Top Chef Canada
Encyclopedia
Top Chef Canada is a reality
competition show. The first season premiered on April 11, 2011 on Food Network Canada
. The first season consisted of 13 episodes, with 16 contestants vying for a grand prize of $100,000 and a GE
Monogram kitchen valued at $30,000. Contestants will shop at Loblaws
. Like the original
American
series, each week the chef
contestants compete against each other in culinary challenges. Contestants are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food
and wine
industry, with one or more contestants being eliminated each week. The Canadian edition uses the same graphics and music as the American version of the program
.
Season one of Top Chef Canada was one of Food Network Canada's most highly-rated programs. The network renewed the program for a second season, scheduled to start on March 12, 2012.
. After giving birth to her second child, Andrews stepped down from the position. On November 15, 2011, actress Lisa Ray
announced that she was named to host the program for season two.
The head judge (the position held by Tom Colicchio on the original version) is Mark McEwan
, chef and owner of several restaurant
s in Toronto
and host of the Food Network Canada program The Heat with Mark McEwan
. McEwan confirmed that he was returning as head judge for season two and was under contract for a third season of the program.
The "resident judge", as described by the network, is Shereen Arazm
, a Toronto
native and owner of several Los Angeles
-area restaurants. Each week of season one featured a guest judge or special guest, such as Dan Aykroyd
, Susur Lee
, Daniel Boulud
, Rob Feenie
, and recurring judge on the American version, Gail Simmons
.
: Eliminated by placing last in the Quickfire Challenge.
: In the knife pull, Francois pulled "Hog Wild", guaranteeing immunity, while the Black Team finished the relay first and gained an extra hundred dollars in their budget.
from being sent home that week; however, in the latter stages, the Quickfire winner is given an advantage in the upcoming Elimination Challenge. It also has been made clear that Quickfire winners this season may receive other rewards, including cash prizes. The Elimination Challenge is a more complex challenge that determines who goes home. One or more judges join the show each week to evaluate both the Quickfire and Elimination challenges. Each week's elimination is announced in a segment called "Judges' Table."
The final two chefs were given 20 minutes to make a dish with the ingredients from the first three rounds, plus items from the Top Chef pantry.
This episode was controversial as one of the proteins used in the tasting menu was horse meat
. In response to the controversy, Food Network Canada issued a statement acknowledging the use of horse meat was controversial, but it was trying to create an episode involving "a truly authentic, traditional French menu." Unlike other episodes, the online video
of this episode is not included on Food Network Canada's website.
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
competition show. The first season premiered on April 11, 2011 on Food Network Canada
Food Network Canada
Food Network is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel with programming related to food, cooking, cuisine, and the food industry. Food Network is a joint venture between Shaw Media, Corus Entertainment, and Scripps Networks Interactive....
. The first season consisted of 13 episodes, with 16 contestants vying for a grand prize of $100,000 and a GE
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
Monogram kitchen valued at $30,000. Contestants will shop at Loblaws
Loblaws
Loblaws is a supermarket chain with over 70 stores in Canada, headquartered in Brampton, with stores across Ontario and Quebec. Loblaws is a division of Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada's largest food distributor...
. Like the original
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
series, each week the chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
contestants compete against each other in culinary challenges. Contestants are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
and wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
industry, with one or more contestants being eliminated each week. The Canadian edition uses the same graphics and music as the American version of the program
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
.
Season one of Top Chef Canada was one of Food Network Canada's most highly-rated programs. The network renewed the program for a second season, scheduled to start on March 12, 2012.
Judges, guest judges, and special appearances
The host for the first season of the Canadian program was Thea AndrewsThea Andrews
Thea Andrews is a Canadian actress and TV personality best known for her stint at ESPN where from October 2003 to November 2006 she served as co-host on several ESPN shows such as Cold Pizza , Breakast at Churchill Downs , Breakfast at Pimlico , The ESPY Red Carpet Show , ESPN Hollywood and Sports...
. After giving birth to her second child, Andrews stepped down from the position. On November 15, 2011, actress Lisa Ray
Lisa Ray
Lisa Ray , born 4 April 1972, is a Canadian actress and former model.-Early life:Lisa Ray was born in Toronto to a Bengali Indian father and a Polish mother and grew up in the suburb of Etobicoke...
announced that she was named to host the program for season two.
