Everything about Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary, eh?

Shaun Majumder’s diverse talents

From Bill Brownstein of the Montreal Gazette:

Just for Laughs: Shaun Majumder shows off diverse talents
Now, just because Majumder is a comedian, he fully understands how some might view Majumder Manor as somewhat akin to Fawlty Towers, the classic BBC-TV sitcom penned by and featuring John Cleese. In fact, his efforts are being chronicled in the documentary TV series Majumder Manor on W. Continue reading.

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The Chef’s Domain is high-end food porn

TheChefsDomain_StJohns_ChefJeremyCharles

By Martha Marcin for TV, eh?

I’m sick and tired. I’m sick of the food freak shows that brought us the doughnut hamburger and I’m tired of cooking shows that don’t actually show you how to cook anything. Let’s just call it what it is, shall we? Food porn. The key difference being that when I watch Julia Child I don’t wind up shoulder deep in my refrigerator scraping off mouldy cheese with one hand and ordering a pizza with the other. I don’t need to shower the grease along with the shame off of me when I’m done.

I’m not a puritan. I think food porn has its place, and it can be a titillating way to spend a dull Saturday afternoon. I have a problem when it’s my only option – Food Network, I’m looking at you! A little bit of greasy deep fried smut is ok, but if it’s all you watch you have a problem and should seek professional help.

That being said, The Chef’s Domain will not teach you how to cook, but it will inspire you. Each show features a Canadian chef whose focus is on serving ultra local cuisine, in some cases sourced from a 40 km radius (they use 25 miles on the show, but this is Canada, people).

Episode one even had the award-winning head chef of Raymonds in St. John’s, Newfoundland hunting for fresh game meat, diving for scallops and foraging for mushrooms with some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country as the backdrop.

What stands out is the passion of the chefs showcased, their commitment to supporting their local farmers, and their philosophy of taking care of the planet and each other, all while having a little fun.

So where does The Chef’s Domain fit into the gastronomically naughty spectrum? Well they do hit on the trifecta of great food porn. Firstly, there are some seriously sexy shots of local cuisine, but you are just as likely to see some local pigs rooting in their own filth – I guess there is something for every perversion. Secondly, they deliver a passionate story of local chefs and farmers supporting each other and their communities. Thirdly, I was so inspired after watching it that I cycled over to the local farmers market to hunt for mushrooms and the most perfect lacy bunch of string beans I could find.

Verdict: it’s some high end shit.

The Chef’s Domain premieres tonight on Discovery World. 

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Yukon Gold begins production on season 2

Yukon_Gold_Miners

From a media release:

Yukon Gold, HISTORY’s number one Canadian documentary series of 2013, begins production on season two this month. Produced by Paperny Entertainment, Yukon Gold is a Canadian original series tracking four mining crews on a modern day gold rush as they scour the harsh land of the midnight sun hoping to strike it rich. Season two of Yukon Gold is slated to premiere on HISTORY in spring 2014.

Season two of Yukon Gold returns to follow the up-and-down lives of the four viewer favourite gold mining crews from around Dawson City, Yukon – “Big” Al McGregor, Bernie Kreft, best friends Ken Foy and Guillaume Brodeur, and Karl Knutson. Remote film crews will be shooting from July until the season freeze-up in early October this year. The series is executive produced by David Paperny, Cal Schumiatcher and Audrey Mehler.

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Masterchef Canada applications open

From a media release:

CTV Announces MASTERCHEF CANADA Casting Details

Get online and get cooking Canada! Aspiring chefs and foodies across the country have been salivating at the prospect of being crowned Canada’s first MasterChef since the announcement that CTV ordered MASTERCHEF CANADA for a winter 2014 debut. Beginning today, Canadians can go to ctv.ca/MasterChefCanada and submit an application for their chance to be a part of the Canadian version of the internationally acclaimed series. Deadline for entries is Thursday, July 25.

Auditioning for MASTERCHEF CANADA is as easy as pie! Potential hopefuls can visit ctv.ca/MasterChefCanada and follow the links for full casting details and FAQs. A recent photo is required, and applicants are welcome to submit a video that demonstrates skill, while expressing their passion for cooking.

Among the eligibility requirements that should be noted for MASTERCHEF CANADA applications:

  • Applicants must be amateur chefs, and cannot ever have worked as a professional chef.
  • Competitors must be at least 19 years of age by September 1, 2013.
  • Competitors must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.

