Wall of Chefs Season 1, Episode 14: The Power of Peperoncini

Welcome to the Wall

In round one, the four home cooks make their Crowd-Pleasers, in round two, they create a dish using ricotta, leeks, and sriracha sauce, three staple ingredients in the home fridge of Chef Mark McEwan, and in round three, the last two home cooks standing must make a luxurious lobster dish inspired by Top Chef Canada alumni Chef Renée Lavallée’s infamous “crobster” roll.

Bing Bam Boom

Stymied by Chef Massimo Capra’s sun-dried tomatoes in the Chef’s Fridge round, the home cooks struggle for a fresh approach. And pride is on the plate as the home cooks seek to represent their cultural heritage by creating a pizza that is restaurant-worthy. A failed dough makes for an epic race to the finish line and in the end, it all comes down to a heated debate with The Wall trying to decide to whom is awarded the $10,000 prize.

Buon Appetito!

One home cook attempts to make a crowd-pleasing dish that’s nutritious and delicious, and the Wall of Chefs kitchen explodes with culture in the Chef’s Fridge round, which features staple ingredients from famed Japanese/Italian Chef Joël Watanabe. One home cook swims against the tide when tasked with combining fish and cheese. In the final round, inspired by Chef Rob Gentile’s truffle risotto, it’s a rice-off! The last two home cooks draw from their unique cultural backgrounds in order to pull out the win.

Whipped Herbed Cheese

The energy is high when four home cooks, who are determined to give it their all from the start, enter the Wall of Chefs kitchen. There’s a fantasy in the Crowd-Pleaser round, but reality hits when the home cooks are asked to cook from Chef Hugh Acheson’s fridge using miso, whipped herb cheese, and celery. In the final round, it’s Thailand vs. Japan when Chef Darren MacLean challenges the home cooks to create a noodle soup that eats like a meal.

Gobble It Up

In a high stakes Chef’s Fridge round, Chef Lynn Crawford challenges the home cooks to create a delectable dish using maple syrup, collard greens, parmesan cheese, and turkey! The chef judges gobble up the results with the best dish winning a very special prize. The Restaurant-Worthy round takes it to the streets as Chef Nick Hodge’s tacos inspire the last home cooks standing to make their own elevated street food!

Mac 'n Cheese Please!

The power of an ingredient should never be underestimated, and the home cooks feel it when working with speck in the Chef’s Fridge round and then while creating a restaurant-worthy Mac and Cheese. In the end, it all comes down to an intense deliberation as the chef judges debate flavour vs. technique.

One Protein Two Ways

When crowd-pleasing tacos fall apart, a home cook’s future is on the line and it’s a spicy second round when Chef Michele Forgione’s fridge is opened up to reveal….’Nduja. In the final Restaurant-Worthy round, Chef Susur Lee challenges the last two home cooks to prepare one protein in two different ways and a big failure threatens to derail one home cook’s previous successes.

Duelling Desserts

A bitter ingredient in Chef Dale Mackay’s fridge leaves the home cooks in a quandary and they are then charged with making a restaurant-worthy dessert inspired by Chef Guy Rawlings’ peanut frozen custard. The chef judges know that three of the home cooks will face elimination, while only one can claim sweet victory and a $10,000 prize.

Southern Comfort

It’s time to turn up the heat! Chef Corinna Mozo brings Cuban ingredients to the Chef’s Fridge round when the home cooks have to make a dish using chipotle peppers, taro root, and cilantro. In the final round, Chef Hugh Acheson challenges two home cooks to create a restaurant-worthy dish inspired by the American South.

The Secret's in the Sauce

It's grace under pressure as the home cooks attempt to wow a star-studded wall of chefs. They must think outside the box to create a dish from Chef Rob Feenie’s fridge using gem lettuce, Dijon mustard, and Merguez Sausage, and then make sauce the star in a restaurant-worthy dish that will garner the $10,000 win.

Pop the Champagne

A home cook tries to rewrite the rules of mixing seafood and dairy in the Crowd-Pleaser round, and everyone tries to make magic out of the romano beans in Chef Susur Lee’s fridge. In the final round, the champagne flies as the final two home cooks put their own twist on classic dishes in order to win the $10,000.

Surf & Surf and Turf & Turf

One home cook tries to pull out crowd-pleasing wontons in 30 minutes, and it’s a sweet, sour, and spicy Chef’s Fridge round as the home cooks use Chef Nuit Regular’s Thai ingredients. When Chef Rob Feenie asks the final two home cooks to put their own spin on Surf n’ Turf, one cook goes over the top to try and take home the win.

60 min

A Jacuzzi of Butter

An unorthodox pairing of mole and scallops has the Wall paying attention in the Crowd-Pleaser round, and the home cooks don’t know which way the feta will crumble when they’re asked to cook from Chef Christine Cushing’s Mediterranean fridge. In the end, it’s winner winner makes the best chicken dinner when Chef Victor Barry asks the final two home cooks to elevate the classic weeknight ingredient.

Thyme Will Tell

The chefs question a home cook’s idea to relive the 90’s in the Crowd-Pleaser round, and a Japanese turnip has everyone reeling when Chef Jesse Vergen’s fridge is opened. In the end, it’s breakfast sandwich versus eggs benedict as the final two home cooks are asked to elevate brunch.

Wee, That's Fire!

Four international dishes take the wall of chefs on a culinary trip around the world in the Crowd-Pleaser round, and the home cooks walk the line when challenged to use face-burning wasabi from Chef Nick Liu’s fridge! When Chef Dale Mackay asks the final two home cooks to create a restaurant-worthy lamb dish, one plays it safe and the other risks it all.

Burger Wars

It’s a crowd-wowing first round when a home cook attempts to make hand-rolled pasta in 30 minutes, and Chef Jinhee Lee tests the home cooks’ knowledge of the Korean pantry when she asks them to cook with Gochujang! In a buzzer-beating final round, it’s burger wars as the final two home cooks gussy up everyone’s favourite backyard classic.

See-Food

One home cook asks the wall of chefs to commit to her “engagement hash” in the Crowd-Pleaser round, and wee capers present big problems for the home cooks as they open Chef Alida Solomon’s fridge. When Chef Todd Perrin asks the final two cooks to make a restaurant-worthy dish using the bounty of the sea, both do their best to reel in the win.

Game Faces On

An unconventional approach to a Middle Eastern favourite has the chefs questioning one home cook’s ability to please a crowd, and the strong flavours of blue cheese, broccoli, and chorizo in Chef Mandel Hitzer’s fridge have everyone struggling to create a cohesive dish. Inspired by Chef Christine Cushing, pasta is on the menu in the final round with one home cook keeping it simple and the other going for all-out luxury.

Your Average Meat and Potatoes

Wild game and squid ink make for an exciting opening round, and it’s curry in a hurry when the home cooks create dishes using the South Asian ingredients in Chef Meeru Dhalwala’s fridge. In the end, a simple meat and potatoes challenge from Chef Lynn Crawford has one cook throwing out a first attempt and starting from scratch.