The head judge (the position held by Tom Colicchio on the original version) is Mark McEwan
Mark McEwan
Mark McEwan is a Canadian celebrity chef based in Toronto. He is currently the host of Fine Living Network's The Heat with Mark McEwan, a judge on Superstar Chef Challenge, and head judge on Food Network Canada's Top Chef Canada.-Career:...
, chef and owner of several restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and host of the Food Network Canada program The Heat with Mark McEwan
The Heat with Mark McEwan
The Heat with Mark McEwan is a Canadian food and catering show produced by General Purpose Pictures which airs on Food Network in Canada. It is hosted by Mark McEwan, a Celebrity chef based in Toronto...
. McEwan confirmed that he was returning as head judge for season two and was under contract for a third season of the program.
The "resident judge", as described by the network, is Shereen Arazm
Shereen Arazm
Shereen Arazm is a nightclub and restaurant promoter and owner. Arazm conducts business as a partner of the Dolce Group, whose other partners include Mike Malin. Other minority owners include Ashton Kutcher....
, a Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
native and owner of several Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-area restaurants. Each week of season one featured a guest judge or special guest, such as Dan Aykroyd
Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
, Susur Lee
Susur Lee
Susur Lee is a celebrated chef based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was born in Hong Kong, the youngest of six children. He served his culinary apprenticeship at Hong Kong's renowned Peninsula Hotel. He immigrated to Canada in 1978, where he worked his way to executive chef status at a number of...
, Daniel Boulud
Daniel Boulud
Daniel Boulud is a French chef and restaurateur with restaurants in New York City, Palm Beach, Miami, Montreal, Beijing, and Singapore...
, Rob Feenie
Rob Feenie
Robert Feenie is a Canadian chef based in Vancouver, British Columbia.-Culinary career:His interest in cooking began during a high school exchange program in Europe. He attended Dubrulle Culinary Institute...
, and recurring judge on the American version, Gail Simmons
Gail Simmons
Gail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer and television personality, and is the Special Projects Director with Food & Wine magazine...
.
Contestants (season one)
16 chefs competed in Season one. Names, ages, hometowns, and cities of residence (at time of filming) are from the Food Network Canada website. In the order eliminated:- Michael Stauffer, 30, DundasDundas, OntarioDundas is a formerly independent town and now constituent community in the city of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada. It's nickname is the Valley Town. The population has been stable for decades at about twenty thousand, largely because it has not annexed rural land from the protected Dundas Valley...
, ON - Clayton Beadle, 26, WhistlerWhistler, British ColumbiaWhistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
, BC - Rebekah Pearse, 29, CalgaryCalgaryCalgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, AB - Steve Gonzales, 35, Toronto, ON
- Derek Bocking, 30, MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, QC - Jamie Hertz, 31, NelsonNelson, British ColumbiaNelson is a city located in the Selkirk Mountains on the extreme West Arm of Kootenay Lake in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Known as "The Queen City", and acknowledged for its impressive collection of restored heritage buildings from its glory days in a regional silver rush,...
, BC - Chris Kanka, 34, Toronto, ON
- Patrick Wiese, 40, Toronto, ON
- Todd Perrin, 40, Quidi Vidi VillageQuidi VidiQuidi Vidi is a neighbourhood in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador....
, St. John’sSt. John's, Newfoundland and LabradorSt. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, NL - Darryl Crumb, 29, WinnipegWinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, MB - Andrea Nicholson, 28, Toronto, ON
- Francois Gagnon, 32, Montreal, QC
- Dustin Gallagher, 28, TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, ON - Connie DeSousa, 29, Calgary, Alberta
- Rob Rossi, 27, Toronto, ON
- Dale Mackay, 30, Saskatoon, SK
Contestant progress (season one)
| Contestant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Finale | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quickfire Winner |
Dale | Todd | Chris | Dustin | Francois | Todd | Todd Dustin Andrea Rob |
Andrea | Connie | Rob | Dale | Connie | |||||||||||||
| Dale | IN | IN | LOW | HIGH | WIN | IN | LOW | WIN | WIN | HIGH | LOW | LOW | WINNER | ||||||||||||
| Rob | WIN | HIGH | HIGH | LOW | HIGH | WIN | IN | LOW | HIGH | IN | WIN | WIN | RUNNER-UP | ||||||||||||
| Connie | IN | HIGH | WIN | WIN | IN | HIGH | HIGH | HIGH | LOW | WIN | LOW | IN | RUNNER-UP | ||||||||||||
| Dustin | IN | LOW | IN | LOW | HIGH | HIGH | WIN | LOW | IN | IN | HIGH | OUT | |||||||||||||
| Francois | HIGH | IN | IN | IN | IN | HIGH | HIGH | HIGH | HIGH | LOW | OUT | ||||||||||||||
| Andrea | HIGH | WIN | HIGH | LOW | HIGH | LOW | LOW | LOW | IN | OUT | |||||||||||||||
| Darryl | IN | LOW | HIGH | IN | LOW | LOW | IN | HIGH | OUT | ||||||||||||||||
| Todd | IN | IN | IN | WIN | LOW | LOW | IN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||
| Patrick | IN | IN | LOW | IN | LOW | IN | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||
| Chris | LOW | IN | LOW | IN | IN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||
| Jamie | LOW | LOW | IN | HIGH | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Derek | HIGH | IN | IN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Steve | IN | IN | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebekah | IN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clayton | LOW | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michael | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
: Eliminated by placing last in the Quickfire Challenge.
