More Than Maple Syrup

After five years of co-hosting miniseries on the Eat North Podcast Stream, best-selling cookbook author and food writer Dan Clapson is moving on to his own pop culture podcast, Wish We Never Met!Co-hosted by Clapson's good friend, award-winning singer Amy Hef, the new comedic pop culture show will see the two co-hosts playfully pondering questions like: Who do you wish you never met? What do you wish you never said? Where did you wish you never went? (And the list goes on...)The podcast will still interweve plenty of food conversations and feature recognizable faces from the food world such as Mary Berg of The Good Stuff, Mairlyn Smith, as well as actors, social media personalities, and plenty of amazing musicians like Kiesza, JoJo Mason, Kittie and many more!SUBSCRIBE to Wish We Never Met on your preferred streaming platform here.FOLLOW the podcast on social media - @wishwenevermetpodcast

With 'Top Chef Canada' Season 11 casting currently underway until mid-April, many Canadian chefs from coast to coast to coast are crossing their fingers to end up on the popular reality competition series.On this special one-off podcast episode (co-hosted by Dan Clapson, Carmen Cheng and Phil Wilson), we chat with one of the show's judges Mijune Pak, as well as and Season 10 runner-up Dez Lo about everything from what attributes a successful TCC competitor needs to possess, tips and tricks for the application process and more.While not every chef who appears on a season of 'Top Chef Canada' achieves celebrity chef status afterwards, there are many that do. Mijune Pak dubs one chef the "Jennifer Hudson" of the TCC franchise and Dez Lo explains how she is still making the most of her time in the limelight.

On the latest episode of Melodies and Menus, Dan Clapson and Hailey Benedict chat with country music icon Carolyn Dawn Johnson as well as Melissa B from Traitors Canada.First, Carolyn Dawn Johnson talks about her approach to supporting independent artists, watching Nashville grow over the past three decades and her new single "Road Blocks".Hailey and Dan discuss the third episode of Traitors Canada before its first eliminated Traitor, Melissa B, joins the co-hosts to chat.Hailing from St. John's, Melissa loves her local live music scene and shares some of her favourite local artists in addition to chatting about iconic Newfoundland foods, and her experience filming Traitors Canada.

Hailey Benedict and Dan Clapson are back with another episode of Melodies and Menus, and they kick things off chatting with Survivor 41 winner Erika Casupanan about her experience filming Traitors Canada.Erika shares plenty of tips for reality TV competition hopefuls, her favourite spots in Toronto and a ton more.Next up, Clapson chats with chart-topping act MacKenzie Porter.With her latest single "Chasing Tornados" hitting No. 1 on the Canadian country charts recently, MacKenzie Porter is the first female artist this century to achieve six No. 1 hits. The award-winning singer has even more to be excited about too thanks to her first-ever headlining tour which kicks off in early November.She chats about favourite comfort foods when she's back home for a visit in Medicine Hat, Nashville hot spots, and much more.

We've got a special guest co-host for our fall episodes of 'Melodies and Menus' and it's none other than CCMA Award-winning country singer Hailey Benedict!Hailey joins Dan Clapson, who shares her love of reality television and especially 'The Traitors Canada' and 'The Great Canadian Baking Show'. Both shows premiered recently, so the co-hosts chat with the series' respective hosts, actor Karine Vanasse and comedian Ann Pornel.While 'The Traitors Canada' is chock full of lies, deceit and drama (in the best way possible), most Canadians know that 'GCBS' is all about those heartfelt moments and friendly competition.Make sure to check up on our past episodes of 'Melodies and Menus' wherever you download or stream your favourite podcasts!

On the latest episode of Melodies and Menus, co-hosts Dan Clapson and Madison Olds chat with Candian country music stars Madeline Merlo and Andrew Hyatt.The CCMA Award-winning artists (separately) discuss everything from their lives in Nashville, how the American city's food scene has evolved, what Canadian treats they miss from back home and much more.

