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 Chris Pyne

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

When I was 14 and working at my Dads pub I tasted bruschetta for the first time. It was a moment I will never forget, as I used to hate tomatoes! (unless they were those sweet little baby tomatoes I would steal from the plant out of the garden when no one was looking) In fact that moment I realized the power of transformation of even the simplest ingredients into something beautiful that can change your opinions and the whole way you look at food. Plus as a chef is there anything better than hearing someone say I normally don’t like this but this is delicious! And turn haters of ingredients into lovers!

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 am a well rounded chef with all different levels of experience over the last 18 years. From small restaurants to large, casual to fine dining and working my way through the ranks starting as a dishwasher to receiving my certified chef de cuisine designation last year. I have done all different styles of cuisine and I believe this will help me be able to think quickly to come up with dishes when every second matters in a competition like this.

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?

My biggest mistake was actually a pretty big one and most may find it funny. I mean I laugh about it now, but at the time it was a horrific moment. While working at a restaurant I will leave nameless I was working the meat & sauce section during game season. All night long as I was pan roasting the grouse I was reserving and tipping out the butter / fat as needed. We used metal buckets for this. At the end of the night I realized that the specific metal bucket I was using was actually the chef’s sourdough starter from his grandmother. The sous chef at the time pulled me aside and showed me the bucket, told me, and proceeded to try and scoop it off the top to save it and keep it a secret from the chef. The next week a bread roll was thrown across the kitchen by the chef directly at the pastry chef because it was hard, not fluffy, and just not right. In my mind I knew it was because of my incident but to this day never told the chef. Oh and the pastry chef at the time was my now wife. How do I cook differently now? I make sure I don’t go anywhere near my wife’s sourdough starter haha.

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

1. It may not surprise people but is definitely a stubborn belief and non-negotiable. Start with good ingredients, learn how to respect them, and where they come from.
2. Cook like you are cooking for family
3. Don’t put celery leaves on or in anything. I hate them.
4. DO NOT PUT YOUR FINGERS IN THE PICKLE JARS!

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.

Whey Fermented Chili & Tomato Jam

Whey fermented chilies

1. wash chilies and remove the stem.
2. Weigh chiles and add to a jar with a pop lid with 3% kosher salt to weight of chilies. (Ie 1000g chilies 30g salt)
3. Add whey / brine reserved from buying fresh mozzarella, broccolini or even feta cheese. (50/50 brine to water to cover chilies)
4. Add weight to ensure chilies stay submerged during fermentation. Close lid and keep in a dark place at room temp for 1-2 weeks until the chilies turn a uniform dark colour that resembles a pickled jalapeño. Burp jar as needed.
5. Once chilies are fermented they can be transferred to a fridge and stored until ready to use for anything from making this tomato chili jam, to just slicing thin and putting on nachos or even blending into a Thai dipping sauce.

Tomato Chili Jam

1. Roma tomatoes 1kg quartered and blended in food processer
2. Whey fermented chilies 25g (your call if you want to use the seeds for spicy hot or deseed for medium kick) fine chopped
3. Red wine vinegar 400ml
4. Sugar 600g
5. Spanish Smoked Paprika 5g
6. Garlic 6 cloves microplaned
7. Ginger 20g microplaned
8. Salt 5g
9. 10g Fresh herb of your choice to finish (I like cilantro and Thai basil but is also delicious with dill if using on a burger or with seafood)

Method

1. Combine sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil. Let cook until sugar is fully dissolved and almost starts to turn to syrup.
2. Add rest of ingredients except herbs and cook down on medium heat until jam consistency.
3. Cool then add chopped herbs. Chilling first keeps the herbs green, fresh and vibrant.