: In the knife pull, Francois pulled "Hog Wild", guaranteeing immunity, while the Black Team finished the relay first and gained an extra hundred dollars in their budget.
- (WINNER) The chef won the season and was crowned Top Chef.
- (RUNNER-UP) The chef was a runner-up for the season.
- (WIN) The chef won that episode's Elimination Challenge.
- (HIGH) The chef was selected as one of the top entries in the Elimination Challenge, but did not win.
- (LOW) The chef was selected as one of the bottom entries in the Elimination Challenge, but was not eliminated.
- (OUT) The chef lost that week's Elimination Challenge and was out of the competition.
- (IN) The chef neither won nor lost that week's Elimination Challenge. They also were not up to be eliminated.
Episodes (season one)
Each episode includes two challenges. The Quickfire Challenge is a short, simple challenge with a varying reward each week. In the initial episodes of the season, it usually guarantees the winner immunityImmunity (reality television)
Immunity in reality television is a concept that is widely used in weekly elimination-type reality television shows by which a contestant participating in such a show may not be "kicked off" or eliminated from competition in a particular time period...
from being sent home that week; however, in the latter stages, the Quickfire winner is given an advantage in the upcoming Elimination Challenge. It also has been made clear that Quickfire winners this season may receive other rewards, including cash prizes. The Elimination Challenge is a more complex challenge that determines who goes home. One or more judges join the show each week to evaluate both the Quickfire and Elimination challenges. Each week's elimination is announced in a segment called "Judges' Table."
Episode 1: Getting To Know You
- Quickfire Challenge: The 16 chefs competed in a three-round mise en placeMise en placeMise en place is a French phrase defined by the Culinary Institute of America as "everything in place", as in set up. It is used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing and arranging the ingredients that a cook will require for the menu items that he or she expects...
tournament. The Quickfire prize was immunity at the elimination challenge.- Round One: Fillet a red snapperRed snapper (fish)The red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus, is a fish found in the Gulf of Mexico and the southeastern Atlantic coast of the United States and, much less commonly, northward as far as Massachusetts. In Latin American Spanish it is known as huachinango or pargo...
; fastest eight move on to Round Two. - Round Two: Peel and prep artichokeArtichoke-Plants:* Globe artichoke, a partially edible perennial thistle originating in southern Europe around the Mediterranean* Jerusalem artichoke, a species of sunflower with an edible tuber...
hearts; four with the most number of prepared artichokes move on to Round Three. - Round Three: Prepare a hollandaise sauceHollandaise sauceHollandaise sauce is an emulsion of egg yolk and butter, usually seasoned with lemon juice. In appearance it is light yellow and opaque, smooth and creamy. The flavor is rich and buttery, with a mild tang added by the lemon juice, yet not so strong as to overpower mildly-flavored foods.Hollandaise...
; best two move on to the final round.
- Round One: Fillet a red snapper
The final two chefs were given 20 minutes to make a dish with the ingredients from the first three rounds, plus items from the Top Chef pantry.
- WINNER: Dale (pan roasted snapper, hollandaise sauce, black garlic potatoes and roasted artichokeArtichoke-Plants:* Globe artichoke, a partially edible perennial thistle originating in southern Europe around the Mediterranean* Jerusalem artichoke, a species of sunflower with an edible tuber...
) - Elimination Challenge: The chefs each create a dish that represents who they are and where they come from.
