Top Chef ™ Destination Canada
Season:
Week:
Line Cook for a Day
Kristen Kish: "There are so many cultures and cuisines that make up the mosaic that is Toronto. Chefs, tomorrow, you're all heading out to some of these neighborhoods. You'll get to know the food by learning firsthand on how they make it and even help push out some orders. Greek Cuisine: Tristan and Bailey
Indian Cuisine: Lana and Vinny
Portuguese Cuisine: Corwin and Kat
Caribbean Cuisine: Massimo and Paula
Filipino Cuisine: Henry and Shuai
Thai Cuisine: Cesar and Katianna
Kristen Kish: "For your elimination challenge, we want you to create a dish, inspired by your time on the line. You can make anything you want, but we want to taste some of the flavors and techniques that you learn. Tomorrow, you'll have $1,000 to shop at Whole Foods Market. The next day, you'll serve the judges and 150 very hungry guests. And you'll be serving at the very vibrant Bentway Community Center.
Dishes prepared in
Top Chef ™ Destination Canada
Braised Shortrib with Grilled Flatbread, Escabeche with Sweet Plantain Vinegar
During cooking we see Massimo up to his elbows in brown sugar: "This is for the browning of the meats, a technique that I learned today. Marinating your braised meats in a bit of sugar can help the caramelization. Have you ever cooled down braised meat with liquid nitrogen? I want to make a short rib ice cream. I may have to do an ice cream with liquid nitrogen."
Paula, presenting food: "The vinegar for this has been done with sweet plantain, traditional for my country, and has the onions and the peppers and the carrots as well, and the Scotch bonnets."
Braised Shortrib with Grilled Flatbread, Escabeche with Sweet Plantain Vinegar
During cooking we see Massimo up to his elbows in brown sugar: "This is for the browning of the meats, a technique that I learned today. Marinating your braised meats in a bit of sugar can help the caramelization. Have you ever cooled down braised meat with liquid nitrogen? I want to make a short rib ice cream. I may have to do an ice cream with liquid nitrogen."
Pad Thai Glazed Tenderloin, Pickled Mushrooms & Butterfly Pea Flower Pickles
Cesar and Katianna, talking during cooking: "I'm going to steep the beef broth and reduce it with some of the aromatics and use it with our tamarind sauce. Katianna is going to do the marinade for the beef. We have to get all the beef crushed. Yeah. It's a nice cut of beef. And again, it's like Royal Thai cuisine, so elevated, so the best ingredients as well."
Katianna: "I think Chef Nuit will be really happy with how many elements we've incorporated. This crumble thing got better during our stage. That steamed dumpling, the filling, which was like peanut and coconut. It was savory, yet it was sticky and sweet. We wanted to recreate a version of it here."
Katianna: "We made the crumble with peanut, coconut, fried shallots, some palm sugar."
Pad Thai Glazed Tenderloin, Pickled Mushrooms & Butterfly Pea Flower Pickles
Cesar and Katianna, talking during cooking: "I'm going to steep the beef broth and reduce it with some of the aromatics and use it with our tamarind sauce. Katianna is going to do the marinade for the beef. We have to get all the beef crushed. Yeah. It's a nice cut of beef. And again, it's like Royal Thai cuisine, so elevated, so the best ingredients as well."
Katianna: "I think Chef Nuit will be really happy with how many elements we've incorporated. This crumble thing got better during our stage. That steamed dumpling, the filling, which was like peanut and coconut. It was savory, yet it was sticky and sweet. We wanted to recreate a version of it here."
Cesar: "We're using butterfly pea flour for the pickled daikon flowers. Purple. It's a royal color. Royal Thai cuisine."
Chicken Kama Sutra with Curried Hollandaise, Chicken Skin and Flatbread
Lana and Vinny visited an authentic Indian restaurant in Toronto. Their host said "This is called Kama Sutra chicken. It makes you more stamina, you feel more energetic. Yeah, got it. Chicken Kama Sutra. It's a really tasty dish of boneless chicken breast braised in a cashew nut gravy with saffron and fenugreek."
