WEBVTT 00:00:04.460 --> 00:00:08.859 Today I have Phil Octavian, who is the brains, 00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:12.460 the brawn, and everything that is black magic 00:00:12.460 --> 00:00:15.160 culinary. How you doing? Pretty good, yourself? 00:00:15.380 --> 00:00:18.019 I'm pretty good. Awesome, awesome. Oh, I'm always 00:00:18.019 --> 00:00:21.000 good when we're talking about food. And this 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:23.719 guy can cook. From what I've heard, I missed 00:00:23.719 --> 00:00:27.739 that last pop -up you did at the cookie bar. 00:00:28.019 --> 00:00:31.660 That was our first foray with the supper club. 00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:35.359 Now what is the supper club? So basically it's 00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:38.780 what... I saw something like that done in Toronto 00:00:38.780 --> 00:00:42.799 where it's basically a surprise dinner. Usually 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:46.619 a special invite at a private location, invite 00:00:46.619 --> 00:00:50.640 only, and you make a menu that the people that 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:52.770 are eating the menu... don't know what the food 00:00:52.770 --> 00:00:55.070 is until it's served in front of them. Oh my 00:00:55.070 --> 00:00:58.270 goodness. And so I had this brain child and it 00:00:58.270 --> 00:01:01.789 was something I wanted to do. And I spoke to 00:01:01.789 --> 00:01:04.109 Brent and Anna over at Cookie Bar, awesome people. 00:01:04.650 --> 00:01:06.569 And they were like, yeah, why not do it here? 00:01:06.670 --> 00:01:10.250 And so it became a thing. And how many have you 00:01:10.250 --> 00:01:13.549 done? So far it's just the one. We're probably 00:01:13.549 --> 00:01:15.629 going to do one in another couple of months or 00:01:15.629 --> 00:01:18.250 so. Just don't want to overwhelm it. We want 00:01:18.250 --> 00:01:22.170 it to be a food experience, something different 00:01:22.170 --> 00:01:24.829 that isn't, that people really haven't experienced 00:01:24.829 --> 00:01:26.810 here at Windsor too often. Because it looked 00:01:26.810 --> 00:01:31.310 really, really good and a lot of nice colors 00:01:31.310 --> 00:01:33.810 and different flavors. Oh, definitely. I was 00:01:33.810 --> 00:01:36.569 really trying to push the envelope in regards 00:01:36.569 --> 00:01:40.469 to my own comfort and giving people at Windsor 00:01:40.469 --> 00:01:42.709 something they... haven't really had before. 00:01:43.109 --> 00:01:45.109 One of the dishes that was featured on the menu 00:01:45.109 --> 00:01:48.329 was a ube, which is a purple sweet potato, one 00:01:48.329 --> 00:01:51.209 of my new favorite vegetables. I've never heard 00:01:51.209 --> 00:01:55.069 of a purple sweet potato. Yeah, no, it's really 00:01:55.069 --> 00:01:58.329 great. It's a super earthy, but it still has 00:01:58.329 --> 00:02:01.670 that sweetness and just the color. Super purple. 00:02:02.109 --> 00:02:04.750 I just wanted to give people something shocking, 00:02:05.109 --> 00:02:08.639 but familiar at the same time. Yeah, that definitely 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:11.979 would be shocking for sure purple potato. Hey, 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:15.240 why not? Now, how long have you been cooking? 00:02:15.620 --> 00:02:19.340 I graduated I'm terrible at math, which is why 00:02:19.340 --> 00:02:22.919 I cook That's that's the joke. I say every time 00:02:22.919 --> 00:02:24.740 someone asked me that question. I think I'd have 00:02:24.740 --> 00:02:28.139 it memorized by now I was done school in 09. 00:02:28.139 --> 00:02:31.599 So I've been cooking ever since so that's quite 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:35.050 a while. Yeah Did you always like cooking even 00:02:35.050 --> 00:02:38.949 before that? I cooked out of necessity and it 00:02:38.949 --> 00:02:40.969 became people like oh, you're actually good. 00:02:41.129 --> 00:02:44.389 You're good I was like, oh and then I used to 00:02:44.389 --> 00:02:47.389 work at a bank and I would spend in between the 00:02:47.389 --> 00:02:50.129 customers you we had the internet on the computer 00:02:50.129 --> 00:02:52.689 and I would just be looking up recipes and then 00:02:52.689 --> 00:02:54.810 I started realizing that I like cooking more 00:02:54.810 --> 00:02:58.590 than I like this and so Decided to make it a 00:02:58.590 --> 00:03:02.449 career and do you cook at home? Oh all the time 00:03:02.430 --> 00:03:05.469 All the time. The cooking varies, depending on 00:03:05.469 --> 00:03:08.729 who I'm cooking for. People would laugh if I 00:03:08.729 --> 00:03:11.150 actually told them some of the crazy things that 00:03:11.150 --> 00:03:13.189 I make for myself. It all depends on the day, 00:03:13.490 --> 00:03:16.729 how tired I am and how much I've already done. 00:03:17.110 --> 00:03:19.849 But for the kids, it's more simplified. They 00:03:19.849 --> 00:03:22.650 like the good things, but just done right. Like 00:03:22.650 --> 00:03:26.750 my son Maverick, he is the critique. He basically 00:03:26.750 --> 00:03:31.819 treats every dinner as a cooking show. He'd be 00:03:31.819 --> 00:03:33.599 like, chef, what did you make for dinner tonight? 00:03:34.060 --> 00:03:36.000 And I literally would have to describe the dinner 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:38.740 and he would give the flavor profiles that he's 00:03:38.740 --> 00:03:40.800 picking up on the dish. So it was real cute to 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:43.259 watch him do that stuff. So you need to get rid 00:03:43.259 --> 00:03:48.120 of the food network. Yes. Either that or he's 00:03:48.120 --> 00:03:51.740 going to become a... People always ask, like, 00:03:51.819 --> 00:03:53.620 do you want your kids to follow in your footsteps? 00:03:54.460 --> 00:03:59.259 100 % no. No Cooking is a 1000 % labor of love 00:03:59.259 --> 00:04:01.900 that you have to you know put your your time 00:04:01.900 --> 00:04:04.699 in you know earn the dues and whatnot But I told 00:04:04.699 --> 00:04:08.000 my kids whatever you want to do will follow and 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:10.960 follow you and whatever you choose to do now 00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:15.219 What is black magic culinary? Is it a restaurant 00:04:15.219 --> 00:04:18.639 is it catering? It's a little bit of everything. 