Hot from the back, hot from the front. Twelve former competitors from the last twelve seasons Heads!one cook per edition, re-enter Radio-Canada's Kitchen Workshop, starting Monday evening, and compete with big shots of espuma (timeless), puffed wild rice (a strong 2024 trend), seared vegetables (they're chic!) and edible flowers ( Last buzz from the offer).
This new chapter is called On Smoking Bosses! : confrontation And it is unfolding on our screens like a star-studded tournament, bringing together the Cordon Bleu that has been trained at the La Bresse Boulay-Vary school since June 2010. A fine culinary academy that promotes mastery of techniques and seasoning of dishes, welcome the obvious, just like the presentation of dishes and the choice of ingredients, preferably. Be Quebecois and organic.
Bonus: Workstation reserved for 13H One person and three recruits will cook veal and oysters to win it. You'll see this final test on Monday in an episode of Heads! It's been swelled to 90 minutes, which exceptionally starts at 7:30 p.m., put a note in your diary. The rest of the season's matches will be held at eight o'clock in the evening, as usual.
Photo by Hugo-Sébastien Aubert, Press
Part of the chef brigade
Among the previous participants in the black apron, there is my favorite, Luca Cianciulli (season 2), chef and co-owner of Moccione, in the Villeray district. There's Ashley Thornton (season 4), executive chef of Antonio Park restaurants in Montreal and Toronto. You'll also meet Frédéric Dufort (Season 5), Sébastien Laframboise (Season 3), Susie Renville (Season 6), and Brenda Poirier (Season 9), as well as Guillaume Couture (Season 10) and Anthony Vian (Season 11).
The jury remains the same behind the table: Norman Laprise, Jean-Luc Boulay, Pasquale Farre, and Isabelle Deschamps-Plante. there trainer In Colombian chef St. Pierre brings back the likes and host Elise Marquez is also getting her hands dirty and yes, she's going to tell the aspiring chefs to stop everything, because she has an announcement to make, okay?
It is clear that since all the candidates have several years of experience in the thermal cycler and in front of the camera, the level of challenges increases, as does the intransigence and intensity of the four judges.
Having reached this level of gastronomy, the official tasters no longer forgive anything, starting with the rolled omelette that was slightly colored in the first duel, which turned out to be harsh for someone whom I had long supported during his very successful season. . Broken heart emoji.
Photo by Hugo-Sébastien Aubert, Press
Pasquale Varé, Colombe St-Pierre, Elise Marquez, Normand Laprise, Isabelle Deschamps-Plante
In honor of the disasters of the past, the first episode of Heads! : confrontation It revives two classic recipes that have destabilized and made chefs sweat: beef Wellington and Coulibiac. This time, the 13 players will have to cook these stuffed pies in 1 hour and 45 minutes, but for 10 customers, beware of the monsters in the kitchen.
Some people tear it when making crepes or shake it when decorating their dishes, but the product is respected and that is all that matters. “It's the strongest start I've ever seen Heads! “, remarks Isabelle Deschamps-Plante once time has passed.
In the second episode, the 12 survivors split into four teams to develop a gourmet buffet menu, like what the Colombe St-Pierre restaurant serves at its famous counter in Saint-Fabien, in Bas-Saint-Laurent. Deluxe pogos, halibut and chips, churros-style fries, and even delicious vegan cakes. No, it's not “boutique desserts,” the kind that Jean-Luc Boulay hates so much, as we know since Michael Ho's Little Tart Incident in 2023.
Once again this spring, we're learning great gourmet lessons from watching Bosses! : confrontation. First, you always remove the hay from the artichokes, which chefs now spin like a baby's rag. Then butter is good, but not to the point of gurgling in industrial amounts, especially in a hot pan.
Another thing to remember: watermelon compresses. Hence, passing the eggs through a sieve—apparently a Japanese technique—gives them a uniform yellow color.
In the coming weeks, there will of course be a fresh pasta challenge as well as a dessert quiz inspired by the Rubik's Cube, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. As for the third episode, in honor of the Olympic Games in Paris, it will celebrate French cuisine in all its flavors, whether yogurt or béchamel.
And even if they know tobacco and provisions here by IGA, competitors Heads! Elise Marquez warns that they are not safe from collisions or mishaps.
If you have watched the previous 12 seasons of Heads!This is the thirteenthH From the series, it will satisfy you without stuffing you unnecessarily. It's clever, exhausting, and fun all at the same time.
Who are you betting on to wear the golden hat? I love Luca Cianciulli, Guillaume Couture, and Anthony Vien, but all it takes is a bad day or a weird food (like anglerfish) for the mayonnaise to spoil. Now the eggs are prepared and “advienne que tempura,” as the affable Sébastien Laframboise puts it.
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