Vinny: "I personally really, really enjoy the texture of hollandaises, especially with cooked chicken thighs. This is kind of a nod to one of my previous restaurants, Nomad. It was part of the heart station. I was responsible for that station for several years and kind of holds a place in my heart. We did something similar, but it was not spiced. Hollandaise is a good way to incorporate a lot of the spice flavors of the chicken Kama Sutra."
Chicken Kama Sutra with Curried Hollandaise, Chicken Skin and Flatbread
Lana and Vinny visited an authentic Indian restaurant in Toronto. Their host said "This is called Kama Sutra chicken. It makes you more stamina, you feel more energetic. Yeah, got it. Chicken Kama Sutra. It's a really tasty dish of boneless chicken breast braised in a cashew nut gravy with saffron and fenugreek."
Lana and Vinny planning together
Lana: "I'm super inspired by the Karma Sutra chicken. I think this is a really smart dish for 150 people because we can buy a whole mess of chicken thighs, and we can make it in bulk. So we're gonna make a cashew puree, caramelized onion sauce. You said there's tomato in there?"
Vinny: "Mm. I wanna do it in proud, but I also don't wanna recreate the dish. My favorite way is to enjoy chicken like I made at the Nomad. It's using, like, thigh meat, and it would be like a hollandaise that, like, kinda is folded with this chicken with, like, other things, like, in it as well. "
Lana, talking to the camera: "Vinny, you know, he wants to do this hollandaise. I'm having a really tough time envisioning it. It's in this, like, creamy, buttery, rich sauce. Okay. But he feels so strongly about it. That. I'm like, okay, yeah, let's go with it."
Vinny: "Touch of mustard oil. Okay. Massage with cream."
Lana, cooking for the challenge: "I'm working on the flatbread dough. Right now Vinny is working on the chicken. We're taking some inspiration from Chicken Karma Sutra. We are making chicken thighs with curry hollandaise and flatbread."
Cod and Shrimp Bomba with Saffron Aioli. Smoked Roe, Piri Piri and Pickles
Corwin and Kat both carried out their 'stage' at Mercado, a Portuguese restaurant in Toronto.
Restaurant owner: "Miguel is going to be making you the bacalhau a bras. Cod fish is so popular in Portugal."
Corwin: "Salt cod. I'm like, instantly, this is the product we need to go with."
Kat: "Piri is a classic Portuguese hot sauce. I love hot sauce. We make gallons and gallons of hot sauce at Highly Likely for us. Portuguese Piri Piri. It's always on the table. The wheels are definitely starting to turn on what I think I'd like to make as a dish."
Kat (talking to Corwin): "What I'm imagining would be delicious is that fried potato bacalao, but turning it into almost like an arancini. "
Corwin: "Yes. That's literally what I wanted to do. I think we make a croquette where we do, like, cooked potato so it has that binder."
Corwin and Kat talking together while shopping: "There's no salt cod. Do we want to get just regular cod? You know, cook it, flake it, add it in, fold it in? I think that'll be good. We don't have enough time to cure it. Salt cod takes five to seven days minimum. What makes salt cod great is instead of it being soft, it has a firmer texture, so it flakes better when you cook it. But I'm going to go get as much cod as we can. We're going to make the best of it here."
Kat: "For our fritter, we want to bake and rice the potatoes instead of boil them, because we're using fresh cod instead of salt cod. We're trying to counterbalance the moisture in the cod."
Cooking on the day: "Didn't fall apart, which means it has enough breading. But what do you think? Do you think it needs flour or a little bit of panko? I'm going to add it with some flour. "
Kat: "Corwin tests one. It's a little bit wet."
Corwin: "I typically freeze mine overnight. Yeah, not worried."
Kat: "He adds a bit more flour just to bind it a little bit more. And try to be careful. You don't want to overwork them."
