. Note another audition where the Chef makes a dessert. Luk works at The Courtyard Restaurant that has been a destination restaurant in Ottawa for a long time. From what we understand the resto has gone in a new direction under Head Chef Michael Hay. 

Sergio Mattoscio, as the only Montrealer in the competition we have little choice in rooting for Mattoscio - Forza Italia! Mattoscio, a 2003 culinary graduate of the I.T.H.Q., is the Chef and Co-Owner of the fist-pumpin’, hyper-trendy, Saint-Laurent Street, Macaroni Bar. In his audition video the Chef makes his signature gnocchi poutine. We think we will make this dish at home in honor of the first episode on March 12. With the announcement of Mattoscio's participation in Top Chef Canada, Macaroni Bar has reopened after being closed for renovations. 

Elizabeth Rivasplata works in Toronto at the AGO as the Production Sous-Chef. Rivasplata is originally from Lima, Peru and if you believe what Anthony Bourdain says about Peruvians in restaurant kitchens then expect the Chef to be a major contender. Come to think of it there is a-lot-of pressure on this Chef to do well by her people considering their reputation.

Trista Sheen is from Toronto and a culinary graduate from George Brown. In her audition video, Sheen says she is the Sous-Chef at the French bistro, Crush Wine Bar. The restaurant’s website reveals that Sheen is now the Chef de Cuisine. After her shift, the Chef takes us out for a night on the town at the Drake Hotel where there is a cameo by season one competitors, Steve Gonzalez and smilin’ Dusty Gallagher... too cool. Sheen has done an internship in the U.K. where she worked at Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck.

Jimmy Stewart works in Whistler where he is Sous Chef at the Bearfoot Bistro. He is originally from North Van and is the youngest Chef in the competition. Stewart worked at Daniel Boulud’s, Lumière, just like last year’s winner Dale MacKay, who Stewart considers a mentor. Also like MacKay, he has worked at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant. Stewart’s connection to Top Chef Champ Dale MacKay might make for some interesting drama during the series since Dale is bound to pop up at some time.

William Thompson works and is from Caledonia, Ontario. He is the Executive Sous-Chef at Ste. Anne’s Spa. Expect the Chef to be full of inspiration during the show as he is hot of an internship in Italy. From his audition video the Chef looks driven, we are not talking about his passion for cars, but rather the fact that he seems to be looking to move on from cooking for clients at the spa. 

Sarah Tsai works in Toronto and is originally from Taipei. Chef Tsai works at the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club. We think the Chef might surprise us in the kitchen with a serious take charge get out of my way attitude. A Chef trained in classical styles, French and Italian, we expect her Asian background will only add to her arsenal in the Top Chef challenges.