11 Things You Didn't Know About Chuck Hughes — Chopped All-Stars
Janet Rhodes, 2012, Television Food Network, G.P.
FN Dish is counting down to the Season 3 premiere of Chopped All-Stars by introducing a competitor every day. Sixteen competitors including Food Network and Cooking Channel talent, renowned chefs, Chopped judges and celebrities are competing for a chance to win the title of All-Stars Champion and a $50,000 donation to charity. Watch the premiere on Sunday, April 7, at 9pm/8c and keep coming back to FN Dish for exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes previews.
Chuck Hughes is the host of Chuck’s Day Off, Chuck's Week Off: Mexico and Chuck's Eat the Street on Cooking Channel. He's also appeared on Food Network's The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs. Chuck is the chef/owner of Montreal hot spots Garde Manger and Le Bremner. When he's not busy in the kitchen you can catch him on the ice playing hockey, but could you ever think of this tattooed chef as a ballet dancer? Find out more things you didn't know about Chuck in his Q&A below.
What's your Achilles' heel ingredient, one that you hate to work with or encounter in someone else’s dish?
What dish or ingredient will we never catch you eating?
What was your most memorable meal? What, Where, Who? Details, please.
CH: On a surf trip to El Salvador with buddies – we discovered oysters when we were in the ocean and we just started smashing them on a rock and slurping them back. Worst oysters – best memory.
CH: Have to name just one? Any sweet and salty combo, like peanut butter and chocolate, or ice cream.
Is there one dish that you always order out and never make at home?
CH: Not a fan of kitchen tools. A sharp knife is the best way to go.
If you weren't in food, what career would you have liked to have tried?
CH: NHL professional hockey player or ballet dancer.
CH: Homemade chocolate chip cookies with Maldon salt and a glass of whole milk at room temperature.
CH: My chefs – James Baran at Garde Manger and Danny Smiles at Le Bremner.
Chuck is competing for the Cedars Cancer Institute.