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:21.870 Yeah, so Black magic calling curations. I the 00:04:21.870 --> 00:04:24.209 quick description is a mobile to you catering 00:04:24.209 --> 00:04:27.550 company private chef catering company pop -ups 00:04:27.550 --> 00:04:31.910 and whatnot and so COVID it was just basically 00:04:31.910 --> 00:04:34.529 doing the pop -ups and everything like that kovat 00:04:34.529 --> 00:04:37.610 happened and people wanted more of a You couldn't 00:04:37.610 --> 00:04:40.050 really go out. So I decided why not bring it 00:04:40.050 --> 00:04:44.310 to them. And so the in -home stuff really started, 00:04:44.470 --> 00:04:46.069 and it really took off from there and became 00:04:46.069 --> 00:04:49.149 a thing of its own. And so now, as many times 00:04:49.149 --> 00:04:51.699 as you see me out in the public... that's as 00:04:51.699 --> 00:04:53.759 many times as I'm doing the private stuff. So 00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:56.240 I'll take photos, but I don't, of course, I'm 00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:59.579 in someone's home, and I respect that, and I 00:04:59.579 --> 00:05:03.740 respect their privacy. And so later on, I'll 00:05:03.740 --> 00:05:05.779 post a few pictures of the food, if I remember 00:05:05.779 --> 00:05:08.180 to take pictures of the food, because if you 00:05:08.180 --> 00:05:10.100 - You're busy. I'm busy. I get tunnel vision. 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:12.779 Yeah. I'm very focused on the task at hand, and 00:05:12.779 --> 00:05:14.660 so sometimes when I go home, I always say, did 00:05:14.660 --> 00:05:16.939 you take any pictures? I'm like, ah, no, but 00:05:16.939 --> 00:05:18.970 they loved everything. So, that's all that matters. 00:05:19.730 --> 00:05:23.870 I'm like that at an event or even when being 00:05:23.870 --> 00:05:27.230 a photographer going on vacation and people are 00:05:27.230 --> 00:05:29.290 like, are you taking pictures? It's like, no, 00:05:29.810 --> 00:05:33.509 I'm enjoying the experience or I forgot. Exactly. 00:05:34.329 --> 00:05:36.730 But it's good to be like that, that you're in 00:05:36.730 --> 00:05:38.610 the moment. And that's what I try to do, that 00:05:38.610 --> 00:05:41.550 I'm here for these people. So if I happen to 00:05:41.550 --> 00:05:44.730 remember to take a photo, awesome. And if I don't, 00:05:44.930 --> 00:05:48.750 oh well. Now, do you also do cooking classes? 00:05:49.189 --> 00:05:52.470 We've done cooking classes in the past. I started 00:05:52.470 --> 00:05:54.370 out, like a lot of people don't know that I used 00:05:54.370 --> 00:05:57.189 to be a sous chef at Twisted Apron. And so I 00:05:57.189 --> 00:06:00.370 partnered up with them once I left there, did 00:06:00.370 --> 00:06:03.610 a few cooking classes, and I do do private cooking 00:06:03.610 --> 00:06:05.629 classes in home where I'll come to your home. 00:06:05.879 --> 00:06:08.199 and we can do a series of classes from there, 00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:10.600 but yes, I do do cooking classes. Like even if 00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:12.699 it's a girls' night and there's a bunch of them 00:06:12.699 --> 00:06:15.339 and you can do a class, that's cool. Yeah, no, 00:06:15.660 --> 00:06:19.259 once, one actual cooking class, these girls decided 00:06:19.259 --> 00:06:21.879 to do a, there was a bachelorette party, so instead 00:06:21.879 --> 00:06:23.800 of going out and drinking and whatnot, they stayed 00:06:23.800 --> 00:06:27.079 home and drunk, but they also had, we did a cooking 00:06:27.079 --> 00:06:31.620 class. They ordered specialized aprons. for each 00:06:31.620 --> 00:06:34.300 one, it was good. They dazzled and glittered 00:06:34.300 --> 00:06:39.360 them up. The bride -to -be had this like luxurious 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:41.680 apron. It was really a great time. That sounds 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:45.220 like a lot of fun. They had a lot of fun. Okay, 00:06:45.220 --> 00:06:47.699 so remember that if you want to have a bachelor 00:06:47.699 --> 00:06:51.240 party or a shower or something, have a cooking 00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:55.660 class. Or a bachelor party. Yeah. Guys can cook 00:06:55.660 --> 00:07:01.319 too now. This is true. This is true. Now, what 00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:05.519 is your favorite dish to make? Do you have one 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:08.240 thing that's just your all -time favorite? For 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:12.500 me, comfort food is where I go for. That's like, 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:14.620 after a long day, I just want something that's 00:07:14.620 --> 00:07:18.160 gonna evoke the memories of when I didn't have 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:22.399 responsibility. I was living life carefree. So 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:25.399 I always go to those. I would probably say, like, 00:07:25.500 --> 00:07:28.600 you're gonna laugh at this, some... Barbecue 00:07:28.600 --> 00:07:33.019 ribs, mashed potato, corn. Literally, something 00:07:33.019 --> 00:07:36.100 so simple like that is what goes for me. Hey, 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:40.379 mine's hot dogs and craft dinner. Nothing better 00:07:40.379 --> 00:07:42.839 than comfort food. Oh, definitely. Whatever it 00:07:42.839 --> 00:07:46.680 is, as long as it just makes you happy and... 00:07:46.730 --> 00:07:48.790 Why not? Oh, no, that's what it's all about. 00:07:49.149 --> 00:07:51.410 It's one of the reasons I started this where 00:07:51.410 --> 00:07:54.149 I wanted to make food more approachable. And 00:07:54.149 --> 00:07:56.589 even when it's just a simple comfort food, if 00:07:56.589 --> 00:07:59.970 you when I do my pop ups at, say, the markets 00:07:59.970 --> 00:08:02.810 like the night market coming up this Friday. 