- WINNER: Rob (BC halibut, butter poached lobster, crushed potatoes, black trumpet purée)
- ELIMINATED: Michael (roasted lamb saddle with summer vegetables, chèvre fondant and tomato consommé)
- Guest Judge: Vikram Vij (Elimination Challenge)
- Original Airdate: April 11, 2011
Episode 2: Cheese, Glorious Cheese
- Quickfire Challenge: In this high stakes Quickfire, the chefs must prepare breakfastBreakfastBreakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day's work...
using 100% cow’s milk cheese. The winner earns immunity in the Elimination Challenge, while the loser goes home. After announcing the bottom three dishes, the chefs who cooked them are each given a second chance to save themselves, with 20 minutes to cook an amuse-bouche.- Top: Andrea, Rob, Todd
- Bottom: Clayton, Dale, Francois
- WINNER: Todd (Crêpe with bacon, spinach, le Guillaume Tell cheese, poached egg)
- ELIMINATED: Clayton (Grilled wagu beef with tomato truffle vinaigrette)
- Elimination Challenge: Working in pairs, the chefs must create a cheese dish that compliments the personality of their partner.
- WINNER: Andrea (Apple butter and cheddar on walnut infused cracker with pickled celery and apple salad)
- ELIMINATED: Rebekah (Buckwheat and potato blini with le Guillaume Tell cheese and braised veal)
- Guest Judge: Julia Rogers (Elimination Challenge)
- Original Airdate: April 18, 2011
Episode 3: From Russia with Vodka
- Quickfire Challenge: A blind taste test of 20 ingredients.
- Bottom: Francois (1 out of 20)
- WINNER: Chris (13 out of 20)
- Bottom: Francois (1 out of 20)
- Elimination Challenge: Chefs were split into two teams to serve a Russian zakuskiZakuskiA zakuski is a kind of traditional Russian hors d'oeuvre served before meals. Usually presented buffet style, it often consists of cured meats and fishes, various pickled vegetables such as beets, cucumbers, and garlic, mixed salads, caviar, and breads.These appetizers are often present at parties...
meal, inspired by Dan Aykroyd's brand of vodkaVodkaVodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
, Crystal Head Vodka which is made in Newfoundland. - INDIVIDUAL WINNER: Connie (Smoked garlic sausage with picked fennel and flax lavash)
- ELIMINATED: Steve (Warm potato salad with warm bacon foam, wild salmon caviar with fresh dill)
- Guest Judge: Dan AykroydDan AykroydDaniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
- Original Airdate: April 25, 2011
Episode 4: Food From Around The World
- Quickfire Challenge: Create a signature salad. The winner of the Quickfire gains immunity for the Elimination Challenge.
- Top: Andrea, Darryl
- Bottom: Rob, Francois, Todd
- WINNER: Dustin (Beet carpaccio with wasabi mustard, pickled onions, sliced apples and garlic chips)
- Elimination Challenge: In pairs, chefs must create a pair of complementing dishes (one hot, one cold) that fits the country chefs draw from the knife block.
- WINNERS: Team Ethiopia - Connie/Todd (Traditional Ethiopian ground beef with curry spices and traditional lamb Katwa (Connie); Red and green lentil salad, tomato salad with onion & cucumber and Injera (Todd))
- ELIMINATED: Derek (Beef braised side ribs with a smoky chocolate BBQ sauce & spicy corn salsa) (Team Mexico)
- Guest Judge: Susur LeeSusur LeeSusur Lee is a celebrated chef based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was born in Hong Kong, the youngest of six children. He served his culinary apprenticeship at Hong Kong's renowned Peninsula Hotel. He immigrated to Canada in 1978, where he worked his way to executive chef status at a number of...
- Original Airdate: May 2, 2011
Episode 5: Pork to the People
- Quickfire Challenge: Butchery relay race. Each team must portion a pig into 5 parts: picnic shoulder, loin, belly, shoulder butt, or leg. The first team to complete all the portions to the satisfaction of the guest judge would be the winner. The chefs were divided into two teams and assigned their cut of meat by drawing knives.
- Top: Connie, Dale, Todd, Chris, Dustin (Black Team)
- Bottom: Patrick, Darryl, Rob, Jamie, Andrea (White Team)
- WINNER: Black Team. Members of the winning team were provided with an extra $100 in their budget for the Elimination Challenge.
- Francois pulled a "Hog Wild!" knife, which gave him automatic immunity for the Elimination Challenge challenge and exempted him from participating in the Quickfire Challenge.
- Elimination Challenge: Create two hors d'oeuvres for a 100 cocktail party guests to benefit Food Banks CanadaFood Banks CanadaFood Banks Canada is a member organization of food banks in Canada. Founded in 1987, Food Banks Canada’s membership is made up of 10 Provincial Associations and around 450 local food banks...
