All-Star Canadian Culinary Celebration: Celebrity Chefs of Canada

We were not sure what to expect when heading to Ottawa on Sunday (March 25, 2012) for the 2nd Annual Celebrity Chefs of Canada event at the National Arts Centre (NAC). We accidentally found the event online and did a double take because we could not believe the amazing line up of Chefs was for real. After attending the event it is official, we have been blown away and buzzing ever since. In fact, we are finding it hard to do this event justice with our blog post because there is just too much to say about this incredible day of Canadian food, Chefs and wine.

This all-star Canadian culinary celebration was organized by the NAC's Executive Chef Michael Blackie. During the evening reception we noticed Chef Blackie's portrait on the wall. What struck us is that the Chef is part of the NAC's artistic leadership team. As Chef Ned Bell said during his cooking demo, "we [Chefs] are artists, culinary artists." In the context of this event at the NAC, nothing could be truer when we say that this event is about recognizing these artists and their medium.

Celebrity Chefs are indeed a hot commodity these days, the new rock stars, or at the NAC, that often plays host to classical musicians, should the term be culinary maestros? The event could easily be described as a symphony of flavours. Given the day's roster included Susur Lee, Vikram Vij, and Lynn Crawford, this event is definitely one hot ticket. Consider the facts, the afternoon cooking demos attracted close to 350 people. An additional 400 guests came for the evening reception where we spotted Laureen Harper (wife of Prime Minister Stephen Harper) who, from what we could tell, was waiting in line to get a copy of Lynn Crawford's book signed. Over 750 guests, on a Sunday night in Ottawa for an evening of food and drinks...wow! The numbers alone demonstrate the drawing power with the cult of the Chef.

It is also worth noting that it is no small feat in smoothly serving 750 people during a 3 and half hour cocktail reception. To give you an idea, Chefs Larkin and Bell used just over 100 pounds of tuna for their service. Chef Santaguida mentioned making 960 raviolis. Chefs were assisted by members of their brigades but also Ottawa culinary students who helped keep the lines moving. Catering staff also did a great job in clearing empty plates off tables and keeping the reception running smooth.Besides highlighting Canada's culinary stars the event showcases Ottawa's food scene, more smart planning, by pairing a local Chef with a Canadian Chef in the creation of a single dish during the cooking demos. Besides being extremely educational, the demos gave us the chance to watch and be inspired by these talented individuals and their craft. Based on the comments made by the Chefs the distance between them meant their collaborative dishes were created over the telephone prior to the event. Also of particular interest was watching two Chefs plate the same dish. Same dish, same ingredients, different platings or creations. The chance to taste these creations during the reception that followed the demos was just pure gravy.

Is it art? Citrus marinated BC geoduck with ocean emulsion

The first team of demoing Chefs was Marc Lepine from Atelier (Ottawa) and Quang Dang from West Restaurant & Bar (Vancouver). The pair served up Citrus marinated BC Geoduck with Ocean Emulsion. If you have ever seen geoduck then you understand why the ingredient drew laughs from the crowd. We are lucky enough to have tasted geoduck before. It was served to us in a rich cream sauce at a Vietnamese restaurant in Vancouver and to this day we remember it as one of the best things that we have ever tasted. Giant bites of oyster. We were surprised to learn from Chef Dang that geoduck is rare in Canada because most of it is exported overseas. Dang made some good points in mentioning that it is unfortunate that we do not always get to enjoy our great Canadian bounty because it is exported for high prices overseas. These items can be part of our culinary attractions to our country by exemplifying our cuisine. Essentially we are selling and exporting a piece of our culture. The two Chefs are obviously inspired by innovation as liquid nitrogen made an appearance in addition to agar for the creation of beet jell-o. We were relieved to see that the ocean emulsion was not ocean foam. The chefs' dish introduced us to something we have never seen before, pomelo ash. Leftover pomelo bits are roasted until they turn into ash and add a subtle flavour, and interesting coloured garnish to dishes. The Chefs also mentioned using chive and apple cores to create additional ashes and flavours.
 