00:08:03.230 --> 00:08:05.550 I'll be there at the Walkerville Distillery District 00:08:05.550 --> 00:08:08.129 Night Market this Friday. That's awesome, because 00:08:08.129 --> 00:08:09.910 you weren't sure if you're going to be doing 00:08:09.910 --> 00:08:13.410 that the last time we talked. Yeah, no, my son's 00:08:13.410 --> 00:08:16.129 football schedule runs the house now. And so 00:08:16.129 --> 00:08:18.970 the football schedule is open that day. So I'll 00:08:18.970 --> 00:08:20.829 be there at the night market. Oh, that's great. 00:08:21.089 --> 00:08:24.970 So that is well, this show will not have been 00:08:24.970 --> 00:08:28.089 there, but I'm going to be going there this Friday. 00:08:28.550 --> 00:08:30.949 This will be a few weeks from then. Yeah, but. 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:34.080 Do you know what the menu is going to be? Oh, 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:37.659 yeah for the most part. Yeah, we do keep There's 00:08:37.659 --> 00:08:41.259 usually three stalwarts that stay on there the 00:08:41.259 --> 00:08:45.259 black the black magic jerk chicken The black 00:08:45.259 --> 00:08:48.120 magic mac and cheese and then the bread pudding 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:51.899 and so the bread pudding varies I know that the 00:08:51.899 --> 00:08:54.000 first one I'm gonna rock with is I try to do 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:56.340 ones I've never done before but also the flavors 00:08:56.340 --> 00:08:58.399 of people are familiar with so I've never done 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:01.480 a butter tart bread pudding Oh my gosh, you've 00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:06.019 just mentioned three of my, other than the cheesecake, 00:09:06.600 --> 00:09:10.759 three of my most favorite dishes, mac and cheese 00:09:10.759 --> 00:09:13.899 and bread pudding my grandmother used to make 00:09:13.899 --> 00:09:17.379 that and butter tarts. Oh, I can't wait. I'm 00:09:17.379 --> 00:09:20.279 definitely going to be there for sure. Oh yeah. 00:09:20.500 --> 00:09:22.639 The jerk chicken, I try to keep it as authentic 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:25.320 as possible so it does have a good kick to it. 00:09:26.190 --> 00:09:28.490 I served it once, I did tame it down a little 00:09:28.490 --> 00:09:31.289 bit, and the guy was like, this guy, this gentleman 00:09:31.289 --> 00:09:34.169 had it, and he said, I thought it was gonna be 00:09:34.169 --> 00:09:36.730 spicier. And ever since, I always tell that story 00:09:36.730 --> 00:09:39.629 because that's in the back of my mind that, okay, 00:09:39.870 --> 00:09:41.850 the jerk chicken has to be spicy, because after 00:09:41.850 --> 00:09:44.950 all, it is jerk chicken, and I have to be respectful 00:09:44.950 --> 00:09:48.730 to the namesake. I had never had jerk chicken 00:09:48.730 --> 00:09:52.149 because I'm not a spicy person. I don't like 00:09:52.149 --> 00:09:54.870 spicy food. But this one New Year's Eve, I went 00:09:54.870 --> 00:09:56.889 over to a friend's house and her husband was 00:09:56.889 --> 00:09:59.610 Jamaican and everything was spicy and it was 00:09:59.610 --> 00:10:03.230 jerk chicken. But I liked it. It was so good. 00:10:03.289 --> 00:10:06.169 It has such a wonderful flavor that you forget 00:10:06.169 --> 00:10:09.029 the heat. What I try to do to offset that is 00:10:09.029 --> 00:10:11.309 I balance it out. I normally serve it with a 00:10:11.309 --> 00:10:14.809 pineapple slaw. and a coconut red beans and rice. 00:10:15.110 --> 00:10:18.509 So the only actual heat in the dish is the jerk 00:10:18.509 --> 00:10:20.850 chicken itself. So if you eat it together, it 00:10:20.850 --> 00:10:23.529 kind of cooled the rice and the slaw, cools it 00:10:23.529 --> 00:10:27.110 down. Now that's, that's exciting. I want to 00:10:27.110 --> 00:10:31.529 go now. Now other than the Caribbean food, what 00:10:31.529 --> 00:10:35.110 other foods, like you have a wide variety? Basically, 00:10:35.269 --> 00:10:39.029 yes. So in regards to my background and in the 00:10:39.029 --> 00:10:41.450 restaurants that I've worked at and then me, 00:10:41.559 --> 00:10:44.000 pursuing the flavors that I like and cooking 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:48.419 that way. I lean a little bit Asian, lean a little 00:10:48.419 --> 00:10:51.980 bit Southern, and then I just global inspirations 00:10:51.980 --> 00:10:55.460 of what's different and new and once I find new 00:10:55.460 --> 00:10:57.539 ingredients, one of my favorite things to do 00:10:57.539 --> 00:11:00.820 is to go to ethnic stores or the ethnic aisle 00:11:00.820 --> 00:11:03.620 of stores and just peruse through and try to 00:11:03.620 --> 00:11:05.480 find new ingredients that I've never really tried 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:08.600 before and see where I can go from there. Now, 00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:13.139 I know you also support local in your foods and 00:11:13.139 --> 00:11:17.600 seasonal dishes. Oh, absolutely. I try to highlight 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:20.279 local and do it in a way that people may not 00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:23.299 have thought of and give people like dishes to 00:11:23.299 --> 00:11:26.039 go with them. In regards to the pigses like rabi, 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:29.399 gourmet sausage, little foot foods. I've worked 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:34.159 in the past with Halo Heats and just made a spicy 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:38.279 ice cream. Oh my goodness. Yeah, stuff like that. 00:11:38.299 --> 00:11:41.360 I've done a few flavors of sausages with Robbie, 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:44.100 and then also with Littlefoot, we've done different 00:11:44.100 --> 00:11:47.179 collabs in regards to pierogies. Oh, nice. So 00:11:47.179 --> 00:11:49.840 working on a few new collabs for this coming 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:53.059 year, I'm gonna be a little hush -hush, but keep 00:11:53.059 --> 00:11:55.139 your eyes open for some new black magic things 00:11:55.139 --> 00:11:59.240 in the near future. Now, you've also been on 00:11:59.240 --> 00:12:03.259 some TV shows. Yes, I have. I got bit by the 00:12:03.259 --> 00:12:07.710 TV bug. So you liked it? I absolutely loved it. 00:12:07.830 --> 00:12:10.710 Was it nerve -racking? Was it scary? Was I ready 00:12:10.710 --> 00:12:13.029 to jump out of my skin? Absolutely, but I would 00:12:13.029 --> 00:12:17.289 have not changed a second of it because I've 00:12:17.289 --> 00:12:20.429 grown from those experiences. That's the best 00:12:20.429 --> 00:12:23.210 part is that excitement when you're doing the 00:12:23.210 --> 00:12:26.009 show. Now we're talking about Fire Masters. You 00:12:26.009 --> 00:12:28.429 were on an episode of That. What did you cook? 00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:32.440 Oh, goodness, I tried to pay homage to my aunt. 00:12:33.360 --> 00:12:37.279 She raised me, and then she started the whole 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:39.419 cooking thing. There was no girls in the house, 00:12:39.419 --> 00:12:40.980 so she was like, well, you're gonna learn either 00:12:40.980 --> 00:12:45.820 way. I was like, okay, so, yeah. I did a pork 00:12:45.820 --> 00:12:50.679 dish with some grits and a marinade for the pork. 00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:54.360 I overdid it in regards to, I was a little bit 00:12:54.360 --> 00:12:58.830 too ambitious, but I... I stuck true to my guns. 00:12:59.789 --> 00:13:02.870 And the judges, they were, you know. They appreciated 00:13:02.870 --> 00:13:06.210 it? Yeah, you could say it like that. They were 00:13:06.210 --> 00:13:09.649 a bit harsh. The whole behind the scenes experience 00:13:09.649 --> 00:13:13.129 was just so great. There was a part where, so 00:13:13.129 --> 00:13:16.029 I think I was judge second on fire masses. So 00:13:16.029 --> 00:13:18.009 they got up to me, and then the first judge, 00:13:18.409 --> 00:13:21.720 he just ripped me a new one. Like I had overcooked 00:13:21.720 --> 00:13:24.220 the pork it was on the grill for too long But 00:13:24.220 --> 00:13:27.320 the thing was that I remember an episode of like 00:13:27.320 --> 00:13:29.860 kitchen nightmares or Hell's Kitchen with Gordon 00:13:29.860 --> 00:13:33.179 Ramsay and the guy burnt the steak on one side 00:13:33.179 --> 00:13:35.899 and he flipped it over and Gordon was like you 00:13:35.899 --> 00:13:38.200 didn't think I was gonna flip this over you thought 00:13:38.200 --> 00:13:39.679 I was just gonna come here look at your steak 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:41.860 cut it and eat it without flipping it over so 00:13:41.860 --> 00:13:43.919 I was like you know what I'm not gonna hide from 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:46.759 my mistake so I put the burnt side up right so 00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:50.830 they can see yeah, and so once he got He got 00:13:50.830 --> 00:13:53.330 done judging me. They took a short, like okay, 00:13:53.929 --> 00:13:56.190 the directors are talking to them. So the middle, 00:13:56.309 --> 00:13:59.750 she's like, so Phil, I'll go a little easy on 00:13:59.750 --> 00:14:02.649 you. And I was like, I don't know why I said 00:14:02.649 --> 00:14:05.509 it, but I was like, that's okay, no, no. I'm 00:14:05.509 --> 00:14:09.110 a big boy, I can take it. Oh, and she's like, 00:14:09.169 --> 00:14:12.830 okay. And she gave it to me, and she said that 00:14:12.830 --> 00:14:14.429 if I was at your restaurant, I would have sent 00:14:14.429 --> 00:14:18.250 this back. That's dumb. It's dumb, but you know 00:14:18.250 --> 00:14:22.120 what? I learned, and I grew, and I ended up finishing 00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:25.019 second on that show. That's amazing, you were 00:14:25.019 --> 00:14:28.259 still second. Yeah, it was because of humility, 00:14:29.000 --> 00:14:34.220 honestly. The guy that placed third, he was super 00:14:34.220 --> 00:14:38.419 cocky. He had experience and whatnot, but I've 00:14:38.419 --> 00:14:43.970 always been the cockiest, humble person. Cocky 00:14:43.970 --> 00:14:46.370 enough to know my strengths and know how good 00:14:46.370 --> 00:14:49.289 I am But I'm humble enough to know that that 00:14:49.289 --> 00:14:51.029 still doesn't mean that I'm the best like there 00:14:51.029 --> 00:14:53.250 are other people doing great and amazing things 00:14:53.250 --> 00:14:55.830 and The only person I'm in competition with is 00:14:55.830 --> 00:14:58.730 myself and so as long as I say to that I think 00:14:58.730 --> 00:15:03.100 I'll be just fine I know you did another one 00:15:03.100 --> 00:15:05.580 with your wife. That was probably the more fun 00:15:05.580 --> 00:15:08.639 one recipe for disasters So the premise of the 00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:10.759 show is that they're basically gonna throw disasters 00:15:10.759 --> 00:15:12.860 at you if you watch the show They're literally 00:15:12.860 --> 00:15:16.299 throwing disasters. It's nerve -racking Yes, 00:15:16.460 --> 00:15:20.320 and they said we need you to bring your own disaster. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:23.460 You need to bring someone that's very close to 00:15:23.460 --> 00:15:27.149 you Knows you in and out but cannot cook and 00:15:27.149 --> 00:15:31.350 I said babe. You're perfect So she she did not 00:15:31.350 --> 00:15:34.350 want to do it She could so in the interview process 00:15:34.350 --> 00:15:36.309 the two of you have to interview so she's like 00:15:36.309 --> 00:15:37.730 fine. They're not gonna pick you They're not 00:15:37.730 --> 00:15:41.070 gonna pick you lo and behold they pick us we 00:15:41.070 --> 00:15:46.350 go It was a long day of shooting we did not know 00:15:46.350 --> 00:15:50.450 exactly what we're in for and So but we came 00:15:50.450 --> 00:15:52.830 out on top and we won. It was great. Would you 00:15:52.830 --> 00:15:55.940 guys make? Mac and cheese. The first round was 00:15:55.940 --> 00:15:59.159 mac and cheese. We had to make a, so the episode 00:15:59.159 --> 00:16:02.039 title is Daycare Nightmare. Okay, that's the 00:16:02.039 --> 00:16:04.120 one that's Daycare Nightmare. Which is very funny 00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:06.320 because my wife is an ECE and she works in a 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:09.679 daycare. And so they were like, well, the producer 00:16:09.679 --> 00:16:11.659 was like, oh, so you're known for mac and cheese. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:13.679 Funny enough, the first round is mac and cheese. 00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:16.200 And so they asked us like, what happens if you 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:20.840 lose? I'm like, I can't show back up. I'm known 00:16:20.840 --> 00:16:22.899 for the mac and cheese, so I had to represent 00:16:22.899 --> 00:16:25.419 well, and we won that round. It was a two -round 00:16:25.419 --> 00:16:27.159 competition. The first round of the mac and cheese, 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:29.980 we won that round. Then the second round was 00:16:29.980 --> 00:16:33.360 something fried, but still, like, that would 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:38.320 interest a kid. And so I did vegetable fritters. 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:42.740 Ooh. Yeah. I used to... Granted, they were frozen, 00:16:42.980 --> 00:16:46.519 but the, um... They look like chicken nuggets, 00:16:46.539 --> 00:16:48.480 but they were vegetable ones and it was really 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:51.580 time. Okay It was like an old thing back when 00:16:51.580 --> 00:16:54.860 my son was little but he loved them and it was 00:16:54.860 --> 00:16:57.679 one of the only ways I could get him to make 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:01.460 or to eat his vegetables were these little Frozen 00:17:01.460 --> 00:17:03.340 look like chicken nuggets, but I think it had 00:17:03.340 --> 00:17:06.079 broccoli and carrots and okay cauliflower in 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:08.839 it and and then as long as it has a breading 00:17:08.839 --> 00:17:13.079 on it Kids like anything. Yeah. No, no, we did 00:17:13.079 --> 00:17:15.779 that I haven't had that too much issue with my 00:17:15.779 --> 00:17:19.160 kids so far. As long as it's broccoli, they're 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:22.819 okay. Broccoli and corn, they're fine. They don't 00:17:22.819 --> 00:17:25.319 like corn? No, they love corn. Broccoli and corn, 00:17:25.779 --> 00:17:27.880 they're fine. That's it. My favorite and weird 00:17:27.880 --> 00:17:30.160 is Brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts is like 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:33.559 the new thing. A couple years ago, it just became 00:17:33.559 --> 00:17:36.160 so hot, it was everywhere, and now almost every 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:40.000 menu you go to, there's some sort of crispy Brussels 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:43.079 sprout iteration on it. And I'm glad because 00:17:43.079 --> 00:17:47.359 I'm tired of you eating soggy Brussels sprouts. 00:17:47.400 --> 00:17:49.859 Once people learn the right way to cook it, you 00:17:49.859 --> 00:17:54.619 know, I'm a little bit of a sear and steam where 00:17:54.619 --> 00:17:56.339 I go with a little bit of butter, a little bit 00:17:56.339 --> 00:17:58.640 of oil. Once I get some color, drop a little 00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:01.109 bit of like a couple droplets of water. put a 00:18:01.109 --> 00:18:03.589 lid on it, you're good to go. I like the soft 00:18:03.589 --> 00:18:08.069 crunch. Yeah, I did a, I think I did one once 00:18:08.069 --> 00:18:11.170 that actually everybody liked and it was in the 00:18:11.170 --> 00:18:13.789 Instant Pot and it was with bacon and all that, 00:18:14.230 --> 00:18:17.150 but there was one restaurant that served candied 00:18:17.150 --> 00:18:20.269 Brussels sprouts and they were so good and they're 00:18:20.269 --> 00:18:22.190 no longer there. And I wish I would have got 00:18:22.190 --> 00:18:25.109 the recipe because they were really, really good. 00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:28.140 Is there any other TV shows that might be in 00:18:28.140 --> 00:18:31.460 the works or something you're? The ultimate show 00:18:31.460 --> 00:18:34.940 that I want to go on just for me personally to 00:18:34.940 --> 00:18:39.859 like say that ultimately I want to see how high 00:18:39.859 --> 00:18:43.700 I can go, how good I am. I've always said that 00:18:43.700 --> 00:18:46.519 I love when I did those cooking shows I realized 00:18:46.519 --> 00:18:49.420 how much I love competition and not necessarily 00:18:49.420 --> 00:18:53.500 to say that I'm the best but to say that I did 00:18:53.500 --> 00:18:56.230 it. And so my next show that I would love to 00:18:56.230 --> 00:18:59.809 go is Top Chef. As the years go, I'm like 44 00:18:59.809 --> 00:19:01.890 now and whatnot, and who knows how long I'll 00:19:01.890 --> 00:19:05.049 be cooking. But that's definitely the show that 00:19:05.049 --> 00:19:08.309 I try to go for. Have you applied yet? Oh, I 00:19:08.309 --> 00:19:11.650 have. Oh, yeah? Yeah. Got super close one year. 00:19:12.089 --> 00:19:14.829 Super close, down to like one of the last selections 00:19:14.829 --> 00:19:18.950 before the final cut, but didn't happen. But 00:19:18.950 --> 00:19:22.069 you... I'm pretty good at being like I've learned 00:19:22.069 --> 00:19:23.970 over the years like once you do get accepted 00:19:23.970 --> 00:19:26.589 to be quiet So you never know I could be accepted 00:19:26.589 --> 00:19:29.029 now. I don't know and that's okay. That's okay. 00:19:29.150 --> 00:19:33.170 I never ask people to give the secrets because 00:19:33.170 --> 00:19:35.710 Surprises are fun. Yeah people like how are you 00:19:35.710 --> 00:19:37.829 so why did you care? I'm like, yeah, you know 00:19:37.829 --> 00:19:40.690 you film the show and then there's probably anywhere 00:19:40.690 --> 00:19:43.390 from nine months to a year and you're just quiet 00:19:43.390 --> 00:19:47.230 you sign the NDA and You know forget about it. 00:19:47.230 --> 00:19:50.650 Yeah until you get an email from a producer. 00:19:50.829 --> 00:19:52.549 Okay, here's some stuff for you to share on social. 00:19:52.890 --> 00:19:56.589 Oh yeah, I forgot about this. Now, do you do 00:19:56.589 --> 00:20:00.369 any competitions around here, like barbecue competitions? 