Seasoned Stars: We Chatted With The Foodies Competing In Top Chef Canada Season 12

Top Chef Canada is back—and so are the chefs. Ahead of Season 12 (premieres October 14 on Flavour Network), we’re rolling out a fall Q&A series with the competing cooks who’ll be battling it out this season. Each chef will share one can’t-miss recipe or answer a single sharp kitchen question so you can steal their best tricks and taste a bit of what’s to come. Tune in for insider tips, autumn-ready dishes, and plenty of culinary bravado. —Noa Nichol

Chef Anthony Vien

What single moment — a dish tasted, a kitchen experience, or a failure — pushed you tobecome a chef, and how did it change you?

A moment that really left a mark on me and made me realize that I wanted to cook was my first day working in a kitchen. I immediately fell in love with the atmosphere and the sense of family in the kitchen. The way everyone helps each other and works together like a team sport really fascinated me

As a contestant vying for the Top Chef Canada title, what do you think sets you apart from the other chefs, and how will you translate that strength into a winning strategy in the competition?

I think what sets me apart from the other contestants on Top Chef Canada is my approach to working with local and Canadian ingredients. I use them a lot, and nothing makes me prouder than showcasing our wonderful country through my creations! I believe this is an advantage in the competition, since it’s all about finding the best Canadian chef, and in my opinion, a great chef honors their local terroir in every dish.

Tell me about the biggest mistake you’ve made in the kitchen that actually altered your cooking forever — what did you learn and how do you cook differently now?

The biggest mistake I made, and the one that really taught me something happened early in my career. I was working in a restaurant with large deep fryers, and I decided to change the oil. I was carrying about 40 liters of very hot oil to the waste container, but unfortunately, I dropped it and ended up with severe burns. That experience taught me to never forget the importance of teamwork and to always ask for help when it’s needed.

What’s one stubborn belief or non-negotiable you hold about food (technique, ingredient, or hospitality) that would surprise most diners?

I think it would be sauces. Making a good sauce is an art, and it requires a lot of patience. I believe a sauce is essential in a dish because it ties all the elements together and creates a beautiful balance of flavors.

Please share a special recipe: one signature dish you love to make (restaurant or home), with step-by-step instructions and any pro tips or shortcuts to get it exactly right.

I’d like to share one of my favorite recipes, a dish that I love to make and that inspires me deeply. It’s a creation centered around snow crab, herbs, brioche, and love. Snow crab marks the arrival of spring in Quebec, the season of flowers, the first vegetables, and wild ingredients.

In this dish, I prepare the crab both in natural segments and as a salad seasoned with an herb mayonnaise. There’s also a slice of toasted brioche to add a touch of indulgence, and a buttermilk sauce split with spruce oil, which brings a lovely lemony and resinous note from the buttermilk’s acidity. The dish is finished with plenty of the first fresh herbs and flowers of the season.

• Shell the crab, keeping the nice fresh segments, and shred the rest of the crab meat for the salad.
• Make a mayonnaise blended with whatever fresh herbs you have on hand.
• Prepare the spruce oil by blending equal parts spruce buds and oil, then strain it.
• Mix the buttermilk with the spruce oil using a spoon and season lightly with salt. Set aside.
• Slice the brioche and cook it in butter until it’s golden and crispy.
• Season the crab salad with the herb mayonnaise. Set aside.
• Drizzle a little vegetable oil and sprinkle some sea salt over the crab segments. Set aside.
• Pick the most beautiful flowers and early shoots from your garden, and let their colors and aromas inspire you.
• Shave a few of the first radishes to add a fresh, crisp, vegetal touch to the dish.
• Plate the dish using the photo as inspiration,or follow your own instincts. Don’t forget to let your creativity and imagination flow with what surrounds you. Make the dish in a way that makes you smile at first glance.

Bon appétit!