Cod and Shrimp Bomba with Saffron Aioli. Smoked Roe, Piri Piri and Pickles
Corwin and Kat both carried out their 'stage' at Mercado, a Portuguese restaurant in Toronto.
Restaurant owner: "Miguel is going to be making you the bacalhau a bras. Cod fish is so popular in Portugal."
Corwin: "Salt cod. I'm like, instantly, this is the product we need to go with."
Kat: "Piri is a classic Portuguese hot sauce. I love hot sauce. We make gallons and gallons of hot sauce at Highly Likely for us. Portuguese Piri Piri. It's always on the table. The wheels are definitely starting to turn on what I think I'd like to make as a dish."
Kat (talking to Corwin): "What I'm imagining would be delicious is that fried potato bacalao, but turning it into almost like an arancini. "
Corwin: "Yes. That's literally what I wanted to do. I think we make a croquette where we do, like, cooked potato so it has that binder."
Corwin and Kat talking together while shopping: "There's no salt cod. Do we want to get just regular cod? You know, cook it, flake it, add it in, fold it in? I think that'll be good. We don't have enough time to cure it. Salt cod takes five to seven days minimum. What makes salt cod great is instead of it being soft, it has a firmer texture, so it flakes better when you cook it. But I'm going to go get as much cod as we can. We're going to make the best of it here."
Cooking on the day: "Didn't fall apart, which means it has enough breading. But what do you think? Do you think it needs flour or a little bit of panko? I'm going to add it with some flour. "
Kat: "Corwin tests one. It's a little bit wet."
Corwin: "I typically freeze mine overnight. Yeah, not worried."
Kat: "He adds a bit more flour just to bind it a little bit more. And try to be careful. You don't want to overwork them."
Grilled Octopus with Kalamata Caramel Glaze and Charred Green Olive Honey Relish
Tristen and Bailey both visited Soulas Modern Greek Cuisine.
Tristen, cooking for the challenge: "Pressure cooker's on, Octopus is pure muscle, and it takes a really, really long time to cook it. Let's hope 40 minutes under pressure is long enough."
Grilled Octopus with Kalamata Caramel Glaze and Charred Green Olive Honey Relish
Tristen and Bailey both visited Soulas Modern Greek Cuisine.
Tristen, cooking for the challenge: "Pressure cooker's on, Octopus is pure muscle, and it takes a really, really long time to cook it. Let's hope 40 minutes under pressure is long enough."
Tristen: " I'm just gonna put on a nice little tester and grill it. A lot of things are kissed by fire in Greece, so we are gonna make out with this mother. My little touch to this dish is this kalamata olive and Greek honey caramel. I'm gonna use it kind of like barbecue sauce, actually. It will really create an accelerant. A great browning on the octopus, and get it nice and charred."
Arroz Caldo with Roasted Pork Kare-Kare, Fermented Pickles and Bagoǒng XO Sauce
Henry and Shuai carried out their training in BBs, a Filipino restaurant.
The owner of the restaurant said: "I couldn't have you leave a Filipino kitchen without having some bogoóng. Honestly, you can add that to anything, and you've got something. So much flavor that I really love - especially with a dish called kare-kare, like in the winter, that's my go to dish."
Shuai: "I fell in love with all the condiments, the coconut cream, the cilantro oil. Just delicious. It is a powerhouse of funky flavors. Well, the culture, the inviting, you know?"
Owner: "Yeah, that's definitely what BB's is about. That's a huge part of Filipino food. Welcoming people into your house and coming together for food."
Henry: "I love that."
Henry and Shuai, shopping together: "We're buying some whole pork butts. We're making a pork kare-kare, which is like a peanut style curry. The specific things I'm taking from BB's and Chef Justin is just the big, bold flavors. We're really focusing on all the condiments that chef Justin has showed us. Oh, God, my legs. Oh, coconut cream. We're gonna take some of that coconut flavor from that coconut cream we had from the tuna dish. You mix it all together, and it becomes this big bowl of just, like, comfort and flavor."