MASTERCHEF CANADA provides an opportunity for Canadian amateur chefs to develop their culinary skills as they compete for the MASTERCHEF CANADA title. Thousands of applicants will be whittled down to 50 semifinalists who will then present their signature dish to the judges in hopes of winning one of the coveted MASTERCHEF aprons. In keeping with the MASTERCHEF format, the contestants will face individual and team-based cooking challenges, which result in one or more home cooks being eliminated each week, until finally Canada’s first MASTERCHEF is crowned.

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The Chef’s Domain premieres July 2 on Discovery World

TheChefsDomain_Niagara_ChefTreadwell_web

From a media release:

Chefs tackle Canada’s fields, forests and frigid waters in The Chef’s Domain

  • Series premieres with back-to-back episodes Tuesday July 2nd 8 p.m. & 8:30 p.m. EST/10 p.m. PST & 10:30 p.m. PST
  • Featured during Discovery World’s Free Preview

The Chef’s Domain is a visual and culinary delight. The 10-part series features masterful field-to-table feasts by acclaimed chefs in St. John’s, the Okanagan, Niagara region, Montreal, Tofino, Prince Edward County, Saskatoon, Calgary, Cambridge and Sherbrooke, all with a backdrop of the bounty and beauty of each region.

Every chef dreams of sourcing their ingredients just outside their back door, but it’s not an easy task. The Canadian climate and landscape are equal parts a challenge and inspiration for these passionate and engaging chefs. The results are extraordinary meals with locally grown, harvested, hunted and foraged foods.

The series premieres with back-to-back episodes on Tuesday, July 2 at 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. EST/10p.m. & 10:30 p.m. PST as part of Discovery World’s month long free preview. Produced by Lively Media in association with Bell Media’s Discovery World, the series will air regularly on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST/10p.m. PST.

“The combination of adventure, breathtaking scenery and incredible food are the key elements of this series,” said Leanna Crouch, Executive Producer of the program. “We gave each chef the chance to get out of their kitchen and forage on their own. It’s as much a travel program as it is a food series.”

“There’s a reason we chose these great Canadian chefs. There’s something that makes these people special in a way that’s not so common. Whether they’ve built up their culinary experience in the big city, or a small town, they all have the skills to express their passion for food in incredibly creative and contrasting ways. But, as different as they are, they all share a similar attitude. They’re “locavores,” so to speak, and for them it’s so much more than just a current trend in progressive cuisine. They’re investing in their communities and supporting each other, while respecting the diverse environments across Canada that they live in. And in doing so, they’re making a philosophical statement, and that’s what the program really highlights,” commented Stan Lipsey, Discovery executive for the program.

In each episode of The Chef’s Domain a chef sources their ingredients right from the garden, the ocean, the wilderness and local vendors, and creates a multi-course feast. From organic growers to cheese makers, to bakeries and wineries, to the countryside and coastline, the series is a celebration of Canada’s local food producers.

In the first episode, premiering on July 2 at 8 p.m. EST, Chef Jeremy Charles and sommelier Jeremy Bonia, owners of the award-winning restaurant Raymonds, raise the gastronomic bar in St. John’s, NL. To celebrate the restaurant’s two-year anniversary, the charming duo hunt for fresh game meat, hit the coastal waters for scallops and forage for mushrooms to create a blowout spread.

Airing immediately after at 8:30 p.m., the second episode follows Okanagan Chefs Dana Ewart and Cameron Smith of Joy Road Catering as they throw a feast for the local growers and suppliers who have made their company a success. Undaunted by the challenge, the chefs source all but a few ingredients hailing from within a 25-mile radius.

The third episode, airing in the regular time slot on Tuesday July 9 at 8:00p.m. EST, features the lively and sometimes irascible Chef Stephen Treadwell and sommelier James Treadwell of Treadwells in Niagara, ON while they host a gala dinner featuring pinot noirs from the region. Recognized as a pioneer in Niagara Cuisine, Chef Treadwell creates perfect pairings for each wine that compliment each dish in the multi-course meal of local trout, cheese and rare farm fresh greens.

The series also features:

  • July 16 – Chef Emma Cardarelli of Montreal’s Nora Gray
  • July 23 – Chefs Nicolas Nutting and Matt Wilson of Tofino’s The Pointe at The Wickaninnish Inn
  • July 30 – Chef Matt DeMille of Prince Edward County’s Pomodoro
  • August 6 – Chef Christie Peters of Saskatoon’s The Hollows
  • August 13 – Chef Hayato Okamitsu of Calgary’s SAIT Culinary Institute
  • August 20 – Chef Jonathan Gushue of Langdon Hall in Cambridge
  • August 27 – Chef Danny St. Pierre of Sherbrooke’s Auguste
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