It's an especially exciting episode of Melodies and Menus this week as co-hosts Dan Clapson and Madison Olds get to chat with musical icon Paul Langlois of The Tragically Hip and the ever-talented pop singer Ralph.Both musical acts separately discuss their latest albums, touring, favourite eats and more.

We're back with a mini season of Melodies and Menus with co-hosts Dan Clapson and Madison Olds.The duo discuss Dan's debut cookbook Prairie and shifting from summer eats to warming fall food (and drinks) before award-winning country singer Tim Hicks joins for a lively interview.The chart-topping singer talks about his 2023 CCMA Award nominations, upcoming fall tour, pie irons, and more.

Acclaimed author Lesley Chesterman and the hilarious Andrew Phung, creator and star of CBC's Run The Burbs, join us for our final podcast episode of the year.Chesterman dishes on her latest French cookbook Un Week-end Chez Lesley (and her recent English book Make Every Dish Delicious), why people need to think out of the box when it comes to fruitcake (don't hate!), the perfect chips for a chocolate chip cookie and more.The vibrant author also gives some love to one of her favourite bread bakers in Montreal and lets us know what Quebecois singer she enjoys listening to during the holidays.With Vietnamese and Chinese family roots, the Calgary-born Andrew Phung makes the most of his holiday season with his family by celebrating Christmas and Lunar New Year in the early winter. The comedian extraordinaire discusses making history with Run The Burbs earlier this year as the first primetime show to ever feature Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) back in Season 1, and he tells us what we can look forward to when Season 2 of Run The Burbs premieres on January 4, 2023 on CBC and CBC Gem.Before we bid our listeners adieu for 2022, Mariya Stokes joins Madison Olds and Dan Clapson for a quick holiday-music-making chat and we spin Olds' tune "Christmas Wish" from her holiday EP Tinseltown.

On the latest episode of Melodies and Menus, co-hosts Madison Olds and Dan Clapson talk with Clifton Murray, one quarter of the chart-topping act The Tenors, as well as drag queen superstar Anita Wigl'it.With The Tenors having an upcoming holiday tour across Canada and a current holiday single "Christmas Miracle", there's plenty to chat with Clifton about from family food traditions, creating four-part harmonies and more.Ms. Wigl'it dishes on her time on RuPaul's Drag Race Canada Vs. The World (the international franchise of the population competition series), living in Vancouver, being an expert trumpet player and what it's like to own the long-standing Auckland venue Caluzzi Cabaret with fellow queen Kita Mean.

Our podcast miniseries Melodies and Menus is back for a special three-week holiday edition. Co-hosts Madison Olds and Dan Clapson will be chatting with a fun mix of recognizable Canadians who love this time of year as much as we do, and our first episode of the holiday season features Juno Award-winning singer Celeigh Cardinal and Great Canadian Baking Show Season 6 champ Lauren Tjoe.Celeigh talks about her new holiday single as well as her favourite holiday bevvies that help keep her cozy.Lauren dishes on her experience filming GCBS Season 6 and shares tips for novice bakers looking to make tasty holiday treats.

We just couldn't bid adieu to our Top Chef Roundtable podcast miniseries for the year without having a little bonus episode with this season's breakout star, Deseree ("Dez") Lo. The Vancouver-based chef quickly became a favourite of our podcast co-hosts and viewers alike. First, for her vibrant personality, followed swiftly by her creative approach to many of the Top Chef Canada Season X challenges.In this bonus episode, Dan Clapson chats with Dez about how humour keeps her balanced in the kitchen, her approach to authenticity, what it feels like to be Top Chef Canada's eldest runner-up in the history of the show, and much more.Before the episode wraps, we tease our upcoming holiday-themed podcast series with a surprise guest!