00:20:00.430 --> 00:20:04.549 I know they have a bunch of ones. I respect barbecue 00:20:04.549 --> 00:20:07.930 competitions. I've judged a few because of my 00:20:07.930 --> 00:20:10.710 cooking prowess, but no, I would love to. I consider 00:20:10.710 --> 00:20:14.089 myself an amateur barbecuer because during COVID, 00:20:14.210 --> 00:20:16.950 I taught myself how to barbecue on a charcoal 00:20:16.950 --> 00:20:20.119 grill. Coming from the states, so I've spent 00:20:20.119 --> 00:20:22.539 about 10 years in the US between Florida and 00:20:22.539 --> 00:20:27.559 Georgia the term barbecuing means something different 00:20:27.559 --> 00:20:31.759 than it does over here and so with my wife not 00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:35.480 trusting me with propane I Had to figure out 00:20:35.480 --> 00:20:37.440 something else. I'm like, okay, but it bought 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:42.599 a Weber and watch some videos on YouTube and 00:20:42.599 --> 00:20:45.200 Blew up the first grill. Oh my goodness. I let 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:47.900 it I just let it run. It was like running full 00:20:47.900 --> 00:20:50.660 tilt the entire time, which is not good. I learned 00:20:50.660 --> 00:20:54.279 how to temper my flames and whatnot, the airflow 00:20:54.279 --> 00:20:56.279 and everything like that. Got a second grill. 00:20:57.160 --> 00:21:00.950 And I still have that grill. Good. I have a grill 00:21:00.950 --> 00:21:03.450 out there and it's just too stinking hot in my 00:21:03.450 --> 00:21:07.230 backyard and it's sitting there. But I used to 00:21:07.230 --> 00:21:10.309 love barbecuing on my Weber grill. I learned 00:21:10.309 --> 00:21:13.730 from somebody how to do the indirect heat and 00:21:13.730 --> 00:21:17.109 the whole bit and it was a lot of fun. I used 00:21:17.109 --> 00:21:19.730 to enjoy it but now I just want to die in the 00:21:19.730 --> 00:21:24.170 heat outside. I absolutely love it. My wife will 00:21:24.170 --> 00:21:27.890 not come outside because the charcoal smell will 00:21:27.890 --> 00:21:30.490 filter into your clothes, your hair, and everything. 00:21:30.509 --> 00:21:31.930 She's like, I don't want to smell that charcoal. 00:21:32.609 --> 00:21:35.069 So there's a rare occasion if I'm busy and she 00:21:35.069 --> 00:21:36.829 has to grab something off the grill, she'll do 00:21:36.829 --> 00:21:39.309 it. But most of the time it's just me, the grill, 00:21:39.450 --> 00:21:42.289 and whatever libation is in my hand. I actually 00:21:42.289 --> 00:21:46.480 like the smell of barbecue. Even on campfire, 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:50.380 but I'm kind of like her. We're showering before 00:21:50.380 --> 00:21:54.200 bed. I don't want to clean the bedding because 00:21:54.200 --> 00:21:55.859 you wake up in the morning, you go back in the 00:21:55.859 --> 00:21:59.920 bedroom. I'm so used to it. But now we went from 00:21:59.920 --> 00:22:02.339 one. Now I have three charcoal grills in the 00:22:02.339 --> 00:22:05.200 backyard and just absolutely love it. Do you 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:08.180 have you used a smoker? I basically turn one 00:22:08.180 --> 00:22:10.619 of them into a smoke. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Nice. Love 00:22:10.619 --> 00:22:13.319 smoking meats any time I get. Yeah, that's something 00:22:13.319 --> 00:22:17.079 I always wanted to learn and something I eventually 00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:19.960 will figure it out because I love smoked meats. 00:22:20.299 --> 00:22:21.640 The next thing I want to do is maybe for one, 00:22:21.960 --> 00:22:23.839 well not the night markets because the amount 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:27.299 is too much, but maybe a smaller pop -up is actually 00:22:27.299 --> 00:22:30.220 doing a mac and cheese completely on the smoker. 00:22:30.980 --> 00:22:34.480 So like, instead of just smoked cheese, the actual 00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:38.000 entire mac and cheese is smoked itself. Oh, that 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:42.059 sounds really, really good. And what meat do 00:22:42.059 --> 00:22:44.319 you put in that? I wouldn't put any meat. No, 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:47.180 just as is? Just as is. I would simply just like 00:22:47.180 --> 00:22:49.500 the indirect, just cook it there. But it probably 00:22:49.500 --> 00:22:51.980 has to be something smaller, not the big pans. 00:22:52.180 --> 00:22:55.440 So something smaller, more intimate. Oh, I've 00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:58.000 never, ever thought of doing that on the barbecue 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:01.000 or a smoker. Yeah. No, that's my biggest thing 00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:04.720 is I like to think outside of the box and try 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:08.079 to push. the envelope, flavor envelopes and whatnot. 00:23:08.339 --> 00:23:11.779 I just saw this thing for pickle grapes and it 00:23:11.779 --> 00:23:13.460 intrigued me a lot because I was trying to think 00:23:13.460 --> 00:23:17.039 of the different ways I could use that on a dish. 00:23:17.559 --> 00:23:19.420 So who knows, for the next supper club, pickle 00:23:19.420 --> 00:23:22.759 grapes might probably pop up on the menu, but 00:23:22.759 --> 00:23:25.579 I have to test it out. So I'll make a batch and 00:23:25.579 --> 00:23:28.259 I'm gonna share it with my pickle buddy, Jen 00:23:28.259 --> 00:23:33.559 Tailgate Takeout. Yeah, I love Jen. Yeah. I'll 00:23:33.559 --> 00:23:36.309 be basically... I have this love for pickles 00:23:36.309 --> 00:23:39.309 and we're constantly just sending one another 00:23:39.309 --> 00:23:44.410 stuff on Instagram. Oh yeah, I could see that 00:23:44.410 --> 00:23:48.930 in a mousse bouche or in a salad. I just discovered 00:23:48.930 --> 00:23:51.509 pickled eggs. I'm, you know, I'm not chattin', 00:23:51.509 --> 00:23:55.630 but I love pickled eggs. Oh, yeah. I used to 00:23:55.630 --> 00:23:57.329 get them back when I lived in the States. It 00:23:57.329 --> 00:23:59.549 would be at the corner store, and on the counter, 00:23:59.549 --> 00:24:02.190 they would have a jar of, like, the pickled red 00:24:02.190 --> 00:24:05.769 sausages, and then a jar of pickled egg. Yeah, 00:24:05.769 --> 00:24:09.390 I just was at Costco and came home with this 00:24:09.390 --> 00:24:11.990 big thing because they had the samples, and it 00:24:11.990 --> 00:24:14.869 was really good. Yeah, you wouldn't expect that. 00:24:14.990 --> 00:24:16.710 It's something different. Yeah, and then it... 00:24:16.700 --> 00:24:18.859 I got stuck in the back of the fridge and I forgot 00:24:18.859 --> 00:24:22.339 about it. They went back because, okay, pickled 00:24:22.339 --> 00:24:25.059 eggs do go bad after a while. They're not one 00:24:25.059 --> 00:24:27.000 of the things that can last forever in the pickle. 