Shuai, tasting prior to serving: "We added more XO sauce, we added more pickled condiment vinegar. Everything needs to be presented on top of each other. That way, when you scoop down, you get one bite, you get everything at once."
Arroz Caldo with Roasted Pork Kare-Kare, Fermented Pickles and Bagoǒng XO Sauce
Henry and Shuai carried out their training in BBs, a Filipino restaurant.
The owner of the restaurant said: "I couldn't have you leave a Filipino kitchen without having some bogoóng. Honestly, you can add that to anything, and you've got something. So much flavor that I really love - especially with a dish called kare-kare, like in the winter, that's my go to dish."
Shuai: "I fell in love with all the condiments, the coconut cream, the cilantro oil. Just delicious. It is a powerhouse of funky flavors. Well, the culture, the inviting, you know?"
Owner: "Yeah, that's definitely what BB's is about. That's a huge part of Filipino food. Welcoming people into your house and coming together for food."
Henry: "I love that."
Henry and Shuai, shopping together: "We're buying some whole pork butts. We're making a pork kare-kare, which is like a peanut style curry. The specific things I'm taking from BB's and Chef Justin is just the big, bold flavors. We're really focusing on all the condiments that chef Justin has showed us. Oh, God, my legs. Oh, coconut cream. We're gonna take some of that coconut flavor from that coconut cream we had from the tuna dish. You mix it all together, and it becomes this big bowl of just, like, comfort and flavor."
Henry: "Arroz caldo is very similar to our congee that me and Shuai both grew up eating. Congee for me and Shuai is comfort food. We both grew up poor and, like, it was something that could feed the whole family. Arroz caldo is the base of our dish, and then we want to top it with a pork kare kare."
Culinary Challenges inspired by
Top Chef ™ Destination Canada
Tigelle are traditional Italian pocket breads from Emilia-Romagna, particularly the Modena mountains. These small, round flatbreads feature a distinct pattern from the special cast-iron molds they're cooked in.
The dough requires simple ingredients—flour, water, yeast and a touch of lard for authenticity—but needs proper resting time to develop flavor. Cook tigelle on medium heat in their traditional patterned presses or between two heavy skillets until golden with a slightly crisp exterior and tender interior.
Slice tigelle horizontally while warm and fill with classic combinations of cured meats, cheeses, and spreads like Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto, or herb-infused lard (cunza).
These versatile breads shine as vehicles for both savory and sweet fillings.
Jollof rice is a beloved West African dish featuring rice cooked in a rich tomato-based sauce seasoned with aromatic spices. The key to perfect jollof is building layers of flavor. Start by sautéing onions until golden, then add tomatoes, peppers, and spices to create a deeply flavorful base.
The rice should cook slowly, absorbing the sauce until it develops its signature orange-red hue and each grain remains separate yet tender. Never rush jollof since it demands patience as it simmers to perfection. The slightly charred bottom layer (called "bottom pot" or "kanzo") is particularly prized.
Serve jollof rice hot, traditionally alongside fried plantains and your protein of choice.
Gastrique: Sweet-Sour Balance in French Cuisine
A gastrique is a sophisticated French sweet-and-sour sauce created by caramelizing sugar and deglazing with vinegar. This classic technique dates back to 17th century French haute cuisine, where it emerged as a way to balance rich dishes with bright acidity.
To prepare a basic gastrique, caramelize granulated sugar in a heavy saucepan until amber-colored, then carefully deglaze with vinegar (wine, fruit, or balsamic). Once incorporated, add stock or fruit purees for additional flavor complexity, and simmer until slightly thickened.
Modern gastriques often feature fruit elements like orange, raspberry, or fig paired with complementary vinegars. The resulting sauce - tangy, sweet, and slightly syrupy - adds brilliant contrast to rich proteins like duck breast, pork tenderloin, or seared scallops, cutting through richness while enhancing the dish's depth. Equally, a gastrique can be used on a dessert to add piquancy.