. One of the dishes must utilise the cut of meat they drew in the Quickfire. The chefs cooked at George Brown CollegeGeorge Brown CollegeGeorge Brown College is a public, fully accredited college of applied arts and technology with three full campuses in downtown Toronto, Ontario...
and had the assistance of one sous chef, a student from the college selected by a draw of knives.- WINNERS: Dale
- ELIMINATED: Jamie
- Guest Judges: Steven Alexander (Quickfire challenge), John Higgins (Elimination challenge)
- Original Airdate: May 9, 2011
Episode 6: The French Feast
- Quickfire Challenge: Chefs must create their own version of the Canadian classic snack food, poutine.
- Top: Todd, Darryl
- Bottom: Dale, Chris, Andrea
- WINNER: Francois
- Elimination Challenge: As a team, create a ten-course meal using classic French proteins, drawn from the knife block.
- WINNER: Rob
- ELIMINATED: Chris
- Guest Judges: Chuck HughesChuck HughesCharles Frederick "Chuck" Hughes was an American football wide receiver in the National Football League from 1967 to 1971. He is, to date, the only NFL player to die on the field during a game.-Early years:...
(Quickfire challenge), Daniel BouludDaniel BouludDaniel Boulud is a French chef and restaurateur with restaurants in New York City, Palm Beach, Miami, Montreal, Beijing, and Singapore...
and Laura CalderLaura CalderLaura Calder vthe host of the James Beard Award-winning series French Food at Home, airing on Food Network Canada, Cooking Channel U.S.A. and internationally. She is also a judge on Recipe to Riches, airing fall 2011 on Food Network Canada, and has been a guest judge on both Top Chef Canada and...
(Elimination challenge) - Original Airdate: May 16, 2011
This episode was controversial as one of the proteins used in the tasting menu was horse meat
Horse meat
Horse meat is the culinary name for meat cut from a horse. It is a major meat in only a few countries, notably in Central Asia, but it forms a significant part of the culinary traditions of many others, from Europe to South America to Asia. The top eight countries consume about 4.7 million horses...
. In response to the controversy, Food Network Canada issued a statement acknowledging the use of horse meat was controversial, but it was trying to create an episode involving "a truly authentic, traditional French menu." Unlike other episodes, the online video
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
of this episode is not included on Food Network Canada's website.
Episode 7: Life's Little Milestones
- Quickfire Challenge: Chefs must prepare a dish using All-Bran cereal as an ingredient.
- Top: Darryl, Andrea
- Bottom: Patrick, Francois, Rob
- WINNER: Todd
- Elimination Challenge: Chefs must create a familiar dish "with a twist" for guests celebrating their anniversary, served at Milestones Grill and Bar. The nine contestants are divided into three groups to make either an appetizer, main, and dessert. The winning dish from each category would be featured in a Milestones "Top Chef Canada" menu.
- WINNER: Dustin (Strawberry shortcake with Ontario strawberries and lemon curd)
- ELIMINATED: Patrick
- Guest Judge: Michael SmithMichael Smith-Music:* Michael Joseph Smith , British saxophonist in the pop band Amen Corner* Michael Joseph Smith , jazz composer & performer* Michael Peter Smith , American songwriter and performer...
- Original Airdate: May 23, 2011
Episode 8: Restaurant Wars
- Quickfire Challenge: In teams of four, chefs must produce a dish together in a tag-team format, without speaking to one another. Each chef had 10 minutes to prep their portion of their team's dish. Team captains were determined by drawing knives and Francois picked Dale, Connie, and Darryl, while Rob selected Dustin, Todd, and Andrea.
- WINNERS: Team Red - Dustin, Andrea, Rob, Todd (Pancetta-wrapped scallops with potato rosti)
- Elimination Challenge: Restaurant Wars. Within the same teams as above, chefs must operate a restaurant service while one served at the front of house as maitre d'.
- WINNER: Dale (Strawberry souffle with berry shooter)
- ELIMINATED: Todd (Chicken terrine, peach gratin)
- Guest Judge: David AdjeyDavid AdjeyDavid Adjey is a world renowned chef, consulting with many restaurants in Toronto and throughout North America. He is known for his appearances on the Food Network Canada show Restaurant Makeover, which is seen in over 16 countries worldwide and ran for five seasons, starting in 2005.Adjey appeared...