And just like that, our Top Chef Canada coverage comes to a close for 2022.In addition to dissecting the final episode of Season X, two of our podcast co-hosts, Carmen Cheng and Phil Wilson, get to have an exclusive chat with this year's winning chef Tre Sanderson.Sanderson discusses how he managed to find the balance between having fun during production while maintaining focus in challenges, his plans for the future, how it feels to be the first black chef to win a season of Top Chef Canada, and so much more.

Season 9 winner Erica Karbelnik and husband Josh Karbelnik are the only couple to have ever competed on a Top Chef franchise. Currently in Spain to compete in the sixth annual International Tapas Competition, Erica chats about her amazingly creative tapa inspired by Tim Hortons (don't worry, it made us wary at first too!) before the couple discuss their approach to cooking private dinners, life with their adorable one year old daughter and much more.Of course, Phil Wilson, Dan Clapson and Carmen Cheng also go through Top Chef Canada Season X Episode 7 with an energetic fine tooth comb!

This week, we've got a condensed episode of our Top Chef Roundtable podcast miniseries with two of the co-hosts, Phil Wilson and Dan Clapson, discussing all things Top Chef Canada Season X Episode 6.With only two episodes left in the season, the production is also heading to Cayman Islands with the Top 4 chefs! This is the first time the show has ever filmed outside of Canada.

This episode, we are chatting with two of East Coast Canada's most recognizable chefs, Lucy Morrow and Stephanie Ogilvie.Both Top Chef Canada Season 8 finalists, the two had a strong showing on the series and still remain great pals after it all. The chefs discuss regional ingredients of the Maritimes and also offer up some advice for Canadian chefs hoping to compete on the popular competition series.After that, co-hosts Carmen Cheng, Phil Wilson and Dan Clapson dissect Top Chef Canada Season X Episode 5, special guest judge Alvin Leung and the "vegan feast" themed Elimination Challenge.

Chef Jo Notkin and Top Chef Canada alum calls Montreal home and is working hard at growing her baking mix company Maison Zoe Ford to national success.Notkin discusses her growing brand recognition in the food product sector before giving co-hosts Phil Wilson, Carmen Cheng and Dan Clapson a crash course in the history of Betty Crocker (very interesting!) and dishing on the most delicious eggs a person can buy in this world. discovering that she's also pals with one and only Gail Simmons, we try to probe Notkin for details on the impending 20th season of Top Chef that is going international (competitor-wise) and just wrapped filming in London...but to no avail.Of course, the co-hosts also dissect the most recent episode of Top Chef Canada Season X and throw out a few conspiracy theories about the show too. Who doesn't love speculation?

When it comes to fun culinary collaborations, few Top Chef Canada alum do it better than Season 9 runner-up Billy Nguyen. We've been following Billy's journey since their appearance on the series and they've cooked up some amazing feasts with pals like Andrea Alridge, Galasa Aden and Emily Butcher, and they've got upcoming collabs with Steph Ogilvie and Dominique Dufour too.On our newest episode of Top Chef Roundtable, Dan Clapson gets to chat with Nguyen and Butcher while the two are in Winnipeg getting ready for their three-night dinner series at Emily's popular eatery Nola.Once the conversation wraps, Carmen Cheng and Phil Wilson hop on to dissect Top Chef Canada Season X Episode 3 (i.e. Restaurant Wars).

Before we delve into the ups and downs of Top Chef Canada Season X Episode 2, the co-hosts discuss the early departure of Edmonton chef Lindsay Porter and how sometimes even chefs that are celebrated in their own region, end up having a bad first day in the TCC Kitchen. The co-hosts also take inspiration from Season X Episode 2's musical theme and shout out some of their favourite independent Canadian musicians like Nice Horse and The Free Label.Clapson also gets to chat with TCC Season 4 alum Lauren Marshall of Halifax about her wildly popular eatery Real Fake Meats, cooking at the upcoming Devour! The Food Film Fest in Wolfville, NS and how she's seen the country's restaurant scene evolve as it pertains to vegan (or primarily plant-forward) diners.

