Wall of Chefs

In round one, the four home cooks make their Crowd-Pleasers, in round two, they create a dish using ricotta, leeks, and sriracha sauce, three staple ingredients in the home fridge of Chef Mark McEwan, and in round three, the last two home cooks standing must make a luxurious lobster dish inspired by Top Chef Canada alumni Chef Renée Lavallée’s infamous “crobster” roll.

Stymied by Chef Massimo Capra’s sun-dried tomatoes in the Chef’s Fridge round, the home cooks struggle for a fresh approach. And pride is on the plate as the home cooks seek to represent their cultural heritage by creating a pizza that is restaurant-worthy. A failed dough makes for an epic race to the finish line and in the end, it all comes down to a heated debate with The Wall trying to decide to whom is awarded the $10,000 prize.

One home cook attempts to make a crowd-pleasing dish that’s nutritious and delicious, and the Wall of Chefs kitchen explodes with culture in the Chef’s Fridge round, which features staple ingredients from famed Japanese/Italian Chef Joël Watanabe. One home cook swims against the tide when tasked with combining fish and cheese. In the final round, inspired by Chef Rob Gentile’s truffle risotto, it’s a rice-off! The last two home cooks draw from their unique cultural backgrounds in order to pull out the win.

The energy is high when four home cooks, who are determined to give it their all from the start, enter the Wall of Chefs kitchen. There’s a fantasy in the Crowd-Pleaser round, but reality hits when the home cooks are asked to cook from Chef Hugh Acheson’s fridge using miso, whipped herb cheese, and celery. In the final round, it’s Thailand vs. Japan when Chef Darren MacLean challenges the home cooks to create a noodle soup that eats like a meal.

In a high stakes Chef’s Fridge round, Chef Lynn Crawford challenges the home cooks to create a delectable dish using maple syrup, collard greens, parmesan cheese, and turkey! The chef judges gobble up the results with the best dish winning a very special prize. The Restaurant-Worthy round takes it to the streets as Chef Nick Hodge’s tacos inspire the last home cooks standing to make their own elevated street food!

The power of an ingredient should never be underestimated, and the home cooks feel it when working with speck in the Chef’s Fridge round and then while creating a restaurant-worthy Mac and Cheese. In the end, it all comes down to an intense deliberation as the chef judges debate flavour vs. technique.