- Original Airdate: May 30, 2011
Episode 9: The Numbers Game
- Quickfire Challenge: The remaining chefs are asked to complete a dish with the specific number of ingredients that were on the knives they drew. Salt, pepper and oil are the only ingredients exempt from the count. Amounts range from 4 to 16 ingredients.
- Top: Connie
- Bottom: Dale, Francois
- WINNER: Andrea
- Elimination Challenge: The Top 7 were asked to create a dish that people could create easily and prepare at home. Competitors were allowed up to five President's Choice items in their food. They would then serve their food to customers at a local Loblaws.
- WINNER: Dale (Pulled pork sandwich with salted watermelon)
- ELIMINATED: Darryl
- Guest Judge: Roger MookingRoger MookingRoger Mooking is a Canadian chef and star of the series Everyday Exotic on the Cooking Channel. He is also a musician and a third generation restaurateur. He also currently appears in Heat Seekers with Aaron Sanchez on Food Network.-External links:*...
- Original Airdate: June 6, 2011
Episode 10: A Day in the Life of Canadian Food
- Quickfire Challenge: Prepare two meals that can fit into a box to be served on an Porter AirlinesPorter AirlinesPorter Airlines is a regional airline headquartered at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on the Toronto Islands in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Porter operates regularly scheduled flights between Toronto and locations in Canada and the United States using Canadian-built Bombardier Dash-8 Q 400...
flight.- Top: Dale, Rob
- Bottom: Andrea, Dustin
- WINNER: Connie
- Elimination Challenge: Prepare three dishes that reflect the ingredients and cuisine of a region of Canada.
- WINNER: Connie
- ELIMINATED: Andrea
- Guest Judges: Lynn CrawfordLynn CrawfordLynn Crawford is a Canadian chef, trained at George Brown College in Toronto. She is known for her appearances on the hit Food Network show Restaurant Makeover, which is seen in over 16 countries worldwide. She was formerly the executive chef at the Four Seasons in Toronto and the former...
(Elimination and Quickfire), Jonathan Gushue (Elimination only) - Original Airdate: June 13, 2011
Episode 11: Surf and Turf
- Quickfire Challenge: From a table of seafood, chefs must fill a bowl of ingredients of their choice. After having made their selections, without having been forewarned, the chefs must swap them with the competitor at the table to their left. From these ingredients, they must create 3 dishes.
- WINNER: Rob
- Elimination Challenge: Drawing names of two countries from the knifeblock, chefs must create two street food dishes that combine their two chosen countries' cuisines.
- WINNER: Rob (Canada and Spain - Sloppy joes, ham and cheese sandwich)
- ELIMINATED: Francois (Vietnam and China - "Dim sum" in soup, Peking duck rice rolls)
- Guest Judge: Rob FeenieRob FeenieRobert Feenie is a Canadian chef based in Vancouver, British Columbia.-Culinary career:His interest in cooking began during a high school exchange program in Europe. He attended Dubrulle Culinary Institute...
- Original Airdate: June 20, 2011
Episode 12: Chef Mark McEwan's Favorite Things
- Quickfire Challenge: Create a dish that best represents a famous Canadian movie. The movies used in the challenge were My Big Fat Greek WeddingMy Big Fat Greek WeddingMy Big Fat Greek Wedding is a 2002 Canadian and American romantic comedy film written by and starring Nia Vardalos and directed by Joel Zwick. The film is centered on Fotoula "Toula" Portokalos , a middle class Greek American woman who falls in love with a non-Greek upper middle class "White...
, Ginger Snaps, Bon Cop, Bad CopBon Cop, Bad CopBon Cop, Bad Cop is a 2006 Canadian comedy-thriller buddy cop film about an Ontarian and a Québécois police officer who reluctantly join forces. The dialogue is a mixture of English and French...
, and Naked LunchNaked Lunch (film)Naked Lunch is the 1991 Canadian/British/Japanese film adaptation, directed by David Cronenberg, of William S. Burroughs' novel of the same name...
.- WINNER: Dale
- Elimination Challenge: The chefs were required to make three "family style" dishes for the judges.
- WINNER: Rob
- ELIMINATED: Dustin
- Guest Judge: Gail SimmonsGail SimmonsGail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer and television personality, and is the Special Projects Director with Food & Wine magazine...
- Original Airdate: June 27, 2011
Episode 13: Finale
- Quickfire Challenge:
- WINNER: Connie
- Elimination Challenge:
- Top Chef: Dale
- Guest Judge: Jason Parsons
- Original Airdate: July 4, 2011