Blog
Random Funnyness | December 8 2011
This pic was taken in Tampa. I love the empty beer cup on the ground in front of this. So funny.
Thats My Homie | December 8 2011
Yes, Mr. Aaron Sanchez as The Man.
Chef Series with David Rocco | December 7 2011
1. As an Italian born and raised in Canada, when did you realize how important it was for you to reconnect with Italy?
At birth!
2. You've said that people's meatballs reflect their personality, what do your meatballs say about you?
My all time favourite meatballs are flavourful, moist, and you can't stop at one!
3. For the people who still haven't had a chance to check out your cookbook, can you explain what quanto basta means?
Quanto Basta is based on the notion that a recipe is not about using exact measurements, rather it relies on cooking by the eye and tweaking recipes to suit your tastes - if a recipe calls for 20 cherry tomatoes but you want to use 25 who am I to stop you?
4. You've talked about how pressing your own olive oil in Italy is one of life's true culinary pleasures, what other true culinary pleasures do people need to experience in Italy?
Truffle hunting and eating raw, fresh shrimp straight out of the sea!
5. Italians are known for being very passionate people and clearly you have a passion for food, but what else do you have a passion for?
I like to relish in the simple pleasures of life, family, and connecting with other people.
6. When you're in Italy, it's clearly not very hard to find good food, but when you're back in Toronto, where do you like to eat?
My mom's house - what can I say, I'm a good Italian boy!
7. What is soul food to you?
I hate to sound cliche, but I have to have pasta once a day. Thankfully there is an almost endless list of pasta-bilities so it's easy to change keep it fresh!
Chef Series with Michael Smith | November 30 2011
Chef Michael Smith, host of Food Network Canada's Chef at Home. Photo courtesy of Food Network Canada.
1. It seems that one of your biggest career moves was the shift from being a professional chef to a home cook on your show, Chef at Home, what is it
about being a home cook that has been so appealing to you?
Restaurant cooking is driven by a commercial transaction often with anonymous
strangers, at home my cooking has a direct impact on the health and wellness of my
family, a much more powerful emotion.
2. As both a chef and a dad, do you think it's important to teach children how to cook at an early age? What advice do you have for parents who want to bring their kids into the kitchen?
Its not important to teach kids how to cook at an early age but is important to
teach them how to have a healthy relationship with food and one of the best ways to
do that is to engage them in food preparation. Teach them food is fun, that it's OK
to make mistakes, that they can make something and share it with those around them.
3. In your newly renovated kitchen you have a quote above your fridge that says, "Think Global, Eat Local". What does this mean to you?
Words to live by. Pull your head out of the proverbial sand, engage with the greater
food issues around us and do your best to support the food community around you
4. In Chef Abroad you travel the world learning how different cultures cook and eat, what has been some of your most memorable experiences?
My favourite part about travel is coming home to my family. I really enjoyed the
extremes of being north of the Arctic circle in Sweden, in the Jordanian dessert and
deep in the Amazon rain forest. My favourite experience though was touching down on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean!
5. What does the job of Prince Edward Island's official food ambassador entail?
It's not a job, it's my life! Like many of us I'm proud of my community and I love
that I have the opportunity to share that pride with the world.
6. You seem to be a very nature-oriented guy, what are some of your favourite outdoor activities?
I live to kite sail, there's nothing better than 20 knots of wind on a warm summer
day, I mountain bike almost every day as well
7. What is soul food to you?
Food that feeds your soul and your body, food with a story.
Nashville Random - Part 2 | November 29 2011
Ive heard of cow tipping but never cow dipping. Well, it was only a matter of time I suppose.
Thats My Homie | December 8 2011
Chef Series with David Rocco | December 7 2011
At birth!
2. You've said that people's meatballs reflect their personality, what do your meatballs say about you?
My all time favourite meatballs are flavourful, moist, and you can't stop at one!
3. For the people who still haven't had a chance to check out your cookbook, can you explain what quanto basta means?
Quanto Basta is based on the notion that a recipe is not about using exact measurements, rather it relies on cooking by the eye and tweaking recipes to suit your tastes - if a recipe calls for 20 cherry tomatoes but you want to use 25 who am I to stop you?
4. You've talked about how pressing your own olive oil in Italy is one of life's true culinary pleasures, what other true culinary pleasures do people need to experience in Italy?
Truffle hunting and eating raw, fresh shrimp straight out of the sea!
5. Italians are known for being very passionate people and clearly you have a passion for food, but what else do you have a passion for?
I like to relish in the simple pleasures of life, family, and connecting with other people.
6. When you're in Italy, it's clearly not very hard to find good food, but when you're back in Toronto, where do you like to eat?
My mom's house - what can I say, I'm a good Italian boy!
7. What is soul food to you?
I hate to sound cliche, but I have to have pasta once a day. Thankfully there is an almost endless list of pasta-bilities so it's easy to change keep it fresh!
Chef Series with Michael Smith | November 30 2011
1. It seems that one of your biggest career moves was the shift from being a professional chef to a home cook on your show, Chef at Home, what is it
about being a home cook that has been so appealing to you?
Restaurant cooking is driven by a commercial transaction often with anonymous
strangers, at home my cooking has a direct impact on the health and wellness of my
family, a much more powerful emotion.
2. As both a chef and a dad, do you think it's important to teach children how to cook at an early age? What advice do you have for parents who want to bring their kids into the kitchen?
Its not important to teach kids how to cook at an early age but is important to
teach them how to have a healthy relationship with food and one of the best ways to
do that is to engage them in food preparation. Teach them food is fun, that it's OK
to make mistakes, that they can make something and share it with those around them.
3. In your newly renovated kitchen you have a quote above your fridge that says, "Think Global, Eat Local". What does this mean to you?
Words to live by. Pull your head out of the proverbial sand, engage with the greater
food issues around us and do your best to support the food community around you
4. In Chef Abroad you travel the world learning how different cultures cook and eat, what has been some of your most memorable experiences?
My favourite part about travel is coming home to my family. I really enjoyed the
extremes of being north of the Arctic circle in Sweden, in the Jordanian dessert and
deep in the Amazon rain forest. My favourite experience though was touching down on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean!
5. What does the job of Prince Edward Island's official food ambassador entail?
It's not a job, it's my life! Like many of us I'm proud of my community and I love
that I have the opportunity to share that pride with the world.
6. You seem to be a very nature-oriented guy, what are some of your favourite outdoor activities?
I live to kite sail, there's nothing better than 20 knots of wind on a warm summer
day, I mountain bike almost every day as well
7. What is soul food to you?
Food that feeds your soul and your body, food with a story.
Nashville Random - Part 2 | November 29 2011
