MASTERCHEF CANADA: A HOLIDAY SPECIAL Press Kit SYNOPSIS LOGLINE: MASTERCHEF CANADA Season 1 home cooks participate alongside their families for the chance to win $10,000 for the charity of their choice. SHORT SYNOPSIS: MASTERCHEF CANADA: A HOLIDAY SPECIAL is a two-hour instalment of the hit culinary competition, a worldwide first for the MASTERCHEF franchise. Fan favourite home cooks from MASTERCHEF CANADA Season 1 return to the kitchen, but they’re not cooking alone. Fun-loving Albertan Dora Cote; larger-than-life flavour queen Tammara Behl; loveable Italian dad Pino DiCerbo; and Season 1 runner-up, spicy Trinidadian twin Marida Mohammed, are joined by their family members as they complete a series of festive food challenges – a first in any MASTERCHEF kitchen. Each returning home cook gets feedback from MASTERCHEF CANADA judges Michael Bonacini, Alvin Leung, and Claudio Aprile, with each family cooking to win $10,000 for the charity of their choice. LONG SYNOPSIS: For one heart-warming night only, MASTERCHEF CANADA is a family affair. MASTERCHEF CANADA: A HOLIDAY SPECIAL is a two-hour instalment of the hit culinary competition, a worldwide first for the MASTERCHEF franchise. Fan favourite home cooks from MASTERCHEF CANADA Season 1 return to the kitchen, but they’re not cooking alone. Fun-loving Albertan Dora Cote; larger-than-life flavour queen Tammara Behl; loveable Italian dad Pino DiCerbo; and runner-up spicy Trinidadian twin Marida Mohammed, are joined by their spouses, children, parents, siblings, and other loved ones, as they complete a series of festive food challenges for the chance to win $10,000 for the charity of their choice. Back to mix in their expert advice are MASTERCHEF CANADA judges Michael Bonacini, co-owner of the Oliver & Bonacini restaurant empire; Alvin Leung, owner of Bo Innovation in Hong Kong; and Claudio Aprile, chef and owner of the celebrated Origin restaurants. Home cooks and their families participate in a Mystery Box Potluck Challenge, followed by a Skills Test Race that pits family against family in a sprint of holiday skills. Following a Tag-Team Bake-Off Elimination Challenge, the competition culminates in a mouth-watering feast, with the two remaining families serving up elevated versions of their holiday menus in the hopes of coming out on top. The holidays are a time for family, food, fun, and now – with a pinch of spirited competition – the first-ever MASTERCHEF CANADA: A HOLIDAY SPECIAL. HOME COOK BIOGRAPHIES TEAM DORA Making it to the Top 11 of MASTERCHEF CANADA Season 1, Dora won over the judges with her mouth-watering baking as well as her determination. Since MASTERCHEF CANADA, Dora has been working to open her own restaurant, Dora's Rocky Mountain Roadhouse, which serves Canadian soul food and comfort classics. Joining Dora’s team on MASTERCHEF CANADA: A HOLIDAY SPECIAL are her mom Deb, son Devyn, and cousins Lisa and Jeff. Cooking for the Canadian Diabetes Association, Dora is most looking forward to getting back in the MASTERCHEF CANADA kitchen and taking her family to victory. During the holidays, Dora is all about three things: cooking, eating, and drinking. TEAM MARIDA MASTERCHEF CANADA Season 1 runner-up Marida has proven that she has the skill, innovation, and determination to rise to the top. Since competing on MASTERCHEF CANADA, Marida, along with her twin sister Narida, has been working with different chefs in Toronto to create themed pop-up restaurants, developing five-to-seven course tasting menus at various venues throughout the city. Marida has also been catering private parties and events. Joining Marida’s team for MASTERCHEF CANADA: A HOLIDAY SPECIAL are her twin sister Narida, brother Fareed, aunt Joyce, nephew Jonny, and her daughter Myla. Cooking for the Daily Bread Food Bank, Marida is most looking forward to sharing this incredible experience with her family, and to be back in the kitchen again with her fellow home cooks. The holidays are all about cooking and eating for this family. A traditional Trinidadian breakfast, a Chinese feast, and a turkey dinner keep this family busy and full over the holidays. TEAM PINO Pino’s love for cooking and incredible talent carried him to the Top 6 during Season 1 of MASTERCHEF CANADA. Since then, Pino has continued to wow his family with his cooking as a stay-at-home dad, but is also sharing his knowledge and skills with others by teaching cooking classes. He has also started his own catering company, Chef Pino DiCerbo’s Cucina Rustica. Joining Pino’s team on MASTERCHEF CANADA: A HOLIDAY SPECIAL are his wife Anna, mother Filomena, sister Ange, niece Samantha, and his sons Adam and David. Cooking for Brandan’s Eye Research Foundation, Pino is most looking forward to having his family with him in the MASTERCHEF CANADA kitchen. The holidays are all about traditions for Pino’s family, starting with a ‘Feast of the Seven Fishes’, followed by church, and a big lunch the next day. TEAM TAMMARA Making it to the Top 4 of