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Top Chef Canada

Head judge Mark McEwan tells TV Week about keeping this culinary competition fresh for over a decade, and his knack for predicting the finalists from episode one

With its recently debuted 11th season, Top Chef Canada promises to usher in a new era. What that means exactly, we’ll find out once the heat is really on inside the kitchen — but from the get-go the culinary battle raised the stakes by throwing its contestants straight into a challenge usually reserved for the end. With judges of this calibre, why not start with a bang? “I think the judging panel is the best it’s ever been,” says head judge Mark McEwan, Canadian celebrity chef and the only cast member to have been with the show for its entire run. “We seem to attract really good talent and now we’re getting into tougher challenges.” For McEwan, though, it’s never about drumming up drama. “It’s all about the cooking. When the food is good, the dialogue is amazing, and the show just has a magic about it.” TV Week recently spoke to McEwan about what Top Chef is serving up this season.

Top Chef Canada on Food Network Canada. Pictured: Head judge Mark McEwan.
Food Network Canada

TV WEEK: What do you feel is the impact of having the right panel?

MARK McEWAN: I think judging panels have to have an understanding of the business. I’ve had multiple restaurants for the last 35 years, so I know the game. [Hospitality vet] Janet Zuccarini is exactly the same. Eden [Grinshpan, the series’ host] has a natural, good sense of food. David Zilber is this wicked food scientist that has travelled the world and cooked in great places. And [food and travel personality] Mijune Pak should be as big as a house, the amount she eats and the number of restaurants she eats in, but never seems to gain a pound. She knows her way around the industry better than anybody I know. Makes for a good panel.

What stands out about the contestants this year?

We had a good bunch. I picked my three favourites almost first day, and I was right. They were the final three, and it was a surprise as to who won because that was not my prediction ahead of the finale — but at least I was in the ballpark.

Top Chef Canada on Food Network Canada. Pictured: The Top Chef Canada panel (Left to right): Janet Zuccarini, David Zilber, host Eden Grinshpan, Mark McEwan and Mijune Pak.
Food Network Canada

Can you always do that?

Pretty much every year. It’s all about knife skills and how you handle things, your understanding of combinations and food product and how you balance out flavour. This year, I picked the three who I thought were my strong favourites. They seemed rather obvious to me. There was a little bit of disagreement, but not a lot as time progressed. That’s very typical of a good year, that the fast horses will get out quick and you’ll recognize them. That doesn’t mean they don’t have bad days, but generally they’re solid and that’s what I look for.

I assume there is a standard that they all live up to, even if you don’t think the seven remaining contestants are going to win the competition.

No question about it. But it’s a horse race and just like the Kentucky Derby, the fast ones are out front — but it won’t necessarily get you to the finish line.

How much have the standards risen in the 11 years that you’ve been doing this now?

I think tremendously. From how we build the show to the challenges and the judging, and the food product, I think we keep pushing, every single year. The storytellers try to come up with more and more challenging stories. They used to be a little bit different, where you’d go to a firehall and you’d be putting out fires and cooking at the same time. And I think the evolution of the show is that we really focus on just cooking and trying to draw the best out of the chefs because when the audience watches, they want to watch good food.

You’re not a fan of added drama for the sake of good television?

I’m not. If it’s authentic, I like it. If it’s conjured, I can smell it from a mile away. I like to stay away from that. And everybody on the production side knows that of me, for sure. They probably think I’m a little boring, but that’s OK. I’m consistent.

How do you think good food comes across on television?

I think that, just like watching a good gymnast, anybody that has talent doing what they’re doing, you appreciate the instruction of it. When the food falls on the plate, it has a visual impact as well. And then there’s a judge reaction impact, which is really meaningful. What I find very interesting is that I’ve oftentimes been at odds with some of the viewers about who the favourites are and who should have won. But it’s interesting, I think it’s the whole package of watching quality — from production to plating to final judging — that really captivates the audience.

Do you have a favourite type of challenge?

When you limit the options, I think it makes it more difficult and it takes a very competent storyteller with food to be able to put something together with that. You’re given two ingredients — like quail and cauliflower — that’s it. Then you can use all the accoutrements, the pantry and the kitchen, but those are the basic ingredients on the plate. Now, what can you do with that, that is going to be visual, tasty, kind of sexy and is going to get people’s attention? Those are the challenges I like the best, because when people have unlimited options of food, they can always fall back on, “Well, I worked in that restaurant and I did that dish and it was always successful.” When you shut a whole bunch of doors, you see the anxiety on the faces of the chefs.

Do the contestants surprise you still?

Yeah, I’m amazed at how tough they are. Some not so much. You’re sequestered for six weeks, pretty much living with strangers. You’re under pressure every day. The whole concept of the show is to kind of spin you around to make you dizzy and then say, “OK, go ahead.” And they have to come, day after day after day after day after day, to win this thing. It’s not a one-day event. That’s the hard part. And they have families, they have jobs, they have girlfriends, boyfriends, misunderstandings, problems, domestic stuff to deal with — and they still have to deal with the show. So, it’s tough.

When you do something for 11 seasons, one would think nothing surprises you anymore. Do you still find that you can keep this fresh?

Yeah, I think cooking is so spontaneous, it’s always fresh . . . or it’s bad. That’s the good part about it. It never gets old. I don’t get tired of the industry. I don’t get tired of the format of the show because to me, it’s just about cooking and we have an amazing crew, and my friends on the judging table are great people. It’s fun to hear everybody’s perspective and catch up. We sit back, we have lots of good conversations, so it’s a fun time when we shoot the show.

Do you think, over the past decade, TV has trained the palates of viewers?

I think the whole genre has really captivated people’s interest. You can see it. The show keeps going. I remember we did first year, and I thought the show was so great. I said, we’re going to do 10 years. They all broke into hysterical laughter, and they said, “McEwan, we love your optimism, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.” Well, here we are, right?

Top Chef Canada airs Monday, October 21 on Food Network

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