With Top Chef Canada officially back for another season, so too is our Top Chef-themed podcast miniseries.On this week's episode of Top Chef Canada Roundtable, co-hosts Phil Wilson, Carmen Cheng and Dan Clapson share their first impressions of the milestone season in terms of its competitors and unique "X" twist. Top Chef Canada judge Mijune Pak also joins the trio to talk about what she's excited for Canadians to see as this season unfolds, her thoughts on this year's new judge David Zilber and she shares a bit of behind-the-scenes intel from the show's premiere episode too.The Eat North Podcast stream can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and more.

It's our final Melodies and Menus podcast episode of the summer, and what better way to wrap things up than with some dynamic conversations of Pride season and being queer in the entertainment industry?First, co-hosts Dan Clapson and Madison Olds chat with iconic Canadian drag queen Kendall Gender. As a fixture of the Vancouver drag scene, Kendall has long been a must-see queen on the West Coast, but after her runner-up finish on Canada's Drag Race Season 2, she is now a household name.Kendall discusses her work as a Pride ambassador for Fairmont Hotels as well as why she loves giving back to the queer community in general and, of course, her undying love of performing for crowds around the globe.Next, Amy Hef joins the co-hosts to talk about her genre fluid approach to creating music and how being queer filters into her day-to-day work as a musician. She also discusses how Pride season is an exciting and business time for her as a performer.

We've gone all-out Canadian country music for our latest episode of Melodies and Menus! First up, Don Amero about everything from his love of Manitoba to his recent release "Let 'Em Lie"—a powerful duet with Kyle McKearney that speaks to residential schools and the schools' associated atrocities. Amero will also be performing at the Calgary Stampede this month for the very first time, so the singer explains that he's got a lot to look forward to, crazy midway foods and all.Next, Tik Tok and country music sensation Robyn Ottolini chats about her busy summer tour schedule, finding a permanent home in Nashville and what she really thinks about the city's signature dish, hot chicken.

Top Chef Canada alum and recently-minted author Adrian Forte dishes on his brand new cookbook Yawd as well as how music plays an integral part in the dining experiences he brings to life while doing private culinary events across the globe.Award-winning singer Jill Barber joins next to chat with Madison Olds and Dan Clapson about her love of the Vancouver food scene, how she's well underway creating new music—make sure to check out her latest release "My Mother's Hand"—and more. We can't want to hear Barber's new tunes in the coming months!The Eat North Podcast can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and more. The main music on Melodies and Menus episodes comes courtesy of the Madison Olds single "Average.

Our new podcast episode sees co-hosts Madison Olds and Dan Clapson talking with Canadian music icon Fefe Dobson. The Nashville-dwelling Canadian musician discusses the misconceptions many people have about Nashville as well as her impact on current chart-topping artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Willow.Fefe's latest single "FCKIN IN LOVE" is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the new music we can expect from her in the coming months.Next, Butchie's and Dish Play owner and chef Andrea Nicholson joins to discuss everything from her foray into the world of event programming beyond the kitchen, judging on Firemasters and more.

To kick off our new episode, Dan Clapson and Madison Olds chat with food personality AND Juno Award winner Roger Mooking. No stranger to the food television realm, Mooking has long been a household favourite, hosting many programs and currently serving as a judge on the popular series Firemasters. Mooking is also a celebrated musician, being part of the award-winning Bass is Base in the 90s, and his 2021 EP Edibles proves that his creativity still extends well beyond the kitchen.Next, Sarah Blackwood of the Juno Award-winning band Walk Off The Earth joins the co-hosts to talk about the band's summer tour as well as her family's 2022 Juno nomination for Children's Album of the Year. Their latest family-friendly music was born of their son's popular YouTube series, Romeo Eats.

