Jamie Kennedy, David Rocco, Massimo Capra and Mark McEwan show off their creations at the George Brown cooking school (Image: Karon Liu)
The city’s celebrity chefs converged at the George Brown cooking school yesterday at a media launch for Chef’s Challenge, November 20’s Hell’s Kitchen–esque fundraiser for Mount Sinai hosted by Gordon Ramsay. The premise is that five of the city’s top chefs—Mark McEwan, David Rocco, Jamie Kennedy, Massimo Capra and Lynn Crawford—will head up a team of 10 (consisting of the top 50 fundraisers) and cook the same three-course menu. Ramsay and a panel of yet-to-be-announced judges will determine who cooked it best.
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- David Rocco’s rice balls
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- Massimo Capra admires his duck confit crêpes
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- Mark McEwan shows off his crostini
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- Mark McEwan, David Rocco, Jamie Kennedy and Massimo Capra ham it up at George Brown College (Image: Karon Liu)
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- Massimo Capra, Jamie Kennedy, Mark McEwan and David Rocco pose at George Brown College
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- Massimo Capra, Jamie Kennedy, Mark McEwan and David Rocco show off their creations at George Brown College
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- Jamie Kennedy and his cold smoked whitefish
Ramsay appeared via a pre-taped video message—he was probably still in London or preoccupied with news that yet another man who appeared on Kitchen Nightmares killed himself. Crawford was also a no-show, but had Joel Hock of Solutions With Impact (the firm handling the event) literally throw down a metal spoon to kick off the fundraising part of the competition.
Afterward, the chefs mingled with the media and offered hors d’oeuvres to everyone. While sampling crostini from McEwan, The Heat host confided, “I hope [Ramsay] doesn’t yell at me. I don’t know how he’ll react.” He also quipped about how old he felt as a George Brown alumni (Kennedy is also a fellow graduate, having been an alumni since 1977). Rocco, the non-chef in the bunch, said that his mother-in-law was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, so he immediately jumped at the opportunity to do Chef’s Challenge.
The top fundraiser so far raised $7,000, and considering there are 49 other open spots, there are still good chances of scoring a place among the chefs without having to take out a second mortgage.
Female chefs are already under represented as it is. Chef Crawford is brilliant and yet the photographer failed to include her in any pictures. As a female cook myself, I am disappointed and offended.
September 30, 2010 at 1:26 pm | by JenniferConsidering that Crawford was a no-show at the event, it’s ridiculous for you to be disappointed and offended. If she wants to represent women in the chef world, she’s got to actually show up.
September 30, 2010 at 1:47 pm | by LI’m disappointed that Jennifer can’t seem to read.
October 1, 2010 at 1:43 pm | by mattagascarDear Jennifer,
As a female cook, I am disapointed & offended that you didn’t read the article before you posted! I yell at my bf all the time for only looking at pictures in magazines or online and you proved that men are not the only ones with one track minds! Get it together Jen, we only get one shot at proving we are equals, so don’t make us all look bad with your “shocked and offended” feminist attitude. P.S. Lynn C is not a top chef. Don’t let T.V. fool you. Do you ever see her prep a damn thing? No, she has her staff do it for her. Thanks for getting me worked up Jen. Please refrain from posting…Maybe a photographer will take a picture of you…someday.
October 16, 2010 at 8:29 pm | by AlexandraWould have preferred to have Jamie Oliver there instead of Ramsay. Suppose they couldn’t have both there since Ramsay is a little bit caustic towards Jamie.
November 20, 2010 at 12:41 pm | by Deborahmaybe before u catty, bitchy women tear a girl to shreds, u should take a look at this picture, of Lynn Crawford, Massimo Carpra, Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Kennedy, David Rocco and Mark McEwan CLEARLY MARKED AND LABELLED WITH THE BIG CHEF’S CHALLENGE WALL RIGHT BEHIND THEM!!!
January 30, 2011 at 10:44 pm | by Tarahttp://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/photo.php?fbid=466718364193&set=t.508475266
January 30, 2011 at 10:45 pm | by Tara