Chefs Quanq Dang (left) and Marc Lepine

 Chef Patricia Larkin from Black Cat Bistro (Ottawa) and Chef Ned Bell from The Four Seasons Hotel (Vancouver) was the next pairing. We know that this is not a competition but Chef Bell is an extremely charismatic and entertaining chef to watch who obviously works at it based on his trademark blue shoes. If you are looking to book a high energy Chef for a cooking presentation Chef Bell delivers. This high energy and enthusiasm comes from his obvious passion and love of his craft and food. How many people can work a room talking about their signature can of tuna? After watching Bell plate his dish it is also obvious that he is an extremely talented Chef. Not to be outdone Chef Larkin, who could just sit back and let Bell charm the crowd, also plated a beautiful dish that garnished praise from Chef Bell. The two Chefs served Albacore Tuna Tartare, Pickled Shallot Cucumber and Radish Red Miso and Lemon Vinaigrette, Black and White Sesame Praline. Chef Bell confessed his love of pickles during his demo. We see this trend as emanating from Korean and Vietnamese food or is it David Chang? As Korean food is one of our favourite cuisines we are thrilled to see this influence jumping into other styles of cooking. The Chefs described the sesame praline as being like those cookies you eat as a kid. We loved how the praline added a sweet crunchy garnish to the tuna. The presentation and serving of the tuna in a can during the reception was a nice touch.

Tuna tartare, pickled shallot, cucumber and radish with sesame praline

 Next on the bill, Cesare Santaguida from Vittoria Trattoria (Ottawa) and Vikram Vij (Vancouver). The pair served up Encrusted Lamb Lollipops with Butternut Ravioli. The dish was finished with a curry sauce and we were very disappointed to find out when we got home that it was not included in the recipe section of the event program. The main reason for our major disappointment with this omission is that the curry sauce was so damn delicious. We are glad the Chefs had prepared extra portions, "just in case," because we did go back for a second helping of this dish. We have eaten a lot of curry, we have cooked a lot of curry, we even use a mortar and a pestle to make our own curry powder but we have never tasted such a great tasting curry in our lives. Vij's reputation as a Curry King is obviously well deserved. We could have drank a cup of this sauce it was really that good. The kitchen staff happily gave us extra sauce with our second helping when we praised it's flavors. Light, creamy and a delicate curry taste, the sauce brought together the lamb and ravioli in a perfect balance. The dish was finished with a gremolata and was just another great touch to an already superbly flavored dish. If you think about it the individual components themselves are great tasting items, lamb and butternut squash that are only helped with a great sauce and garnish. What we also liked about the Chefs' creation was the way it showed Canadian style by reflecting our cultural mosaic, Indian and Italian cultures together.

Canadian Curry King Vikram Vij

 Next up was a solo act Patrick McMurray who offered us ShuckerPaddy's Hogtown chowder. McMurray was assisted by Chef Blackie who used chilli threads as a garnish for the dish. We mention this because we have never seen this ingredient before. The threads look like long threads of saffron and are a beautiful way of finishing a dish. McMurray has made a name for himself as a professional oyster shucker and is the Guinness world record holder for most oysters shucked in one minute with 38 oysters. There was a pause in the demos where we were treated to a serving of Murray's chowder. The fried oysters in the chowder make for some great bites because who does not like eating fried foods? Almost as impressive as shucking 38 oysters in one minute was the serving of over 300 portions of chowder during a 20 minute coffee break. The chance to eat a bite food after the cooking demos was very welcome because we simply cannot begin to describe the effects on your appetite of sitting in a room full of delicious aromas. We often found ourselves just closing our eyes and taking in the smell of the food during the demos.

ShuckerPaddy's hogtown chowder

 The demos resumed with Susur Lee and Matthew Carmichael from Restaurant 18 (Ottawa). Chef Carmichael has worked under Susur Lee and it was interesting seeing the reunited pair working together. The Chefs prepared "Chorizo Style" St. Canut Suckling Pig, Parmesan Crusted Fennel Lobster Salad - Saffron Mayonnaise. The two Chefs stood at opposite ends of the counter, each plating their dish. You could sense the mutual admiration the two Chefs have for one another with Lee earning a bit of awe or inspiration from Carmichael as they reminisced about their time together. During his demo, Susur Lee came across as very quiet, and extremely focused. The lack of talking combined with attention to his work meant that Lee finished his dish in record time. Both Chefs plated what must have been the prettiest plates of all the cooking the demos.

