When it comes to chefs, the world must think that nobody in Whistler is over 30. That's because for the second year in a row, the youngest contestant on the hit television show Top Chef Canada has come from Whistler.
While last year's Whistler representative was 26-year-old Clayton Beadle of the Four Season's Sidecut restaurant, where he still works, and this year it's 23-year-old Jimmy Stewart, sous chef at the Bearfoot Bistro.
"I was just a massive fan of the American series," said Stewart, who is now back at the Bearfoot after filming the show. "Some of the best chefs of North America have been on the show before and it's a perfect chance to size up who you are in the Canadian culinary scene and feel it out."
Set to debut on March 12, the second season of Top Chef Canada will offer a whole new slate of contestants a chance at taking home the title of Canada's Top Chef — which just so happens to include $100,000 and a professional kitchen worth $30,000.
And although the faces may be new, the format remains the same with chefs from all over the country compete in cooking challenges in order to avoid the weekly elimination. The one left standing will be crowned Canada's next Top Chef.
Even though production has already been completed, for obvious reasons Stewart is unable to go into much detail about what went down during the filming of the show. So to see if Stewart made it farther than Beadle — who was eliminated in the second episode — you'll just have to wait and see.
However, Stewart can talk about what it was like being the youngest competitor on the series, which is known for its quick-fire cooking challenges.
"I think being young is more of an advantage than a disadvantage. It comes down to how hard you work," he said. "People might look at me and say, 'You're young,' but I've worked my ass off. You can't work for two years, 20 hours a day and not learn anything — so for me confidence wasn't an issue."
If anything, said Stewart, the experience will just further his culinary career.
But if you asked Stewart five years ago what he'd be doing today, appearing on Top Chef Canada might not have been at the top of the list. Heck, it may not have even crossed his mind.
"I was a musician before and then our band broke up," recalled Stewart. "Then I said I was going to be a professional skateboarder and that didn't work out too well either, and so then I just started cooking."
Having grown up in a divorced family, Stewart didn't necessarily have a culinary background he could draw upon, but decided to go for it nonetheless.
"We didn't eat very well food-wise. We ate a lot of Swanson (frozen) meals and Pop-Tarts, but every now and then my dad would bust out a wicked barbeque," said Stewart. "When I was 15 I became a dishwasher at a restaurant and then I started making pies and it just seemed like a creative outlet that suited me."
In just a few short years, Stewart has worked with a who's who of chefs, including one year at Gordon Ramsay's MAZE restaurant in London, England. Closer to home, Stewart cut his teeth at the renowned Lumière restaurant in Vancouver, where he met fellow chef Dale MacKay, who later went on to win the first season of Top Chef Canada last year.
"If I can really call anyone my mentor or someone I've looked up to, it was Dale," said Stewart. "I gave Dale like 30 resumes before he gave me a chance but he took me in and taught me the meaning of fine dining. He was always there if I wasn't sure if I was making the right move and he always encouraged me to keep pushing to do things better, to be more organized and to act responsively."
When asked if he had sought any Top Chef advice from MacKay, Stewart said, "In regards to doing the show Dale kept it very professional and respected the show's secrets and how it's made. He just told me to be me, cook my ass off, take my time and have fun."
Catch Stewart in action when the second season of Top Chef Canada returns on March 12 at 10 p.m. on the Food Network. Also be on the lookout for Top Chef-related events taking place at the Bearfoot Bistro during the show's run.
"Every week we're going to try and do a little Top Chef series at the Bearfoot," said Stewart. "We're going to do more progressive dinners and do stuff from the show."
Check out Jimmy Stewarts Top Chef Canada audition tape below:
Whistler featured on Top Chef America
However, before you invest your time in Jimmy, catch a glimpse of Whistler in Top Chef America when the resort plays host to part of the season finale on March 5 at 10 p.m.
The episode, which will feature in Canada on the Food Network, will showcase Whistler as a unique setting while the contestants compete in cooking challenges in an attempt to stave off elimination.
