Food Tips
Q&A with Chuck Hughes
Photography by Dominique Lafond Image by: Photography by Dominique Lafond
Food Tips
Q&A with Chuck Hughes
Chuck Hughes is a Canadian culinary superstar. He runs two bustling Montreal restaurants (Garde Manger and Le Bremner), stars in "Chuck's Day Off" on Food Network Canada and famously beat American uberchef Bobby Flay on "Iron Chef America" -- with a lobster poutine, no less!
He's just released a new cookbook too, named after his popular TV show.
Canadian Living: What summer produce can you not wait to cook with?
Chuck Hughes: Quebec strawberries.
CL: What's special about them? What do you usually make with them?
CH: They're sweet, bright red and delicious. For me, in Montreal, they are local, and I try to buy locally as much as possible. I usually go old-school with them and make a really good strawberry shortcake. At my restaurants, we also use them to make drinks.
CL: Do you have any patriotic tattoos?
CH: Does a Canadian lobster count?
CL: It does! Can we take a look?
CL: What's your favourite Canadian band?
CH: The Montreal band Me, Mom and Morgentaler.
CL: Favourite hockey team?
CH: Go Habs!
CL: What's the most noteworthy Canadian restaurant you've eaten at in the past year?
CH: I can't mention just one place, but I love any of the restaurants headed up by the b'ys in St. John's, N.L. -- Raymonds restaurant with Peter Burt and Jeremy Charles, Aqua Kitchen and Bar with Mark McCrowe, and the Chef's inn with todd Perrin.
CL: Which Canadian hero would you love to make dinner for?
CH: Neil Young.
CL: Tell us something most people don't know about you.
CH: I collect stickers during my travels.
CL: Fun! What do you do with them?
CH: They go on the dishwashers at my restaurants. They are very cool dishwashers!
CL: What can readers expect from your newest cookbook?
CH: Some of my favourite recipes from my TV show and a bunch of new ones. There's also a behind-the-scenes look at the people who have helped make me and Garde Manger a success.
CL: What would be on your ultimate Canada Day menu?
CH: I'd go picnic style, with lobster rolls, homemade potato chips, potato salad and Mason jars full of chocolate pots de crème with maple-caramel marshmallow meringue.
CL: We'll be there. Just tell us when!
He's just released a new cookbook too, named after his popular TV show.
Canadian Living: What summer produce can you not wait to cook with?
Chuck Hughes: Quebec strawberries.
CL: What's special about them? What do you usually make with them?
CH: They're sweet, bright red and delicious. For me, in Montreal, they are local, and I try to buy locally as much as possible. I usually go old-school with them and make a really good strawberry shortcake. At my restaurants, we also use them to make drinks.
CL: Do you have any patriotic tattoos?
CH: Does a Canadian lobster count?
CL: It does! Can we take a look?
CL: What's your favourite Canadian band?
CH: The Montreal band Me, Mom and Morgentaler.
CL: Favourite hockey team?
CH: Go Habs!
CL: What's the most noteworthy Canadian restaurant you've eaten at in the past year?
CH: I can't mention just one place, but I love any of the restaurants headed up by the b'ys in St. John's, N.L. -- Raymonds restaurant with Peter Burt and Jeremy Charles, Aqua Kitchen and Bar with Mark McCrowe, and the Chef's inn with todd Perrin.
CL: Which Canadian hero would you love to make dinner for?
CH: Neil Young.
CL: Tell us something most people don't know about you.
CH: I collect stickers during my travels.
CL: Fun! What do you do with them?
CH: They go on the dishwashers at my restaurants. They are very cool dishwashers!
CL: What can readers expect from your newest cookbook?
CH: Some of my favourite recipes from my TV show and a bunch of new ones. There's also a behind-the-scenes look at the people who have helped make me and Garde Manger a success.
CL: What would be on your ultimate Canada Day menu?
CH: I'd go picnic style, with lobster rolls, homemade potato chips, potato salad and Mason jars full of chocolate pots de crème with maple-caramel marshmallow meringue.
CL: We'll be there. Just tell us when!
| This story was originally titled "Q & A with Chuck Hughes" in the July 2013 issue. Subscribe to Canadian Living today and never miss an issue! |
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