1,2,3... Look at Susur Lee

 Next up, the 2 Jasons, Chef Duffy from Arc Lounge (Ottawa) and Chef Bangerter from Luma (Toronto) with their offering of Braised Elk Ribs, Creamy Polenta, Tasty Crispy bits. We are a bit biased with this dish because we love elk meat. We happen to know a great provider of wapiti in Dunham and have enjoyed their elk tourtière on numerous occasions. The Chefs topped their dish in a great way with their Tasty Crispy Bits. Duck fat (we love it) is heated in a pan and ten you grab your bits around the kitchen, sliced garlic, thyme leaves, bits of torn bread, macadamia nuts... A great way of finishing just about any dish.

Braised elk ribs, creamy polenta, tasty crispy bits

 Jonathan Korecki from Side Door (Ottawa) and Jeremy Charles from Raymonds (Newfoundland). Chef Korecki is a recognizable face right now, the bandana sporting Chef is competing on the current season of Top Chef Canada. We ate lunch at Korecki's resto on Monday after the NAC event as part of our Top Chef Canada research. We were obviously in good company, we spotted Chefs Dang and Bell enjoying the food at Side Door when we walked in. The team of Korecki and Charles however get our villain of the show award because they served Wild Newfoundland Rabbit: Crispy Rabbit Ravioli, Rabbit Liver Mousse and Rabbit Terrine "Presse." Chef Charles mentioned he used 40 wild rabbits for the event. Remember our rule no rabbit or eating your bloggers (fans). Showing the wild rabbit to the audience we were struck with the difference of the flesh color when compared to the farmed rabbits you might find at your grocery store or butcher. The meat of the wild rabbits were a deep burgundy as opposed to the pale white flesh of the farmed variety. We do have to hand it to the Chefs for making a dish that uses all the parts of the animal with little waste. The chance to eat any animal that has not been raised under dubious conditions, especially rabbit. Korecki, like Chef Bell, is another fan of pickles, he has 24 kinds at his restaurant and they were used in finishing the dish. The two Chefs also presented the nicest looking dish of the reception using a cedar plank for the plating withwhite pine sprig for visual effect. The plating reminded us a lot of a Group of 7 landscape and it does not get much more Canadian, or artistic, than that.

Villains? Chef Jonathan Korecki and Chef Jeremy Charles

The Jack Pine White Pine: A trio of wild Newfoundland rabbit

Chef Clifford Lyness from Brookstreet (Ottawa) and Chef Jason Parsons from Peller Estates Winery (Niagara on the Lake) served up another one of our favorite food items, duck, with their Smoked Sous Vide Magret - Confit Leg. Chef Parsons caused us to have lots of envy with his cooking gadgets. Not to deter from the dish, the smoked and confit duck is the perfect example how simple foods when cooked to perfection are always a winner. Of course for the sous-vide a thermocirculator was used but Chef Parsons also had the coolest smoker that we have ever seen. Some of you might be familiar with the gadget because from what we could tell it seemed to work like a vaporizer. Remember we are talking about smoking here. The device, called a smoking gun, produces a enormous amount of smoke from a few wood chips or essential oil. The smoke is kept under wraps in a cloche with the food, infusing it with flavor. We have used a Cameron stovetop smoker at home for years and we love cooking with it in the kitchen and on the BBQ. Once you have smoked your own salmon at home there is no going back. The one drawback of the Cameron smoker in your kitchen is that it smokes up the house a lot so the the smoking gun system does look like a great way of smoking your food.

Smoked duck sous vide

 During the reception the company that sells the smoking gun had a table featuring some of their wares. Testek, a Québec company located in Delson, specializes in molecular gastronomy tools and supplies. Ever wanted to pump some spaghetti? Well now you know where to get it. In addition to a bunch of kitchen equipment that looks like it belongs in Tesla's laboratory we found the catalog to contain some of the coolest looking serving dishes, utensils, verrines, cardboard slider boxes, miniature coca-cola style bottles etc. If you are in the catering business it is definitely worth your while to check out Testek's line of products. These are wow factor presentation pieces that will definitely impress your clients. Take for example the dryspoon, hollow glass spoons that allow you to place a liquid inside (wine) and solid on top (cheese).