In Season 22 of Top Chef ™ we saw Cesar making a dessert from pickles, and part of his dish was a gastrique made from Bread and Butter Pickles.
Jus lié is a classic French culinary technique that refers to a meat sauce or gravy that has been lightly thickened. The term translates directly to "bound juice" in English.
It's made by taking a natural meat stock or pan drippings (jus) and thickening it slightly with a starch, typically a roux (butter and flour mixture), cornstarch, or arrowroot. Unlike a full gravy, jus lié maintains much of the clarity and intense flavor of the original jus while having just enough body to coat the back of a spoon.
In traditional French cuisine, jus lié often serves as an elegant finishing sauce for roasted meats, providing richness and moisture without overwhelming the main protein. The subtle thickening enhances the sauce's ability to cling to meat while maintaining the pure, concentrated flavors of the meat juices.
Chefs appreciate jus lié for striking the perfect balance between the intensity of a pure jus and the coating properties of a thicker sauce.
Cannolo (singular of cannoli) is an iconic Sicilian pastry featuring a crispy tubular shell traditionally filled with sweetened ricotta cream. Dating back to Arab-ruled Sicily (9th-11th centuries), legend claims they were created in a harem near Caltanissetta as a fertility symbol for Carnival celebrations.
To make authentic cannoli, create a dough with flour, sugar, butter, egg, and marsala wine. Roll thin, wrap around metal tubes, then fry until golden and crisp. The classic filling combines sheep's milk ricotta with sugar, candied fruits, and sometimes chocolate chips or pistachios.
The secret to perfect cannoli lies in filling the shells just before serving to maintain their delightful contrast between crispy exterior and creamy interior. Traditionally dusted with powdered sugar and garnished with candied orange peel or chopped pistachios.
Cannolo, while traditionally a Sicilian sweet pastry, offers exciting possibilities for savory reinvention. The iconic crispy tubular shell can be brilliantly transformed into an elegant savory appetizer or main course component.
To create savory cannoli, prepare the shell dough without sugar, incorporating herbs or spices instead. After frying to golden perfection, fill with savory mixtures like herb-infused goat cheese, seasoned ricotta with sun-dried tomatoes, smoked salmon with cream cheese, or even spiced meat fillings.
The tubular shape is designed for handheld eating. This practical form maintains the essential textural contrast—crispy exterior with creamy interior—that makes cannoli so satisfying in both sweet and savory applications. Keep the shells separate from filling until serving for maximum crispness.
Obe Ata is a vibrant red pepper sauce central to Nigerian cuisine, particularly Yoruba cooking. This aromatic base combines red bell peppers, scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, tomatoes, onions, and sometimes garlic, all blended and then slowly simmered until rich and flavorful.
To prepare authentic Obe Ata, blend the peppers, tomatoes, and onions until smooth. Heat palm oil (or vegetable oil) in a pot, then simmer the blended mixture on low heat, allowing the water to evaporate and the flavors to concentrate. Season with salt, bouillon, and traditional spices like locust bean (iru) for depth.
Obe Ata serves as the foundation for numerous Nigerian stews and is traditionally paired with rice, yam, or enjoyed with protein like fish or beef.
Tsukune are Japanese chicken meatballs, popular in yakitori restaurants and izakayas.
These juicy meatballs combine ground chicken with finely chopped onions, ginger, and sometimes shiitake mushrooms. The mixture is typically seasoned with soy sauce, sake, and mirin, then shaped around skewers before grilling.
What makes tsukune distinctive is their texture—slightly bouncy yet tender—achieved by kneading the mixture until sticky. They're typically glazed with tare (a sweet-savory sauce) during grilling for a caramelized finish.
Home cooks can bake them instead of grilling and adjust the seasonings to taste. For authentic texture, include cartilage or use chicken thigh meat with its natural fat. Serve tsukune hot, brushed with additional tare and optionally topped with a sprinkle of sansho pepper.
