This week’s episode of Top Chef Canada turned the party with its seamless blend of drag artistry and culinary skills.
With the eighth season of the hit series well underway, the diverse cast of culinary warriors have embarked on plenty of intense challenges already. This week, however, the chefs were challenged to a fabulously unique Quickfire Challenge that focused on creating a scrumptious drag brunch – and it gave us life! Spoiler Alert: You’ll want to watch this week’s episode, Drag Brunch, before reading any further to avoid spoilers.
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For the uninitiated, drag brunches are increasingly popular Sunday morning staples in most major cities – an entertaining way to enjoy your eggs and down some mimosas while taking in a live comedy and lip-sync performance extravaganza from a local queen. In light of recent circumstances, however, drag artists have taken the internet by storm, streaming live performances to their loyal fans. (All you need to do is Google your favourite queen or visit their Instagram page to check out their upcoming schedules.)
And so, with Toronto-based drag artists Baby Bel Bel and Miss Moco looking on, the chefs offered up plenty of opulent eats that left us drooling.
Dominique, Adrian and Jo came out on top with their cinnamon and orange zest-themed eats. With that team’s convincing win in mind, we’re sharing our recipes for a fancy drag brunch based on the winning team’s recipes – albeit easier and less time-consuming (we can’t all be top chefs, after all).
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Dominique’s first course: Scotch Quail Egg with Radicchio Salad with Spiced Orange Vinaigrette
Try it Yourself: Scotch Egg
Don’t have quail eggs on hand to mirror Dominique’s dish? Fear not! There’s nothing wrong with a deliciously simple regular egg instead. Pair your homemade breaded Scotch Egg with a light salad if you’re feeling particularly peckish.
Try it Yourself: Brunch Frittata
Treat yourself to a low-key drag brunch by combining tomatoes, asparagus, herbs and goat cheese for a dish that’s ready in less than 30 minutes – leaving you plenty of time to queue up a drag queen performance to stream live.
Adrian’s second course: Allspice French Toast Orange Peel-Infused Fried Chicken with Scotch Bonnet, Rosehip and Ginger Syrup
Try it Yourself: Biscuit French Toast with Cinnamon-Orange Cane Syrup
If straight-up French Toast isn’t your jam, you can still stick to Adrian’s southern comfort food theme by crafting this mouth-watering biscuit-inspired version.
Try it Yourself: Fried Chicken with Wild Rice Waffles and Pink Peppercorn Sauce
Before you take in all those sickening death drops on your drag brunch livestream, curl up with some crispy fried chicken on homemade waffles that will leave you feeling full right up to dinner.
Jo’s third course: Carrot Cake Scone with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Walnuts
Try it Yourself: Waffled Carrot Cake
If you didn’t opt for waffles in the second course, there are still opportunities to save the best for last. Elevate the average waffle with carrot cake-infused cream cheese frosting and roughly chopped pecans for a drag brunch that will satisfy your sweet tooth.
Try it Yourself: Bacon-Cranberry Scones with Citrus Basil Butter
If you’re not a fan of carrot cake, try these savoury scones you can enjoy with your second (or third) cup of coffee or tea.
Watch Top Chef Canada Mondays at 10ep and stream all your favourite Food Network Canada shows through STACKTV with Amazon Prime Video Channels, or with the new Global TV app, live and on-demand when you sign-in with your cable subscription.