Food Network Canada Dishes Out a Second Serving of Hit Series Chopped Canada on January 10

Celebrity Chefs Massimo Capra, Antonio Park and Eden Grinshpan Join Panel of Judges

Viewers' Choice Mystery Ingredients Take Spotlight in Special Episode On February 7

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

TORONTO, Nov. 26, 2014 /CNW/ - The mystery baskets are restocked, the knives are sharpened and the chopping block is ready for the savoury second season premiere of Chopped Canada on January 10 at 9pm ET/PT. After a record-breaking series premiere with the highest audience in the network's history*, season two returns to Food Network Canada with 13 mouth-watering episodes. Culinary experts Eden Grinshpan (Eden Eats), Toronto's Massimo  Capra (Restaurant Takeover), and Montreal's Antonio Park (PARK Restaurant) join the rotating panel of all-star judges. Celebrity chefs Susur Lee, Lynn Crawford, Michael Smith, Roger Mooking, John Higgins and Anne Yarymowich return to the judging panel while Dean McDermott reprises his role as host.

Chopped Canada's sophomore season features a hearty new batch of Canadian competitors representing British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. The competitors have to be quick on their feet—and even quicker with their hands—if they want to plate a dish using the mystery ingredients to impress the all-star judging panel. Each episode begins with four ambitious chefs. Course-by-course, one competitor is chopped from the competition until only one remains and walks away with $10,000 and the title of Chopped Canada champion. For a full list of chefs competing in the first 13 episodes, including biographical information, please visit choppedcanada.ca. The second half of the season returns in fall 2015 with more of Canada's culinary talent taking on the Chopped Canada kitchen.

"After a massively successful first season, we can't wait to bring Canadians a heart-racing, adrenaline-pumping second helping of Chopped Canada," said Christine Shipton, Senior Vice President of Content, Shaw Media. "Boasting the most impressive lineup of all-star culinary experts Food Network Canada has ever seen, season two delivers nail-biting reviews, agonizing eliminations, and glorious victories that will have viewers at the edge of their seats."

New this season are special themed episodes peppered throughout the schedule, including the viewers' choice episode airing February 7 at 9pm ET/PT. Fans were invited to weigh in with their ideas through the Chopped Canada Twitter and Facebook pages. Viewers showed no mercy suggesting ingredient combinations that are more difficult than ever. From the Canadian staple ketchup chips to the outright daring prairie oysters, the four competing chefs will have to be on their A-game to survive.

This season's competitors will face-off in the Chopped Canada kitchen outfitted by KitchenAid^®, the official appliance sponsor of Chopped Canada. For behind-the-scenes extras, episode recaps and to watch full episodes online after they've aired, visit choppedcanada.ca.

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* Source: Numeris PPM Data 1/02/14 Ind.2+, W25-54

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter: @FoodNetworkCA, @ShawMediaTV_PR, @ChoppedCanada #ChoppedCanada; @EdenEats, @ChefCapra, @ChefAntonioPark, @SusurLee, @CHEF_LYNN, @ChefMichaelSmith, @RogerMooking, @Haggisracer

Facebook: Food Network Canada; Chopped Canada. 

Food Network Canada is a Shaw Media Network.

About Shaw Communications
Shaw Communications Inc. is a diversified communications and media company. Shaw serves 3.2 million consumers and businesses through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw provides consumers with broadband Internet, WiFi, Digital Phone and Video services. Shaw Business provides businesses with Internet, data, WiFi, telephony, Video and fleet tracking services, and ViaWest provides collocation, cloud and managed services. Shaw Media provides Canadians with engaging programming content through one of Canada's largest conventional television networks, 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

For media inquiries, please contact: Susan Stafford, Publicist, UNIT:PR Inc., 416.506.1238, [email protected]; Ginger Bertrand, Senior Publicist, Food Network Canada, Shaw Media, 416.934.4676, [email protected]