MASTERCHEF CANADA Season 1, Tammara showed the judges what passion, determination, and hard work are all about. Since leaving that kitchen, Tammara has started her own catering and private chef business, and has also become a motivational speaker for organizations across Canada. Joining Tammara’s team on MASTERCHEF CANADA: A HOLIDAY SPECIAL are her husband Rick, aunt Tippy, brother Dave, godson Ee-han, and daughters Abby and Breannah. Cooking for the Canadian Mental Health Association, Tammara is most looking forward to spending quality time with her family and being back in the MASTERCHEF CANADA kitchen. During the holidays it’s all about food for Tammara’s family. Their holiday tradition consists of her cooking up a storm and everyone overeating. JUDGE BIOGRAPHIES MICHAEL BONACINI – Chef and Restaurateur Celebrity chef Michael Bonacini is the co-founder of one of Canada’s leading fine dining restaurant companies, Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants, operating 12 unique and innovative restaurants in Ontario. Born and raised in Tenby, South Wales, his North Italian father and Welsh mother both had a huge impact on their children’s culinary upbringing – his sister is also a chef. Bonacini spent his youth helping out with the family-run hotel business where he learned the ins and outs of the hospitality industry. Bonacini trained classically under Chef Anton Mosimann at London’s Dorchester Hotel before immigrating to Canada in 1985 and partnering with veteran restaurateur Peter Oliver in 1993. His first restaurant collaboration with Oliver was a New York-style bistro named Jump. Nineteen years later, their operations have grown to include à la carte dining, quick service, catering, group dining, and special events, as well as an artisan bakery and chocolate shop. Bonacini was among the first chefs to showcase regional Canadian cuisine with his ground-breaking restaurant Canoe. In 1996, he was awarded the Ontario Hostelry Institute's first-ever Gold Award in recognition of his significant contribution to culinary excellence in Ontario. He was the host of COOK LIKE A CHEF, and has been a recurring guest chef on daytime talk shows. In 2010, Bonacini released his first cookbook, 3 Chefs: The Kitchen Men, a collaborative effort with fellow television chefs Massimo Capra and Jason Parsons. Bonacini’s restaurants include Jump, Canoe, Auberge du Pommier, Biff’s Bistro, Oliver & Bonacini Café Grill (four locations), Luma, O&B Canteen, Bannock, and the all-new America Restaurant (in collaboration with INK Entertainment). The company’s private dining and events division, Oliver & Bonacini Events, manages a number of large-scale event facilities, including Malaparte at TIFF Bell Lightbox, Toronto Region Board of Trade, Arcadian at The Bay Queen Street, Windermere House on Lake Rosseau in Muskoka, and the Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto. Oliver & Bonacini credits its success to the development of a strong corporate culture, where excellence of food quality and service are valued above all else. ALVIN LEUNG – Chef and Restaurateur With his trademark blue-streaked hair, cross earrings, and revolutionary approach to the culinary art, Chef Alvin Leung is the enfant terrible of Hong Kong's dining scene. As owner of the acclaimed modern Chinese restaurant Bo Innovation in Hong Kong, Leung has single-handedly created a new taste sensation and established himself as one of the world’s top culinary innovators. Born in London, England, Leung grew up in Scarborough, Ont. He remains a dedicated hockey fan and Toronto Maple Leafs supporter. The self-proclaimed ‘Demon Chef’ began cooking professionally in 2003 at a private restaurant which evolved into Bo Innovation. Contrary to his ‘rock and roll’ image, Leung is a professionally trained engineer who takes a methodical approach to every dish he presents. Bo Innovation features unique “X-treme Chinese” cuisine and became Hong Kong's only independent restaurant (not affiliated with a five-star hotel) to be awarded three Michelin stars. The restaurant has wowed diners and critics by modernizing centuries-old traditional ingredients and recipes with modern techniques and flavours. In addition to Bo Innovation, Leung owns a second Michelin star restaurant in Hong Kong called MIC Kitchen, offering a unique twist on modern comfort food. In September 2014, Leung opened his first Chinese medicine-inspired café in Shanghai, called Remedy 365. In Asia, Leung is known for his 2011 food shows, THE MAVERICK CHEF and WOK STAR. North American viewers may be familiar with Leung from his guest appearances on shows such as ANTHONY BOURDAIN’S NO RESERVATIONS, RHODES ACROSS CHINA with Gary Rhodes, THE HAIRY BIKERS, and TOP CHEF MASTERS. CLAUDIO APRILE – Chef and Restaurateur One of Canada’s most celebrated and visionary chefs, Claudio Aprile is the owner and creative force behind the growing Orderfire Restaurant Group, which includes Toronto’s acclaimed Origin brand restaurants.