Food Network Canada Announces New Batch of Chefs Craving Chopped Canada Victory

Record-Breaking Series Continues April 3 at 10pm ET/PT

For additional high-res photography of host, judges and competitors, please visit shawmedia.ca/media  

TORONTO, March 27, 2014 /CNW/ - Food Network Canada and Paperny Entertainment are cooking up another 13 episodes of the adrenaline-pumping hit Chopped Canada. The highest rated premiere in Food Network Canada's history*, Chopped Canada is a high-stakes culinary competition series hosted by Dean McDermott (Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off) where four chefs compete before an all-star panel of expert judges. Episodes continue to air Thursdays at 10pm ET/PT on Food Network Canada, with fresh mystery ingredients, celebrity judges, and new competitors hungry for a win.

Following a nationwide search, the next batch of chefs vying to join the growing roster of Chopped Canada champions are:

·   Norman Aitken, 32, Ottawa, ON		·   Jesse Mutch, 23, Toronto, ON
·   Subra Balakrishnan, 28, Markham, ON		·   Justin Myles, 28, Kearney, ON
·   Daren Bergeron, 40, Montreal, QC		·   Romeo Oloresisimo, 33, Kamloops, BC
·   Pascal Bisson, 32, Montreal, QC		·   Jessica Pelland, 26, Calgary, AB
·   Victor Bongo, 29, Vancouver, BC		·   Derek Pennell, 29, Carleton Place, ON
·   Jayke Carter, 26, Toronto, ON		·   Matthew Pennell, 30, Moncton, NB
·   Matt Chandler, 30, Charlottetown, PEI		·   Doreen Prei, 34, Edmonton, AB
·   Craig D'Cruze, 33, Calgary, AB		·   Christina Pugliese, 30, Montreal, QC
·   Neil Dowson, 41, Picton, ON		·   Derek Ralph, 41, Calgary, AB
·   Bruno Feldeisen, 48, Vancouver, BC		·   Boris Rubstov, 31, Woodbridge, ON
·   Audie Grant, 39, Montreal, QC		·   Humberto Sanchez, 35, London, ON
·   Tobias Grignon, 31, Vancouver, BC		·   Stephanie Schoales, 26, Kelowna, BC
·   Sheina Haddad, 27, London, ON		·   Frank Sham, 47, Kelowna, BC
·   Julian Harries-Jones, 31, Toronto, ON		·   Miheer Shete, 30, Toronto, ON
·   Toivo Heyduck, 25, Sooke, BC		·   Jonathan Sobol, 29, Calgary, AB
·   Winston Hugh, 27, Toronto, ON		·   Abbey Soloman, 31, Grimsby, ON
·   David Husereau, 45, Jasper, AB		·   Henry Strong, 44, Ottawa, ON
·   Hayden Johnston, 23, Toronto, ON		·   Alexander Svenne, 42, Winnipeg, MB
·   Carolyn Jones, 47, Penetanguishene, ON		·   Evelynn Takoff, 27, Kelowna, BC
·   Takumi Kitamura, 32, Victoria, BC		·   Philip Tarlo, 62, Collingwood, ON
·   Pierre Lamielle, 33, Calgary, AB		·   Ian Thompson, 35, Washago, ON
·   Michael Luck, 42, Toronto, ON		·   Daniel Trottier, 56, Rosemere, QC
·   Katherine MacDonald, 44, Surrey, BC		·   Brett Turnbull, 37, Markham, ON
·   Miriam Martinez, 30, Toronto, ON		·   Tony Velinov, 34, St. John's, NF
·   Robert Mills, 40, Toronto, ON		·   Sue Wiebe, 62, Abbotsford, BC
·   Bev Milnes, 45, Toronto, ON		·   JohnRoss Woodland, 23, Picton, ON

Each episode of Chopped Canada pits four chefs against the clock – and each other – for a chance to win $10,000. Cooking off in head-to-head challenges before a rotating panel of expert judges, the competitors put their skill and ingenuity to the test in an attempt to turn a basket of mystery ingredients into an extraordinary, three-course meal within a limited amount of time. Course by course, the judges chop the chefs from the competition until only one remains.

Judges include Susur Lee (Top Chef Masters), Lynn Crawford (Pitchin' In), Chuck Hughes (Chuck's Week Off), Michael Smith (Chef Michael's Kitchen), Roger Mooking (Heat Seekers),  Vikram Vij (Top Chef Canada seasons 1 and 2), John Higgins (George Brown College), and Anne Yarymowich (formerly FRANK Restaurant).

For competitor biographies, behind-the-scenes extras, episodes recaps and to watch full episodes online after they've aired, please visit choppedcanada.ca.

*BBM Canada, PPM data 4/11/11 vs. BBM Canada, PPM data 1/2/14

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Twitter: @FoodNetworkCA, @ShawMediaTV_PR, @ChoppedCanada; #ChoppedCanada
Facebook: Food Network Canada; Chopped Canada.

Food Network Canada is a Shaw Media Network.

About Shaw Communications Inc.
Shaw is a diversified communications and media company, providing consumers with broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Home Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business), satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct) and engaging programming content (through Shaw Media). Shaw serves 3.3 million customers, through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw Media operates one of the largest conventional television networks in Canada, Global Television, and 19 specialty networks including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, HISTORY® and Showcase. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX – SJR.B, NYSE – SJR). For more information about Shaw, please visit www.shaw.ca.

About Paperny Entertainment
Paperny Entertainment Inc. is an independent Vancouver and New York City-based production company run by partners David Paperny, Audrey Mehler, and Cal Shumiatcher. It has garnered worldwide acclaim for its provocative, innovative, and entertaining television programming. From groundbreaking documentaries to reality television series to lifestyle programming, Paperny Entertainment excels in capturing the essence of human stories. For a full roster of productions or more information, please visit www.papernyentertainment.com.

SOURCE: Food Network

Ginger Bertrand, Publicist, Food Network Canada, Shaw Media, 416.934.4676, [email protected]; Laura Hughes, Senior Publicity Manager, Shaw Media, 416.967.8169, [email protected]