Designer Dishes & Toys from Testek

 Our final pairing of Chefs, Michael Blackie, Executive Chef at the National Arts Centre (Ottawa) and Lynn Crawford from Ruby Watchco (Toronto). Chef Crawford is one of the most recognizable Chefs in Canada because of her television work but it is a very different experience to see her in person. We said earlier that Chef Ned Bell was high energy and entertaining during his presentation well he has got nothing on Chef Lynn Crawford who is like a lightning bolt. Given her energy and enthusiasm, not to mention bitchin' kitchen chops, it is no wonder she has carved out a successful career as Chef and television star. With Crawford working the crowd and running around we almost felt sorry for Chef Blackie who seemed to be trying to keep things on track because they did have to prepare a dish after all. Despite being a blur on stage Crawford impressed us by inviting a 16-year-old volunteer for the event, and budding Chef, to cook with her on stage. The Chefs dish Was Seed to Sausage Double Smoked Bacon - Duck - Cranberries - Mimolette Gnocchi. Another excellent dish because we love duck but the mimolette (cheese) sage gnocchi was a real standout amongst all the dishes served during the reception.

Lynn Crawford with Chef-in-training

 Not to be overlooked the reception featured wine pairings from Ontario vintners. Allow us to take this moment to lament the fact the the Société des Alcools de Québec (SAQ) is really weak in the Ontario wine department because these were quality products. We had a bit of trouble juggling, or enjoying, our glasses of wine and plates food to take proper notes. A  handout, or including this information in the program, would have been nice because us Québécois would really like to know the names of the wines that were matched with the food. We did grab a few business cards and brochures from a few of the vineyards that included Diamond Winery, Lailey vineyard, Pelee Island winery, Peller Estates and Norman Hardie. One product that is really worth mentioning was from The Spearhead brewing company who featured their Hawaiian style pale ale brewed with pineapple. The pineapple is subtle, just a bouquet on the nose, and makes for a delicious crisp, satisfying beer that is unlike any we have ever tasted. The tropical notes pair really well with food but sadly for us in Québec this is yet another product that is not available in La Belle Province.

Chefs Blackie & Crawford: Duck sausage with mimolette gnocchi

 Coming from Montreal we know that our city likes to boast about its culinary reputation. We have also been hearing rumors that Ottawa's food scene was going places and shedding its reputation as not having any good places to eat. Judging from the caliber of the local Chefs at this event we can say that the rumor is true. Ottawa really got the big guns (long knives) out for this event. It only makes sense that our nation's capital should have great dining establishments and events when it already plays host to showcasing our national culture with it's museums and cultural institutions like The National Arts Centre. Montreal, Ottawa just kicked our asses with a capital culinary extravaganza that has all the makings of a destination event. Hear that High Lights Festival? Montreal we need to wake stop eating our foie gras poutine and watch our backs.

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. 

The Art of Noodles at Le Faubourg: Yuki Ramen

Food Court Find: Handmade Noodles

We love nothing more than stumbling upon a great food discovery. This week while paying a visit to the Faubourg food court we were thrilled to find Yuki Ramen. True, ramen houses have been popping up around the city but what makes this food court offering special is the handmade noodles. The fact you can watch the preparation of these noodles makes for some great food court theatre. Our dish was a simple BBQ pork bowl, we love the kimchi garnish, with the noodles being the star attraction.

Simple Perfection


Star Attraction: Handmade Noodles

Gordon Ramsay Roasted from the Laurier

With the Laurier BBQ and Gordon Ramsay going their separate ways no time has been wasted in eliminating the Chef’s name from the restaurant. Taking a stroll down Laurier Street on Wednesday evening we saw that Ramsay’s name had already been removed from all the outdoor signage and the menu.

Opening night: Ramsay rules the roost



Tonight: Roosters only

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.

Closing Soon: A Restaurant Near You?

We have noticed a few local restaurant closings in the past few weeks. Restaurant closings are nothing new but one is really worth mentioning because it was a bit of a landmark or institution on the Montreal scene, Le Caveau (President Kennedy near University Street). Amongst some other notable movers and shakers we often spotted former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney heading in and out of the French eatery. 

The original owner of Le Caveau retired a few years ago and the business was taken over by an individual that could not bear the thought of his favorite restaurant closing. We know the new owners invested significantly into rebuilding the kitchen and added a terrace. When the original owners retired the building was purchased by the adjoining McCord Museum. At the time of the purchase the McCord was considering using the space for an expansion project but the plan that never materialized. Rumor has it that the museum has no plans for the building and that the nearly new restaurant equipment is up for sale.