Dan Clapson and Madison Olds start things off by chatting with one of the most familiar faces in the pop-rock world, Josh Ramsay. The Marianas Trench frontman recently released his debut solo album, aptly titled The Josh Ramsay Show, which has received much buzz. The album plays around in a variety of genres and also features vocals from Canadian talents like Fionn, Serena Ryder, Tyler Shaw and Fefe Dobson.Ramsay dishes on his favourite road snacks as well as all of the dynamic culinary experiences that his hometown of Vancouver has to offer.Next, the co-hosts head to Winnipeg (virtually) to chat with the talented duo The Bros. Landreth. Like Ramsay, Joey and Dave Landreth are also heading out on an extensive tour across Canada. The brothers chat about their brand new album Come Morning as well as the stunning artwork that has been created for it by Roberta Landreth.Like any good Winnipeger, Joey and Dave are huge fans of the city's restaurant scene, so buckle up for some great dining recommendations from the musical duo too!

On the second episode of our new season of the Melodies and Menus podcast, co-hosts Dan Clapson and Madison Olds talk with acclaimed East Coast musician Kellie Loder and Survivor's first-ever Canadian winner Erika Casupanan.With the Survivor Season 42 finale airing this week, Erika weighs in on how she's enjoyed this season and why it's great that the production has begun having more Canadians compete.Next, Madison and Dan chat with Kellie Loder. Kellie dishes on everything from why they opted to audition for Canada's Got Talent to Newfoundland delicacies and the freedom they have discovered since coming out as non-binary and trans.

Our season two premiere of our podcast series Melodies and Menus sees food writer Dan Clapson and singer Madison Olds chatting with one of the most familiar faces in Canadian pop music, Tyler Shaw, as well as My Ackee Tree author and Wall of Chefs judge Suzanne Barr.Shaw discusses everything from returning to touring (alongside Josh Ramsay) to his love of brunch in Calgary and Saskatoon and dim sum in Vancouver while Barr talks about how her memoir came to be, diversity as it pertains to food television and why music plays an important part in creating atmosphere in a restaurant.

co-hosts Dan Clapson and Madison Olds chat with rising star LØLØ. The pop-punk songstress has been making waves over the past couple years thanks to her catchy tunes and a prominent presence on TikTok. LØLØ talks about her first-ever American tour—which wrapped recently—as well as her unexpected new holiday single "christmas vacation" and her family traditions at this time of year.Next, the co-hosts discover that to interview jazz icon Molly Johnson is to fall even deeper in love with Molly Johnson. The acclaimed singer recently released her captivating album It's A Snow Globe World and is about to embark on an Eastern Canadian concert tour.

Acclaimed Canadian singer and Art Haus co-owner Serena Ryder joins us to chat about being a new ambassador for Libra non-alcoholic beer (made in P.E.I. by Upstreet Craft Brewing) and how you can get creative in the kitchen and home bar during the holidays without it centring around alcohol.Sue Passmore of the Good Lovelies also joins to chat with Dan and Madison about her bands Ontario-wide tour that kicks off next week, her family's holiday traditions, making homemade Baileys—or planning to make some anyway—and her go-to holiday album at this time of year.

We are back with a very special four-week edition of Melodies and Menus. Hosted by Madison Olds and Dan Clapson, this podcast miniseries will feature an array of recognizable Canadians talking about all things holiday music, food and drink and other special happenings.First up is the talented Ontario-based country singer Nicole Rayy. Rayy dishes on her favourite holiday baking and how her holiday EP A Merry Little Christmas came to life.And with the Canadian Country Music Awards happening on November 29 in London, ON, the two begin their holiday podcast series by chatting with co-hosts Lindsay Ell and Canada's Drag Race winner Priyanka. The two discuss diversity and representation as well as what they love about the holiday season.

Nova Scotia's Jennifer E. Crawford rose to fame in 2019 after winning the sixth season of MasterChef Canada and from there, they have become an advocate for queer representation in the food world in addition to finding much success with their culinary chops. More recently, Crawford has delved into the physical and theatrical world of wrestling by way of their alter ego Moon Miss.Next, R&B-pop singer–and Canadian Idol final season winner–Theo Tams regales the co-hosts on everything from mastering the art of smoking meat to finding his true voice and musical style in an ever-changing industry. Both being part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, Tams and Crawford weigh in on how queer representation has improved over the past decade...and how there is still further to go in that respect.

