Lisa Ray named new host for season two of Top Chef Canada
Top Chef Canada returns for a second season this spring, and a new Torontonian has been pegged to host the show: actress and model Lisa Ray. “I am a big fan of the Top Chef series and thrilled to help spotlight some of the amazing culinary talent right here in my hometown,” she said in a release. “I’m looking forward to a challenging yet delicious season.” The well-travelled actress has starred in Water, Cooking with Stella and Bollywood Hollywood and has plenty of hosting experience, including the Giller Prize gala earlier this month, the 2006 Genie Awards and her own entertainment show in India. She has also been celebrated for her fundraising to support research into multiple myeloma, a disease she was diagnosed with in 2009. Last season’s host Thea Andrews left the show to take care of her second child. Returning for season two, which premieres on March 12, will be head judge Mark McEwan, the grand prize of $100,000 and a GE Monogram kitchen and, we’re sure, a little product placement here and there. No word yet on whether horsemeat will make a comeback.
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Top Chef Canada returns for a second season this spring, and a new Torontonian has been pegged to host the show: actress and model Lisa Ray. “I am a big fan of the Top Chef series and thrilled to help spotlight some of the amazing culinary talent right here in my hometown,” she said in a release. “I’m looking forward to a challenging yet delicious season.” The well-travelled actress has starred in Water, Cooking with Stella and Bollywood Hollywood and has plenty of hosting experience, including the Giller Prize gala earlier this month, the 2006 Genie Awards and her own entertainment show in India. She has also been celebrated for her fundraising to support research into multiple myeloma, a disease she was diagnosed with in 2009. Last season’s host Thea Andrews left the show to take care of her second child. Returning for season two, which premieres on March 12, will be head judge Mark McEwan, the grand prize of $100,000 and a GE Monogram kitchen and, we’re sure, a little product placement here and there. No word yet on whether horsemeat will make a comeback.){kind=link}
Well hiring an Indian host for the second season did work to improve the American version, unfortunately it’s not going to change the terrible quality of this program. Hopefully, we get some diversity this time around amongst the contestants (and I don’t mean the consultant for that pretty dreadful Asian buffet restaurant at Yonge and Dundas). Second, cancel the association with Loblaws/PC. I still think the best option is to make Canadians eligible for the American version.
These programs are now a dime a dozen and Top Chef Canada’s formula got old by the end of the first episode. If nothing else, oppoh’s suggestion of more contestant diversity would kick up the interest factor a notch.
Do you want to see the BESt chefs from the ones that applied or a diverse cross section representing the country? I would rather see the best out of the applicants personally, no matter where they are from, what influences there cooking etc.