Chuck Hughes Loses Attempt At Becoming Next Top Chef
When the key ingredient was revealed for the elimination clash, I knew it was all over. Tofureally?
Despite the Food Network’s “The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs” being incredibly over-dramatic, ridiculous and corny, I could not turn away from it. I finished up rooting for Chuck Hughes on Monday nights the same way I'd cheer on the Habs in the playoffs. Pretty bizarre stuff, I could admit.
Chuck Hughes, host of Chuck’s Day Off on the Food Network and head chef of Garde-Manger in Old Montreal, was the third contestant eliminated on the show, when he had to square off in “Battle Tofu” with Chef Beau MacMillan. For Hughes, that could have been the worst possible scenario; he even admitted to never having worked with the stuff. Hughes was the only Canadian competitor on the programme; he gained plenty of attention after defeating Iron Chef Bobby Flay in “Battle Canadian Lobster” back in March. I rooted for Chuck not only because he's a Montrealer, but also due to his easy approach to food. While the other contestants were wrapping their heads around mousses, foams, purrees, couples, and “deconstructed” this and that, Chuck kept to what made him famous: offering straightforward comfort food, done correctly with a little twist. In fact , he defeated Flay with a poutine, seafood chowder, and a lobster roll. On his 3 episodes on “The Next Iron Chef”, his dishes included a maple-glazed pork-chop and popcorn shrimp. Not exactly what you’d call ‘haute-cuisine’.
Despite the fact that Iron Chef represents not only horrible reality television but Food Porn at it’s worst, I liked watching Chuck Hughes compete because I believe he represents the food climate in Montreal: tasty food above fancy food. You really get a sense of this when visiting a place like Garde-Manger or Joe Meat; even though they're among the top cafes in the town, and doubtless the continent, and you may have to call months ahead for a reservation, the spaces are inviting, and the food is comforting.
Although Hughes has just become part of the bizarro sector of celebrity chefdom, he still looks to be fighting the good fight for simple yet succulent food, and for this reason it had been a shame to see him eliminated. On the flipside, at least now he’ll still be around Montreal and his 2 cafes instead of acting on the stage of Iron Chef’s ‘Kitchen Stadium’.