Co-hosts Madison Olds and Dan Clapson chat with one half of the duo BROS–and one quarter of The Sheepdogs–Shamus Currie about his love of Prairie food and how his recently released album Vol. 2 came to life. If you haven't heard it yet, trust that it's the perfect soundtrack to the dwindling days of summer.Fake Shark singer Kevvy joins next to talk about why takeout wins out over home cooking (for himself) every single time, some of the similarities between Vancouver and L.A. when it comes to food and what his band has in store for the remainder of 2021.

This episode's guests are Juno Award-winning singer Celeigh Cardinal and restaurateur and mental health advocate Steve Brochu.Both hailing from Edmonton, the two (separately) discuss the things they love about the Alberta capital. Cardinal opens up about her creative process, her stunning new single "There Ain't No Way (Better Days Version)" and much more.Brochu shares the struggles his business MilkCrate has faced–along with many other downtown Edmonton businesses–throughout the pandemic and his efforts to normalize conversations around mental health in the restaurant industry. The chef agrees that it is a topic that should be ever-present in the music industry as well given its similar late night hours and constant high pressures.

Madison Olds and Dan Clapson talk with accomplished musician and producer Hill Kourkoutis about everything from gardening to mastering the art of sourdough and the dos and don'ts of what to eat in the recording studio. Kourkoutis shares insight on how her creative processes of music production and making dinner at home are more aligned than one might think.Writer, author and Flat Out Food docuseries co-creator Jenn Sharp joins the conversation next. Sharp discusses how the right orchestral score can help capture a viewer's attention in a food-focused docuseries like hers as well as why it is high time Canadians start paying attention to what the food producers, purveyors and creators in her province have to offer.

Country singer Jade Turner and Top chef Canada alum Mark Singson join us on our latest episode of Melodies and Menus.Rooted in Manitoba, Turner chats with us about why people should explore Winnipeg's food and drink scene and her love of all-season fishing. Ice fishing, lake fishing, river fishing...you name it, the talented singer is up for it!Vancouver-based private chef and popup event planner extraordinaire Mark Singson joins the co-hosts next to discuss his personal taste in music and how he incorporates that into his social media presence. Being a runner-up on Top Chef Canada Season 6, Singson also chats a bit about his experience from the rearview mirror and what it takes for a chef to find success in a competition like that.

On our latest podcast episode, co-hosts Madison Olds and Dan Clapson kick things off by talking seltzers and summer tunes before delving into all things drag brunch with celebrity drag queen Tynomi Banks. The Toronto-based queen (and Canada's Drag Race alum) dishes on her growth as a performer over the years, how she always looks forward to working the crowd during a lively brunch and shares some pro tips for drag brunch attendees.Next up, Canadian indie music icon Hawksley Workman joins to discuss his love of pairing food and drink, his personal discovery of the benefits of sobriety in recent years and what he thinks the future holds when it comes to food trends.

On the latest episode of Melodies and Menus, co-hosts Madison Olds and Dan Clapson chat with the one and only Mairlyn Smith. The award-winning cookbook author and TV personality was raised on musical theatre, so she discusses all things theatre, musical-inspired menus, her love of singing, teacups and more.Ontario-based folk singer Tania Joy joins to discuss her passion for supporting the local community and her recent musical releases. Joy also talks about how she works with different restaurants and cafes around Uxbridge, ON to create a unique annual music festival.New episodes every Thursday!Podcast music by Madison Olds.

Check out the premiere episode of Melodies and Menus!Co-hosts pop singer Madison Olds and food writer Dan Clapson explore the many parallels with the food and music industries, as well as their intersections.Country music superstar Paul Brandt joins the frey to discuss all things Airstreams, fly fishing and local eateries. The singer also shares some insight into his charity Not In My City and its summer-long campaign that is currently underway. Next, Vancouver restaurateur Justin Tisdall joins to discuss how he actively incorporates music into his two concepts, Juke Fried Chicken and BeetBox.New episodes every Thursday!Podcast music by Madison Olds.

