The stadium is stocked, the secret ingredients are selected and the battles are set – but whose cuisine will reign supreme? Each week, Iron Chef Canada sees one notable chef, spanning from Vancouver, B.C. to Montreal, Que., competing in a head-to-head competition for culinary supremacy. The worthy challengers battle against the renowned Canadian Iron Chefs, Hugh Acheson, Amanda Cohen, Lynn Crawford, Rob Feenie, and Susur Lee in ambitious culinary show-downs featuring a secret ingredient that must be incorporated in each of their five dishes. Canadian television personality and recognized culinary expert Gail Simmons hosts alongside respected food critic Chris Nuttall-Smith as floor reporter. The highly-anticipated inaugural season of Iron Chef Canada premieres October 17 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network Canada.
The ten Iron Chef Canada competitors entering the Monogram Kitchen Stadium are:
- Jason Bangerter, Cambridge, Ont.- Executive Chef, Langdon Hall Country House Hotel and Spa
- Ned Bell, Vancouver, B.C. – Executive Chef, Ocean Wise program at the Vancouver Aquarium
- Alex Chen, Vancouver, B.C. – Executive Chef, Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
- John Horne, Toronto, Ont. – Executive Chef, Canoe
- Marc Lepine, Ottawa, Ont. – Chef and Owner, Atelier
- Nick Liu, Toronto, Ont. – Chef and Owner, DaiLo and LoPan
- Brandon Olsen, Toronto, Ont. – Chef and Owner, La Banane and CXBO Chocolates
- René Rodriguez, Ottawa, Ont. – Chef, COMMON Eatery
- Danny “Smiles” Francis, Montreal, Que. – Chef de Cuisine, Le Bremner
- Laura White, Toronto, Ont. – Pastry Chef, Forno Cultura
Throughout the season, a rotating panel of acclaimed culinary guest judges exercise their palates and serve up critiques based on taste, plating and presentation, and originality to determine who takes home bragging rights. Guest judges include television host and food writer, Ricardo Larrivée; Canadian chef and author, Jennifer McLagan; restaurant critics Alexandra Gill (The Globe and Mail) and Lesley Chesterman (Montreal Gazette), as well as Food Network Canada personalities Mijune Pak (Top Chef Canada) and host of the upcoming new series Big Bucket Food List, John Catucci.
In the series premiere, Iron Chef Canada launches with an intense secret ingredient battle between Iron Chef Lynn Crawford and challenger Chef Marc Lepine. The panel of judges declaring a winner for the very first Iron Chef Canada face-off include La Presse columnist Marie-Claude Lortie, writer and owner of Toronto’s Rosen’s Cinnamon Buns, Amy Rosen, and Host of Food Network Canada’s Carnival Eats, Noah Cappe.
To learn more about the series, catch behind the scenes content and watch episodes online after they premiere, visit www.foodnetwork.ca.
Food Network Canada is available on a National Free Preview for the month of October. Please check local listings for additional details.