Mystery Ingredients. Celebrity Judges. No Thyme.

Highly Anticipated Chopped Canada to Debut Thursday, January 2 at 10pm ET/PT on Food Network Canada

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

TORONTO, Nov. 28, 2013 /CNW/ - It's chop or be chopped in the brand new, high-stakes, food competition series Chopped Canada. Food Network Canada and Paperny Entertainment today revealed the list of 52 Canadian competitors who will cook-off in the first half of Chopped Canada's inaugural season. Premiering on Thursday, January 2 at 10pm ET/PT, Chopped Canada is hosted by Toronto-native Dean McDermott (Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off season two winner) and features a rotating panel of all-star judges including Lynn Crawford (Pitchin' In), Chuck Hughes (Chuck's Day Off), Michael Smith (Chef Michael's Kitchen), Susur Lee (Top Chef Masters), Roger Mooking (Heat Seekers),  Vikram Vij (Top Chef Canada seasons 1 and 2), John Higgins (George Brown College), and Anne Yarymowich (formerly FRANK Restaurant).

Chopped Canada is the first Canadian edition of the hugely popular Food Network U.S. series Chopped. After an extensive cross-Canada search, the brand new edition shines a spotlight on this country's wealth of culinary talent from Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Newfoundland and North West Territories. For a full list of competitors, including biographical information, please visit choppedcanada.ca.

"Over the last few years Canadians have devoured the nail-biting competition in Chopped and it's a thrill to introduce our own adrenaline-pumping edition," said Barbara Williams, Senior Vice President of Content, Shaw Media. "With the highly entertaining Dean McDermott at the helm and some of the country's most respected chefs presiding over the judges table, the all-Canadian cast of contenders are in for the competition of their lives."

"We're incredibly proud of the production team and the talent who have come together to create Chopped Canada. It's the kind of series that has viewers on the edge of their seats and coming back for more week after week!" says Cal Shumiatcher, Partner, Paperny Entertainment.

Each episode in this cut-throat series pits four chefs against the clock - and each other - for a chance to win $10,000. Cooking off in head-to-head challenges before the 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.

This season's competitors will face off in the Chopped Canada kitchen outfitted by KitchenAid^®, the official appliance sponsor of Chopped Canada. Chopped Canada premieres January 2, 2013 at 10pm ET/PT exclusively on Food Network Canada. For behind-the-scenes extras, episode recaps and to watch full episodes online after they've aired, visit choppedcanada.ca.

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

For media inquiries, please contact: 

Ginger Bertrand
Publicist, Food Network Canada
Shaw Media 416.934.4676
[email protected]

Jaclyn Atwood
Senior Publicity Manager 
Shaw Media
416.966.7293
[email protected]

Monique Camenzuli
Publicist, UNIT:PR Inc.
416.506.1277
[email protected]