Togarashi (Japanese for "chili pepper") commonly refers to shichimi togarashi, a seven-spice blend featuring chili peppers, orange peel, sesame seeds, nori, ginger, sansho pepper, and hemp seeds. This versatile condiment adds heat, umami, and complexity to noodles, rice, grilled meats, and vegetables.
Store togarashi in an airtight container away from light and heat. For freshest flavor, purchase small amounts or make your own by toasting and mixing the ingredients to your preferred balance of heat and flavor.
A "fennel pollen togarashi" variation could substitute fennel pollen for traditional nori, creating a unique blend with delicate anise notes that pairs exceptionally well with seafood, especially grilled fish. This fusion version would bring Mediterranean floral sweetness to the traditional Japanese spice profile.
Achar is a popular South Asian condiment, consisting of pickled fruits or vegetables preserved in oil, vinegar, and spices. This tangy, spicy relish adds bold flavor to meals across India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Common varieties include mango (aam), lime (nimbu), and mixed vegetable achar.
The pickling process traditionally involves sun-drying ingredients before mixing with mustard oil and spice blends that typically include fenugreek, fennel, mustard seeds, and asafoetida. Achar serves as an essential accompaniment to everyday meals, providing contrasting flavors that enhance rice, bread, curries, and other dishes.
Making Ice Cream with Liquid Nitrogen
Liquid nitrogen ice cream offers home cooks a spectacular culinary adventure, creating the smoothest, creamiest frozen dessert possible. At -320°F, liquid nitrogen flash-freezes ice cream base instantly, preventing large ice crystals from forming—the secret to its extraordinarily silky texture.
The process is surprisingly straightforward: prepare your favorite ice cream base (typically cream, milk, sugar, and flavorings), then slowly pour liquid nitrogen into the mixture while continuously stirring. The dramatic plume of fog that billows out creates an impressive kitchen spectacle as your cream transforms into ice cream within minutes.
Safety precautions are absolutely essential. Always use insulated gloves, protective eyewear, and work in a well-ventilated area. Use metal or wooden mixing bowls—never glass, which could shatter. Always keep the liquid nitrogen container in an upright position and never seal it in a closed container.
While not an everyday technique, liquid nitrogen ice cream makes for a memorable cooking demonstration or special occasion dessert. The rapid freezing preserves flavors exceptionally well, allowing delicate notes to shine through that might otherwise be lost in traditional churning methods. For the culinary adventurer, it's a fascinating intersection of food science and dessert artistry that creates an unforgettable dining experience.
Ceviche Jipijapa is a distinctive Ecuadorian seafood dish hailing from the coastal town of Jipijapa in Manabí province. This regional specialty transforms fresh fish (typically corvina or sea bass) by "cooking" it in citrus juice—traditionally a mixture of bitter orange and lime. What sets Jipijapa ceviche apart is its characteristic creamy texture achieved through the addition of peanut butter or ground peanuts.
The dish combines the citrus-marinated fish with finely diced tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, and the crucial peanut element, creating a harmonious balance of bright acidity, oceanic freshness, and nutty richness. Often served with chifles (plantain chips), toasted corn, or popcorn for textural contrast,
Ceviche Jipijapa represents the indigenious coastal cuisine of Ecuador that celebrates local ingredients and flavors.
Sea buckthorn berries offer a truly unique flavor experience that's difficult to compare to more common fruits. They deliver an intensely tart and acidic profile with bright citrus notes reminiscent of passionfruit, orange, and pineapple. This vibrant acidity is balanced by an underlying sweetness and distinctive tropical character.
What makes sea buckthorn particularly interesting is its complex finish—slightly astringent with a subtle pine-like quality that hints at its northern climate origins. The berries contain natural oils that create a creamy mouthfeel unlike most other fruits.
The powerful tanginess makes pure sea buckthorn challenging to eat raw, which is why it's often found in juices, sauces, and preserves where sweeteners can balance its intensity. Chefs prize sea buckthorn for its vivid orange color and ability to add a surprising burst of sunshine-like acidity to both sweet and savory dishes.