On our final Top Chef Canada podcast episode of 2021, co-hosts Dan Clapson, Phil Wilson and Carmen Cheng dissect the Season 9 finale, but also look back on the season as a whole. Could Top Chef Canada make some changes to its judging style to keep up with the times? What possible themes might the show have for its 10th season in 2022? They ponder these questions and more throughout.Season 9 champion Erica Karbelnik joins the co-hosts to discuss her experience filming, how her cooking celebrates her family roots and what's next for her and her husband, fellow finalist Josh Karbelnik.

On this week's podcast episode, co-hosts Carmen Cheng and Dan Clapson have a fun chat with chef Nicole Gomes. The Top Chef Canada: All-Stars winner and owner of the popular Cluck 'N' Cleaver discusses everything from her love of Tofino (where she's currently cooking for the month), learning from her mistakes and how to be a better leader in the kitchen.After the interview with Nicole Gomes, Phil Wilson returns to dissect Top Chef Canada Season Episode 7 with Carmen and Dan.

Our latest podcast episode sees co-hosts Phil Wilson and Dan Clapson joined once again by food writer Carmen Cheng as well as special guest Jo Notkin of Zoe Ford Pantry.The chef also shares some candid stories of the Top Chef Canada casting process and places her bets on who will be named "Canada's Top Chef" on the Season 9 finale, which airs on June 7.After the chat with Notkin, we dissect Top Chef Canada Season 9 Episode 6

The Top Chef Canada Season 6 finalist and Wall of Chefs judge chats with Dan Clapson, Carmen Cheng and Phil Wilson about the mantra behind her restaurant, other Korean restaurants she loves across Canada and more. She also discusses whether or not she would consider competing on Top Chef Canada: All-Stars 2–which we speculate might take place next year.After chatting with Jinhee Lee, the three co-hosts dissect Top Chef Canada Season 9 Episode 5 and ponder how certain reality television production decisions are made.

Since competing on the inaugural season of Top Chef Canada back in 2011, Andrea Nicholson has become a household name. The chef returned to compete on Top Chef Canada: All Stars in 2017 and currently serves as a judge on the current competition series Fire Masters. On top of that, Nicholson runs the popular eatery Butchie's and a thriving preserves company, Killer Condiments.The passionate small business advocate joins co-hosts Phil Wilson and Dan Clapson on our latest podcast episode to chat about the importance of speaking out to protect one's community. She also looks back on her time with the Top Chef Canada series before sharing who she's rooting for this season.Carmen Cheng returns to chat with Phil and Dan about Top Chef Canada's Takeout Wars episode which aired earlier this week.

Before co-hosts Phil Wilson and Dan Clapson dive into all things Top Chef Canada Season 9, they are joined by one of the top-performing chefs in the history of the series, Vancouver's Matthew Stowe.Stowe currently helps run the culinary program for JOEY Restaurants and chats a bit about the chain's expansion in the United States where they are seeing great success. From there, he talks a bit about his time on Top Chef Canada and provides a few tips for future competitors be named Canada's Top Chef just as he was back in 2013 on the show's third season.Food writer Carmen Cheng joins Wilson and Clapson to dissect the latest episode of Season 9 as well as explore how the show could continue to be more diverse by considering an update to its judging panel.

