Later this month, Jasper’s David Husereau will duke it out against three other Canadian chefs in an episode of the Food Network’s Chopped Canada.
The owner of Tekarra Restaurant and corporate chef for Bear Hill Brewing Co.—which owns the Jasper Brewing Co., as well as two other Alberta breweries—will entertain the nation’s foodies April 17, as he serves up his dishes to celebrity judges Michael Smith, Lynn Crawford and John Higgins.
Husereau couldn’t divulge if he came out on top, but he assured the Fitzhugh that he brought his larger than life personality to the show, making for some quality television.
“I gave them lots of material to choose from. I can be the cocky veteran that’s been at this a long time or the old guy, you know, saying, ‘if I don’t win this I’m going to quit.’ It’s up to them how they choose to edit it, and I’m fine either way.”
Chopped Canada is a reality show that pits four chefs against each other for the chance to win $10,000. But, as in all reality shows, there’s a catch: the chefs have to cook three dishes—an appetizer, entree and dessert—using mystery ingredients that wouldn’t normally be paired together. For example, in an episode aired earlier this month, the chefs had to make an appetizer using macaroni and cheese loaf, bone marrow, anchovy paste and potatoes.
“Some of the ingredients, I’m not allowed to say too much, but they threw some curveballs,” said Husereau.
And to make the competition even more challenging, each dish has a time limit: 20 minutes for the appetizer and 30 minutes each for the entree and dessert.
“I want everybody to realize how fast 20 and 30 minutes is. I actually asked afterwards, after the first round, is that clock for TV or is that actually 20 minutes, and they were like, ‘no that’s an actual 20 minutes.’
“It just flows by, especially because you’re in a kitchen you don’t know. You’re not playing on your own field.”
But that’s all part of the fun—with only 20 minutes, the chefs are forced to run around the kitchen, thinking and cooking on the fly, with no time for mistakes. And, of course, there are always mistakes and unforeseen challenges.
For Husereau there were two. First his Kitchen Aid mixer wouldn’t work, so he found himself mixing by hand, and later in the competition, when he was burning some sugar on his dessert, the top of his blow torch came off and the whole torch lit on fire.
“Now that’s good TV,” he said with a grin. And Husereau would know. He’s no stranger to TV, having appeared on Burger Wars in the past.
With those two shows under his belt, Husereau said he’d love to get some more air time and possibly become a TV personality.
“I’m a big personality. I think it lends itself well to TV,” he said, noting that if a few TV appearances will get more bodies into his restaurant, he’s more than happy to show his mug on screen.
“I’ve spent the majority of my life learning how to cook well, to organize great kitchens and what not. This is my 20th season at Tekarra; I’ve owned it for 20 years now. I know we’re doing it at a high level out there, but I get people who have never heard of my place—I don’t expect them to have heard of it, but I want them to. I really want them to.
“And if I need to go out and make a goof out of myself on TV and run around and beat the clock cooking, I’ll do it. I’m shameless like that. I have to be.”
To catch Husereau’s episode, tune into the Food Network April 17 at 8 p.m.
Nicole Veerman
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