La Montée de Lait

With the closing of La Montée de Lait this summer a rather touching sign appeared in their window. Perhaps less poetic than a personalized sign in your window is the appearance of legal documents. We assume the recent appearance of these documents in the window means that Plaisirs Coupables (Peel Street) has closed. Jean-François Plante was behind the defunct Plaisirs Coupables. Plante, is also Chef/owner of L’Aromate, that used to be at the same location, before moving to its new digs in the new building that was built on the site of Bens Delicatessen - karmic justice? 

We eagerly awaited the opening of Plaisirs Gourmands because they placed drool-worthy food-porn pics of poutine and burgers in their window before opening. Unfortunately, the pornographic experience and promise of a great meal ended after our first dining experience at the restaurant. To sum it up we found the food to be really overpriced in comparison to how lackluster our meal was. The service was also really bad and frankly we do not blame the staff considering the choice of uniform for the female employees - mini skirts and low cut shirts. We do not want to be accused of ageism but considering the age of some of the waitresses the mini skirts were just a bad idea. The image of cellulite is less than appetizing in a place that boasts itself as serving sinfully decadent food. Perhaps the message is just let it all hang out.

Guilty: Closed for Business

Walking by the window of Plaisirs Gourmands we often got a chuckle with the cover of Jean-François Plante’s book that was proudly on display. The image consisted of Plante, burger in hand and pointing at the camera in the style of Guy Fieri. The amusing part, besides the fact that Plante seems to know a photographer with a camera that just like his food, makes him look way sexier in person, is the glass of wine placed strategically between Plante’s legs or rather crotch. All we could think was mmmmm, crotch wine. Who knows perhaps the placement of your wine next to your crotch adds flavor or keeps it a perfect temperature.

We noticed last week, and it was till in the window a few days ago, that Wellhouse (Sherbrooke Street and Victoria) is displaying a sign in the door saying they will reopen on January 15. We guess this is not a good sign for any fans of the eatery. We ate at Wellhouse once and all we can say is that there is another kind of house (clue: it starts with the letter ‘S’) that might be more appropriate as a moniker. This is perhaps a bit harsh but all we remember is a medium steak that was raw in the middle. After a few more attempts by the kitchen the exterior of the meat just kept getting more charred with a taste like lighter fluid.

The Art of Eating: No ordinary cookbook launch

Who wields the biggest knife amongst Montreal's food celebrities? These days it seems like Joe Beef is hogging all the lime light. Martin Picard, Chuck Hughes, Nadia G, all show Montreal's cool ass zeitgeist to much celebration in TV's foodland. And who can forget the internet's numbers one champs, the lovable Lardo Retardos a.k.a Epic Meal Time? All these folk are newcomers in the arena when it comes to what makes our food or city famous. The patriarch in the scene is none other than James MacGuire. 

The  Maestro at work: MacGuire and his medium

Saturday's launch of the Art of Cooking cookbook, at Appetite for Books, featured an appearance by MacGuire who contributed recipes to the book. The book is a collection of recipes from the Art of Eating magazine from the past 25 years.

MacGuire's restaurant, Passe Partout (located on Decarie boulevard and not the kid's TV show - note this is not the most appetizing link), and most importantly his bread, is the story of legends in Montreal's storied great foods. The Art of Cooking, author and magazine publisher, Ed Behr praised MacGuire's "encyclopedic knowledge" of French cooking at Saturday's launch. In case you did not know Passe Partout's baguette garnered praises from the New York Times. Next time you are munching on a baguette from Première Moisson, Au Pain Doré, or the amazing Arhoma give thanks to MacGuire who is responsible for bringing the great French baguette to Montréal and reminding us there is more to our city than just bagels.

But is it Art? MacGuire's holey loaves on display

MacGuire's reputation in the annals of Montreal's food culture was evident at Saturday’s event as food journalists Julian Armstrong, Lesley Chesterman, and Barry Lazar were all in attendance. Montreal jazz great Vic Vogel, another Montreal legend, even made an appearance confirming MacGuire's place in Montreal's pantheon of individuals who make our city great.

Attendees of Saturday’s event got a special and rare treat, a taste of James MacGuire’s bread. Perhaps even better we got to hear some bread making tips from the master himself. All we can say is that if anybody is in Vermont please pick us up a bag of King Arthur flour.

