Photos by Mark Girdauskas
The Food Network Canada has been brewing up an exciting culinary competition for early in the new year. Some of the anticipated chop, sizzle and zing will be contributed by St. Thomas chef, Terrance Tew. He is brimming with enthusiasm leading up to the January 2nd premiere of “Chopped Canada” and eager to gain local support and interest for his TV adventure and some intriguing ideas he has for the future.
Earlier this December, Terry showcased his skills to local media as he graciously served up four fine plates prepared in quick succession in the Sunningdale Golf& Country Club kitchen in London where he presently works. Two were signature Sunningdale dishes; two were Tew originals. All were fragrant, succulent and delectable combinations of aroma, texture and flavour.
 Confit Duck Leg Red & Yellow Beets, Royal Gala Apple Organic Butter Leaf Lettuce |  Braised Beef Cheeks Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Herbed Gnocchi |
 Duo of Quail ~ Confit Leg, Pan Roasted Breast Butternut Squash Putee Warmed Corn, Bacon & Brussel Sprout Salad Blueberry Inflused Honey |  Wild Duck Corn Dog & Beet Fries Roasted Apple Aioli ~ Pickled Onions Pickled Mustard Seeds |
After the dishes had been tasted (and retasted¼ the plates left the kitchen quite thoroughly decimated as one approving nibble led to another), Terry chatted a bit about the upcoming series. It is hosted by television personality Dean McDermott and judged by a rotation of chefs from the who’s who of the Canadian culinary world including Lynn Crawford, Chuck Hughes, Roger Mooking, Susur Lee, Michael Smith, Vikram Vij, Anne Yarymowich and John Higgins. It is obvious from Terry’s enthusiastic smile that the experience was a positive one, but all of the competitors are forbidden from giving away many details of the show which was taped this past summer.
Previous to the taping, the Food Network had gone looking for participants for a competition in which each week four chefs compete to turn baskets of mystery ingredients into an extraordinary three‑course meal. Course by course, they are “chopped” by the expert judges till only one remains. The last chef standing takes home the $10,000 prize.
Says Terry,“To make it onto the show you had to apply and audition, first on the phone and then with an on‑camera interview.” Pre‑competition, he got a lot of encouragement as well as coaching from fellow co-workers including Collin Dale the current Chef De Cuisine at Sunningdale, who went on a quest to find random weird ingredients, including sardines, to test his creativity. However, Terry notes that preparing ahead is hard to do. “There are usually two or three things you can easily think what to do with – and then there’s an oddball!”
Says Terry,“To make it onto the show you had to apply and audition, first on the phone and then with an on‑camera interview.” Pre‑competition, he got a lot of encouragement as well as coaching from fellow co-workers including Collin Dale the current Chef De Cuisine at Sunningdale, who went on a quest to find random weird ingredients, including sardines, to test his creativity. However, Terry notes that preparing ahead is hard to do. “There are usually two or three things you can easily think what to do with – and then there’s an oddball!”
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One can’t help but wonder if “Chopped Canada” will offer up drama on the often outrageous levels of some competitive cooking shows. “Well, maybe not that bad – this is Canada,” says Terry. He speaks very positively of his competitors and notes that they have been in touch since the taping ended. The show is totally unscripted. He says, “What you see on TV is exactly what happens.”
Terry was only twenty‑two when the show was taped. He isn’t shy about his dream of becoming a widely recognized chef. The roots of his interest in cooking may be found in his genes. His mom, grandmother and some of his uncles contemplated culinary careers, “But I am the only one who has actually gone through with it.”
Terry often cooked with his grandmother – she still jokes about the time when he was very young and she asked him to wash the lettuce; he proceeded to dunk the head into a sink of soapy water. Terry has long been interested in food, and laughs, “I always joked that I would like to be as famous as the Pillsbury Dough boy.” However, until his last year of high school he hadn’t really delved into what was involved in becoming a chef.
Terry was only twenty‑two when the show was taped. He isn’t shy about his dream of becoming a widely recognized chef. The roots of his interest in cooking may be found in his genes. His mom, grandmother and some of his uncles contemplated culinary careers, “But I am the only one who has actually gone through with it.”
Terry often cooked with his grandmother – she still jokes about the time when he was very young and she asked him to wash the lettuce; he proceeded to dunk the head into a sink of soapy water. Terry has long been interested in food, and laughs, “I always joked that I would like to be as famous as the Pillsbury Dough boy.” However, until his last year of high school he hadn’t really delved into what was involved in becoming a chef.
As soon as Terry had completed his final year at Parkside in St. Thomas, his parents began to say (somewhat jokingly but with fair frequency), “Terry, you had better find a job.” Terry wasn’t long in “taking the deer by the antlers”. He was determined to combine his love of the outdoors and hunting, fresh game and cooking and within two weeks of making that decision, he had an interview at Sunningdale, started his apprenticeship not long after, and went on to graduate from Fanshawe College with his Cook Red Seal.