00:24:27.259 --> 00:24:30.299 No, and then I just basically learned about so 00:24:30.299 --> 00:24:31.859 you could pickle either you could pickle hot 00:24:31.859 --> 00:24:33.920 or you could pickle cold. Oh, with the spice 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:36.359 or without? No, in regards to like your pickling, 00:24:36.539 --> 00:24:38.400 the temperature of your pickling liquid. Oh, 00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:41.140 I did not know that. So say if you see pickles 00:24:41.140 --> 00:24:44.009 that are... like they still look like a cucumber, 00:24:44.450 --> 00:24:46.549 those have been pickled cold. I prefer those, 00:24:46.809 --> 00:24:48.950 and for the aesthetic reason that when I'm doing 00:24:48.950 --> 00:24:51.630 my dishes, it looks more pleasing than, say, 00:24:51.869 --> 00:24:55.150 the yellow brownish, yellow greenish of the pickles 00:24:55.150 --> 00:24:58.210 that are normally pickled hot. I had no idea 00:24:58.210 --> 00:25:00.769 they were pickled hot. Yeah. Wow. So that's when 00:25:00.769 --> 00:25:02.450 you can see the difference. So if my pickles, 00:25:02.650 --> 00:25:05.230 they actually still look like a cucumber. But 00:25:05.230 --> 00:25:06.490 then you eat them and be like, oh, this is a 00:25:06.490 --> 00:25:09.470 pickle. Yeah, because I just, I would boil my 00:25:09.470 --> 00:25:12.079 brine. and then put it in the container that 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:14.039 it's gonna pickle in and just stick that in the 00:25:14.039 --> 00:25:16.460 freezer for a couple hours and then put that 00:25:16.460 --> 00:25:19.619 in and then add the whatever I'm deciding the 00:25:19.619 --> 00:25:23.900 pickle. I found a recipe once a few years ago 00:25:23.900 --> 00:25:28.680 and it was for pickles but just the ready -made 00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:34.059 ones and I had tons of cucumbers and within a 00:25:34.059 --> 00:25:36.500 day or two you could eat them out of the fridge 00:25:36.500 --> 00:25:38.900 and They were really good. You didn't have to 00:25:38.900 --> 00:25:41.559 cook anything. And they were, I think, on the 00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:45.039 go type stuff, but they were really good. Some 00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:48.059 people call that a quickle. A quickle. A quick 00:25:48.059 --> 00:25:51.920 pickle. I like that. Because I get nervous when 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:55.619 it comes to canning and all that stuff. You don't 00:25:55.619 --> 00:25:57.660 want to get botched, you know. That's the thing 00:25:57.660 --> 00:25:59.759 I'm worried about, is that I'm either going to 00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:03.140 kill somebody with botchelism or... the lids 00:26:03.140 --> 00:26:06.319 are gonna pop off. Yeah, make sure you're clean 00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:10.200 and sterile. Yeah, I've only done it once with 00:26:10.200 --> 00:26:14.339 apple butter and I loved it, but I'm just, I'm 00:26:14.339 --> 00:26:16.460 a chicken. No, I don't have the patience for 00:26:16.460 --> 00:26:20.480 it. No. No. No, I don't either. I'm an instant 00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:24.420 gratification type person. Somewhat. I'm the 00:26:24.420 --> 00:26:26.480 in -between. There's a middle ground in between 00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:29.440 like that instant gratification and patience. 00:26:29.539 --> 00:26:32.160 I'm in between there somewhere. depending on 00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:39.180 the dish. Let's say Thanksgiving. I do not believe 00:26:39.180 --> 00:26:42.079 that I should be waiting six, three, four, five, 00:26:42.099 --> 00:26:44.400 six hours for a bird to cook. I don't do that. 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:47.680 I don't. I refuse to. I have other things to 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:51.420 do. So what I normally do every year, I de -bone 00:26:51.420 --> 00:26:54.099 the bird. I know that not everybody can de -bone 00:26:54.099 --> 00:26:57.099 a turkey, but I de -bone the turkey. And so I 00:26:57.099 --> 00:26:59.779 have the carcass there. I make stock. How do 00:26:59.779 --> 00:27:05.509 you do that? We need a cooking show here. We 00:27:05.509 --> 00:27:07.450 need a demo next time. Yeah, you just take your 00:27:07.450 --> 00:27:10.029 knife, your boning knife or a really sharp, thin 00:27:10.029 --> 00:27:12.630 knife, and you just kind of follow along the 00:27:12.630 --> 00:27:15.910 bone and try to be as gentle as you can to keep 00:27:15.910 --> 00:27:19.289 as much meat off of the carcass as possible. 00:27:19.930 --> 00:27:22.509 And then sometimes a little rough, like break 00:27:22.509 --> 00:27:24.329 it through the tendons and whatnot, but yeah. 00:27:24.869 --> 00:27:28.289 And we do that every year. My grandmother hates 00:27:28.289 --> 00:27:31.700 it because it's non -traditional. Do you stuff 00:27:31.700 --> 00:27:35.500 it? No. Okay. I'm a stuffing on the side guy. 00:27:36.319 --> 00:27:40.140 Ah, I like them both to be quite honest, but 00:27:40.140 --> 00:27:43.380 drove me nuts. My grandmother would get up at 00:27:43.380 --> 00:27:48.039 five a .m. It was dry. I'm like read the, read 00:27:48.039 --> 00:27:50.960 the package. I literally, I'll have a 20 pound 00:27:50.960 --> 00:27:55.460 bird. I throw it in at 11 and it's done by four 00:27:55.460 --> 00:27:59.809 stuffed. I've had two, I have too many. bad memory, 00:27:59.809 --> 00:28:03.369 trauma, of like you said, of dry birds. So for 00:28:03.369 --> 00:28:04.849 the longest, I wouldn't even eat the breast. 