Food Tips
10 Top Chef Canada Contestants Answer Our Burning Culinary Questions
Courtesy of Food Network Canada
Food Tips
10 Top Chef Canada Contestants Answer Our Burning Culinary Questions
Ever wondered what a chef’s favourite kitchen tool is? Or what they make for themselves after a day of cooking for others? Lucky for us, 10 chefs from the upcoming new season of Top Chef Canada were more than happy to share their professional opinions on our need-to-know culinary questions.
To see these pros in action, tune into Food Network Canada on Monday, October 14 at 10 p.m. ET/PT to watch the season 11 premiere of Top Chef Canada.
1. Ruby Gatt
Larry’s in Montreal, Que.
Food Network Canada
What is your go-to dish for when you get home from a long day in the kitchen?
I love a bowl of calrose rice with some kimchi, a fried egg, and a little bit of kewpie mayo!
If you could only have one utensil or tool in the kitchen, what would it be?
Aside from a sharp knife, a bench scraper for sure! I use it all the time to scoop up chopped herbs or to make dough or just to clean. It’s a super handy, multipurpose tool.
2. Alexander Fields
Owner and chef at Rhyz in Toronto, Ont.
Food Network Canada
What is your go-to dish for when you get home from a long day in the kitchen?
Anything with chicken thighs and rice!
What’s your favourite culinary trend right now?
I love that there's an introduction of African cuisines and culture to the mainstream culinary world.
3. Miriam Echeverria
Former executive chef at Dimensions Retreats in Haliburton, Ont.
Food Network Canada
What is your go-to dish for when you get home from a long day in the kitchen?
Since I often get home late at night, I usually choose to have a light meal before bed, like oatmeal with seeds and nuts. A long day at work also means a lot of food tasting, so I like to make sure my food intake is balanced.
If you could only have one utensil or tool in the kitchen, what would it be?
Definitely a dough scraper. They are super handy—you can use them as a spatula, as a ruler, and sometimes as a knife too!
4. Chanthy Yen
Chef de Cuisine at Bacaro in Vancouver, B.C.
Food Network Canada
What is your go-to dish for when you get home from a long day in the kitchen?
After a long day, nothing hits the spot like a plate of fried rice noodles, or “Cha Katew” as we call it in Khmer. Picture bouncy rice noodles tossed in a fragrant sweet and savoury soy sauce, finished with Kampot pepper and a squeeze of lime. It’s a dish that truly comforts the soul!
What’s your favourite culinary trend right now?
I’m really excited about chefs collaborating to express their cultures through food. It’s so inspiring! I’m also loving the shift towards kinder kitchens across Canada—there’s a real sense of community growing.
5. Haan Palcu-Chang
Works in marketing, runs cooking workshops, hosts private dinners, and runs a cooking social media account.
Food Network Canada
What’s your favourite culinary trend right now?
I think the continued rise in popularity of fermentation and pickling is great. It’s an accessible way for people to add “slow food” to their diets and, in the case of fermented products in particular, a great way to incorporate tasty, nutrient-dense ingredients into your meals.
If you could only have one utensil or tool in the kitchen, what would it be?
It would have to be a chef’s knife or a Chinese cleaver. You can prepare pretty much any meal with a good knife. And if you have to, you can eat that meal with your hands or skewer with the tip of your blade!
6. Lisa Ahier
Chef and owner of SoBo in Tofino, B.C
Food Network Canada
What’s your favourite culinary trend right now?
The rise in plant-based diets. Personally, I am not a meat-eater, so I am thrilled to see more vegetarian and vegan options at restaurants and grocery stores.
If you could only have one utensil or tool in the kitchen, what would it be?
My knife! But my tongs would be a close second. They are an extension of my arm; I can flip, stir, and take hot dishes out of the oven using them, I even squeeze citrus with tongs. I seem to have them in my hand more than not. I love my old-school tongs!
7. Christina Khan
Chef de Cuisine at La Palma in Toronto.
Food Network Canada
What’s your favourite culinary trend right now?
Less food and plastic waste in the kitchen, and practicing to be a more sustainable chef.
What is your go-to dish for when you get home from a long day in the kitchen?
Rice and fried egg with fermented chili.
8. Rémi Lemieux
Chef Patron at Mémo in Montreal, Que.
Food Network Canada
What’s your favourite culinary trend right now?
I love the boba trend. Or just the fact that being a barista has become so cool. I’m definitely going to be playing with this trend for Mémo during the day.
If you could only have one utensil or tool in the kitchen, what would it be?
An endless supply of ultra-fine tip sharpies is the way to go. With super strong masking tape. Straight cut on that tape please! Organization is key in the kitchen.
9. Moira Murray
Chef de Cuisine at Peacock Wine Bar in Halifax, N.S.
Food Network Canada
What is your go-to dish for when you get home from a long day in the kitchen?
Ramen. I use either homemade broth in the freezer or I just add a bunch of things to instant ramen (soy eggs are my favourite!).
What’s your favourite culinary trend right now?
Minimizing food waste on every level from production, restaurants, and home consumers. We're seeing farmers markets' surplus boxes, apps with end-of-day auctions for restaurants or store goods, organizations collecting excess produce or ingredients from farms and/or restaurants and donating them to local organizations. All of these are amazing to see.
10. Shane Chartrand
Freelance Indigenous chef of Nehiyaw (Cree) cuisine and mentor for the "Love, Molly" food truck.
Food Network Canada
What’s your favourite culinary trend right now?
Right now, my favourite trend is non-alcoholic beverages.
If you could only have one utensil or tool in the kitchen, what would it be?
An old fashioned wooden spoon!
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