Things have really heated up competition-wise after the second episode of Top Chef Canada Season 9. So, what better way to embrace the heat than for podcast co-hosts Phil Wilson and Dan Clapson to chat with a show alum that recently launched a hot sauce company?Toronto's Elizabeth Rivasplata first appeared on the popular competition series during its second season in 2012 and also returned to compete on Top Chef Canada: All Stars in 2017. She currently serves as the corporate chef for Pumpernickel's, but prior to that she worked as the executive chef for Rogers Centre–the home of the Blue Jays–for four years where she directed culinary operations that spanned everything from the casual concessions to high-end food experiences in the arena's premium suites.Earlier this year, the talented Peruvian-Canadian chef launched Matute Sauce Co. Named after Rivasplata's grandmother, the small-batch hot sauce company draws on both her Peruvian roots and her grandmother's recipes to offer dynamic condiments that Torontonians have easily embraced.

To coincide with the new season of Top Chef Canada that is currently underway, our podcast returns for the spring. Over the next eight weeks, co-hosts Dan Clapson and Phil Wilson will set their sights on dissecting each episode of the show's ninth season and also have a fun, candid chat with an alumni chef each episode.This week, the two chat with Halifax's Stephanie Ogilvie, owner of Hop Scotch Dinner Club. The 2020 Top Chef Canada runner-up shares her thoughts on Sunday night's season premiere, how she helps champion Atlantic Canadian cuisine as well as how she has found her footing as a new restaurant owner throughout the pandemic.

Normally, this would be the time of year that Canadians would begin mapping out their holiday dinner plans. Cooking for five or six people is quite a production, let alone 10+, but things are very different this year.With that in mind, writers Twyla Campbell and Dan Clapson come together for a special episode of the More Than Maple Syrup podcast to discuss how drastically their Christmas dinner plans have changed for 2020. The result is a discussion centring around finding a perfect cut of Canadian beef–and maybe even splurging on something extra special–to cook up over the holidays.Being an avid traveler, Campbell chats a bit about trying different types of beef around the world and why she really appreciates the local producers she has access to at home in Edmonton by way of quality butchers like ACME Meat Co. and The Butchery by RGE RD.Clapson also chats with Ben Campbell, the owner of Grazed Right, a grass-fed beef company based just outside of Black Diamond, AB. Campbell chats about his transition from city life to the farm, the misconceptions people might have about small-scale cattle production and why maintaining the integrity of the natural lands his animals graze on is important to him and his family.

On our new episode of More Than Maple Syrup, co-hosts Emma Waverman and Phil Wilson are joined by special guest and Toronto chef, activist and author Joshna Maharaj.Maharaj chats about institutional food systems and their problems, how she's been getting creative with book promotion for Take Back The Tray (in which she addresses those institutional food systems) during the pandemic, and weighs in on diversity in the restaurant industry and she thinks it means to be a "Canadian chef".After some serious discussions, Wilson shares an incredibly unique and delicious memory about a dish Maharaj once served him (walrus masala) and Waverman lighten things up with a look back from the trio of culinary minds on the myriad of Canadian food facts the Canadian DYK series revealed throughout the month of June.

On our new episode of More Than Maple Syrup, co-hosts Emma Waverman and Phil Wilson are joined by special guest and Toronto chef, activist and author Joshna Maharaj.Maharaj chats about institutional food systems and their problems, how she's been getting creative with book promotion for Take Back The Tray (in which she addresses those institutional food systems) during the pandemic, and weighs in on diversity in the restaurant industry and she thinks it means to be a "Canadian chef".After some serious discussions, Wilson shares an incredibly unique and delicious memory about a dish Maharaj once served him (walrus masala) and Waverman lighten things up with a look back from the trio of culinary minds on the myriad of Canadian food facts the Canadian DYK series revealed throughout the month of June.

After a week away from the More Than Maple Syrup podcast, Emma Waverman returns to the booth to chat with co-host Phil Wilson about the current state of the Canadian hospitality industry and the conclusion of Top Chef Canada season 8. The duo is joined by Toronto chef and season 8 competitor, Adrian Forte. Chef Forte offers a behind-the-scenes look into his experience throughout the competition.From there, chef Forte shares his perspective on racism and the difficulties of being a chef of colour, the history and importance of Afro-Caribbean cuisine, and creating a more inclusive industry for future generations.