Both Fanshawe College and Sunningdale have been rich sources of chef mentors. Terry also notes, “The golf course has eight or nine Cooks Red Seal and we all feed off each other and the management allows us to experience different kinds of cooking.” In 2012 at the Canadian Culinary Federation Culinary Arts Salon he took home Gold, four‑plated entrée; Gold, chocolate show piece; Best use of vanilla; Grand Gold (best overall). Fanshawe’s Scott Baechler was the team coach for that competition and also regularly gave advice regarding “Chopped Canada”.
Terry’s take on food comes from a very local perspective. He says, “My friends are farmers and they got me interested in both cooking and hunting.” His passion is game, but as the dishes he presented at Sunningdale demonstrated, he has a wonderful sense of what will complement the meat on the plate – he looks to what is grown nearby to where the game is caught for inspiration. He has delved into the art and techniques of butchering fresh game and has developed a reputation for producing some very tasty game products. His dream is to own his own specialty butcher shop.
Both Fanshawe College and Sunningdale have been rich sources of chef mentors. Terry also notes, “The golf course has eight or nine Cooks Red Seal and we all feed off each other and the management allows us to experience different kinds of cooking.” In 2012 at the Canadian Culinary Federation Culinary Arts Salon he took home Gold, four‑plated entrée; Gold, chocolate show piece; Best use of vanilla; Grand Gold (best overall). Fanshawe’s Scott Baechler was the team coach for that competition and also regularly gave advice regarding “Chopped Canada”.
Terry’s take on food comes from a very local perspective. He says, “My friends are farmers and they got me interested in both cooking and hunting.” His passion is game, but as the dishes he presented at Sunningdale demonstrated, he has a wonderful sense of what will complement the meat on the plate – he looks to what is grown nearby to where the game is caught for inspiration. He has delved into the art and techniques of butchering fresh game and has developed a reputation for producing some very tasty game products. His dream is to own his own specialty butcher shop.
Terry has a serious intensity about cooking but also an inviting sense of humour. He laughs, “I woke up with the idea for the “Wild Duck Corn Dog” and thought that would be a fun thing to do. He calls himself the “fancy redneck”, a good name for his cooking style – one which demonstrates flair but remains true to his “roots”.
In the promotional video for “Chopped Canada”, host McDermott promises “it will be fun, intense, a lot of action, a lot of drama and some really great stories along the way.” No matter what the outcome, Terrance Tew’s originality, sincerity and sense of humour are sure to set him apart both on the show and in his future career endeavours. Watching him on the show will be a great chance for us all to join in the fun of a great story with a local spin.
In the promotional video for “Chopped Canada”, host McDermott promises “it will be fun, intense, a lot of action, a lot of drama and some really great stories along the way.” No matter what the outcome, Terrance Tew’s originality, sincerity and sense of humour are sure to set him apart both on the show and in his future career endeavours. Watching him on the show will be a great chance for us all to join in the fun of a great story with a local spin.
Find out more about "Chopped Canada" at www.foodnetwork.ca/choppedcanada. Find out more about Terry at www.facebook.com/ChefTerranceTew, www.facebook.com/Terryswildgame, and www.terryswildgame.com. He will be at Legends Tavern in St. Thomas on January 2nd hosting a “Chopped Canada” premiere party (starting around 8pm with show start 10pm) where he will be offering his signature Duck Pogo with Roasted Apple Aioli and Pickled Mustard Seeds. He will be available for taking and signing pictures. Terry competes in episode five on January 30th. In the meantime, he shares his recipe for Beef and Ale Pie below. Find lots more photos of Terry at Photos by MG.
Beef & Ale Pie
- 750g beef chuck steak, cut into 4cm pieces
- 1 large brown onion, diced
- 375ml can beer (pale ale is recommended)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 large potatoes, peeled, diced
- 150g button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 2 sheets ready‑rolled shortcrust or puff pastry
Method
- Combine the beef, onion and beer in a large saucepan. Bing to the boil, reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes or until the meat is tender.
- Preheat the oven to 200C (400F).
- Season the beef with garlic, thyme, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Mix in the potatoes and mushrooms. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 10‑15 minutes or until the potatoes are just tender. In a small bowl whisk together a small amount of the sauce and the flour and stir into the beef. Simmer until slightly thickened.
- Trim one pastry sheet large enough to line the base and sides of a 23cm pie plate. Spoon the hot beef mixture into the pastry case and top with the remaining sheet of pastry, trimming to fit. Cut three slits in the top of the pie and press edges to seal.
- Bake in oven about 35‑40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
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