Blast from the Past: Memories of MacGuire and Passe Partout

New Restauration Record? Restaurant fined over $84,000 for health code violations

Montreal municipal officials take note of a potential new revenue source. A Chinese restaurant in Greenwich England has been fined £54,000 ($84,713 Canadian dollars) for health code violations. 

According to the article: " an unannounced inspection found mouse droppings among packets of food, next to plates and even inside a roll of cling film in the kitchen. There was also a heavy build up of grease on the floor beneath the cooking range, mouldy vegetables on the floor of the walk-in fridge. No paper towels at hand basins meant it was difficult for kitchen staff to maintain good standards of personal hygiene."

You can read the full article here

Jazz and Fuzy Celebrate one more year with a dirty restaurant post

Did Anthony Bourdain eat the Rat Turd in Point St-Charles? 

We all know Anthony Bourdain did an episode of the Layover in Montreal. But just in case you did not know he is tight with the Pied de Cochon and Joe Beef dudes. The gang took Bourdain to the Capri Tavern and guess what folks? The St-Patrick Street, Point Saint-Charles, eatery was featured in the updated list of Montreal’s Dirty restos.

This week marks the one year anniversary of our blog. We started posting when we noticed the Montreal Gazette website featured a video of Caroline Dumas, from Soup Soup, doing a cooking demo. We thought this was somewhat amusing because she was also featured in Montreal’s Dirty Resto List which also happens to be some of our favorite local food reading. Is it us or does the list seem to read like your last few dining experiences? 

Video: Bourdain: Rat Turds and Roaches? (Go to the 7 minute mark)

Today’s Gazette, (January 19, 2012) featured an interesting article about citizens concerned with our city’s food inspection practices. The article states that Montreal is “a mecca of gastronomy, [but] information on restaurant cleanliness is incomplete, late and not very helpful.” This is in comparison to other Canadian culinary capitals like Toronto and Vancouver where information is published on a daily basis. We have a suggestion if you want our city to be more like no-fun Vancouver and Toronto why don’t you go live there? Seriously, kidding aside, they make a good point. Didn’t the Gazette used to publish the offenders in its print edition? Are you still not allowed to stand up in a bar in Vancouver while you are holding a drink? As Montreal flexes its culinary arms in the Tourism battle should we be re-evaluating our restaurant inspection policies? We always thought that the website was not updated this time of year was because the workers were on Christmas holidays. Doesn't everyone else in the hospitality and restaurant industry have to work on weekends and holidays?

We must confess to somewhat agreeing with the article. We have been waiting for the latest update of our city’s website for months. We have worked in places where the food inspector comes in. We also seemed to always get the inspector with the bad B.O. which really makes you think because this person is authorized to fine you in the hygiene department. During one of our research sessions we were lucky enough to eat the lunch time buffet at Allo Inde during an obvious food inspection. We were not sure if it was relief  or disappointment in not seeing the restaurant in the dirty list for so many months but we think we deserve a Facebook badge from the city for eating in a fined restaurant during an inspection. Did we get sick? No. Did we eat too much? Yes. The inspectors also failed to run out of the kitchen screaming "shut it down," like they do on television. At least we had a Montreal culinary experience that was similar to Anthony Bourdain.

You can click to the link of  Montreal’s dirty restos here.

“Away in a manger... Man Cave Gift Ideas

All I Want for Christmas...

Holiday Gift Guides, ideas and flyers have been floating around for weeks and nothing has really caught our eye, or stomachs, except for one notable exception. 

The Canadian Tire flyer from the end of November featured truly tasteful items like Tabletop Neon Man Cave & Hot Rod signs for $29.99. Nothing says Man Cave like a neon sign. If you are the more subtle type you might opt for the Man Cave steel signs, a Canadian Tire exclusive, that start at $9.99. Just remember as the sign says, “If it happens in the garage it stays in the garage.” We think this must be the reason that we cannot come up with the exact word for Man Cave dweller. We also like the retro coolers.

The vintage Canadian Tire Oil Can Bank is pure Warholian genius but the real show shopper is the gas powered blender that features motorcycle handlebars, with throttle and a variable speed 33cc engine for a truly vroom vroom blending experience.

If these suggestions are not quite what you might be looking for we also suggest a cook book, gift certificate or cooking class from our favorite bookstore Appetite for Books.

Taking someone out to dinner is also and always a nice treat so what are you waiting for? Get out there and eat, eat, eat, drink, it is the holidays after all.

Bad Ass Blending machine