00:28:05.609 --> 00:28:08.670 But with the charcoal grills, de -bone, put it 00:28:08.670 --> 00:28:13.069 on. I've done brick turkey, I've done maple sriracha 00:28:13.069 --> 00:28:16.490 turkey, I've done jerk turkey, done straight 00:28:16.490 --> 00:28:19.950 smoked turkey, garlic butter and herb, like all 00:28:19.950 --> 00:28:23.329 on the grill, easy peasy, and then it makes carving 00:28:23.329 --> 00:28:25.579 such a breeze. That's the biggest thing. Like, 00:28:25.640 --> 00:28:27.099 I would literally, like, every time we go to 00:28:27.099 --> 00:28:28.640 the house, they look at, okay, Phil, you gonna 00:28:28.640 --> 00:28:31.119 carve? I'm like, no. Other people can carve, 00:28:31.220 --> 00:28:32.859 you know. Just because I'm a chef doesn't mean 00:28:32.859 --> 00:28:35.460 I have to carve the turkey every year, guys. 00:28:36.599 --> 00:28:40.660 Yeah. Yeah, no, I, um, my mom is the type of 00:28:40.660 --> 00:28:42.420 mom, I don't like white meat, and it's like, 00:28:42.579 --> 00:28:45.640 I hate to tell you, but you eat it every year 00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:48.480 at my house. And she's like, really? And I'm 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:50.940 like... Yeah, because I don't cook it for 12 00:28:50.940 --> 00:28:55.839 hours. I just cook it for five stuffed. And it's 00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:58.859 awesome. Let it rest, you know, fill it up with 00:28:58.859 --> 00:29:00.740 just smothered in butter, let it rest, and you're 00:29:00.740 --> 00:29:03.660 good to go. Exactly. Throw on the seasoning. 00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:07.079 Actually, I think I've been olive oiling it. 00:29:07.819 --> 00:29:10.819 I don't know. Crispy skin. Yes. I can't get that 00:29:10.819 --> 00:29:14.759 perfect crisp. What you do is I separate. OK. 00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:18.650 So you keep it. Oh. Yeah, put your hand in the 00:29:18.650 --> 00:29:21.509 skin and kind of create a little air layer. Oh, 00:29:21.569 --> 00:29:24.009 okay. But also, I think a lot of Thai people 00:29:24.009 --> 00:29:28.089 overdo it with seasonings. Honestly, mine is 00:29:28.089 --> 00:29:32.710 salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and sage. Yeah. 00:29:32.990 --> 00:29:35.069 And I think that's all you really need to get 00:29:35.069 --> 00:29:38.950 that good Thanksgiving flavor, and you can use 00:29:38.950 --> 00:29:41.829 it for anything. I go salt. If I'm doing it on 00:29:41.829 --> 00:29:45.750 the grill, I go salt, pepper, fresh herbs, and 00:29:45.750 --> 00:29:49.279 sugar. I do sugar, and it's a little secret I 00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:54.420 picked up, I'll share. It kind of offsets the, 00:29:54.680 --> 00:29:56.019 I don't know if you know, when you're grilling, 00:29:56.140 --> 00:29:57.940 there's a little bit of bitterness that comes 00:29:57.940 --> 00:30:01.779 from the flame, from the char. But I find that 00:30:01.779 --> 00:30:04.160 a little bit of sugar just adds a nice little 00:30:04.160 --> 00:30:07.359 touch and creates a new flavor with the char. 00:30:07.559 --> 00:30:10.420 Almost like a candy? Yeah, like I got a sweet 00:30:10.420 --> 00:30:13.819 tooth. Oh, I do too. I actually, I like that 00:30:13.819 --> 00:30:17.670 little charred flavor on... barbecued stuff, 00:30:17.990 --> 00:30:20.769 especially if it's a charcoal grill. And you 00:30:20.769 --> 00:30:23.910 have your, do you have the little wood pouches 00:30:23.910 --> 00:30:26.269 in there with the different? No, I just, I would, 00:30:26.269 --> 00:30:28.230 I go to Canadian Tire. I just get the different 00:30:28.230 --> 00:30:30.950 ones. That's what I always did. Put them in the 00:30:30.950 --> 00:30:32.490 foil. Sometimes I throw them directly on the 00:30:32.490 --> 00:30:34.950 heat, depending on the size, or I just take a 00:30:34.950 --> 00:30:36.710 foil paper and make a little pouch, poke the 00:30:36.710 --> 00:30:39.589 holes and them soak. We got a little tips here. 00:30:39.690 --> 00:30:41.650 I hope people watch to the end, but we'll make 00:30:41.650 --> 00:30:47.390 grills out of that. Your summer, is it packed 00:30:47.390 --> 00:30:50.349 up with? Oh, my summer is packed, so I got the 00:30:50.349 --> 00:30:53.349 okay. I'll be at all the night markets. We checked 00:30:53.349 --> 00:30:55.910 the schedules moving forward, so I'll be there. 00:30:56.069 --> 00:31:00.230 And hopefully we could bring in another Black 00:31:00.230 --> 00:31:03.390 Magic cookie bar or supper club. I want to be 00:31:03.390 --> 00:31:06.509 there. Definitely you're on the invited list. 00:31:06.789 --> 00:31:11.069 I can't wait. I do have like the... I think I 00:31:11.069 --> 00:31:12.829 have a wedding this summer. Oh my goodness, you 00:31:12.829 --> 00:31:15.519 do weddings as well? I do weddings as well. You 00:31:15.519 --> 00:31:20.039 do everything. Basically, yes. I've done from 00:31:20.039 --> 00:31:22.660 two people. I've done private dinners for two 00:31:22.660 --> 00:31:26.019 people, and I've done events that had 170 people. 00:31:26.380 --> 00:31:29.380 Keeps it interesting. It does. My wife always 00:31:29.380 --> 00:31:32.779 says that. Well, I get bored very easily. So 00:31:32.779 --> 00:31:36.059 it's nice to do all different types of absolutely 00:31:36.059 --> 00:31:39.599 and I say for private functions I do have clientele 00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:42.700 that have just been with me for years And so 00:31:42.700 --> 00:31:45.220 they are always like they're booked in the calendar. 00:31:45.380 --> 00:31:48.779 I had these dates They don't think they may fluctuate 00:31:48.779 --> 00:31:51.400 in reverse of my availability, but they're also 00:31:51.400 --> 00:31:53.359 they're willing and accommodating So once they 00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:55.900 call I'm like, okay, they get bumped up the ladder 00:31:55.900 --> 00:31:58.880 but the biggest thing for me is that I chose 00:31:58.880 --> 00:32:02.140 this because I wanted to have more flexibility 00:32:02.140 --> 00:32:06.640 with my life. The cooking industry is hard, and 00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:10.200 it's even harder on families. Oh gosh, yeah. 00:32:10.380 --> 00:32:12.819 I remember when I first started, my son, I missed 00:32:12.819 --> 00:32:15.259 a lot of stuff. And then I got to the point where 00:32:15.259 --> 00:32:17.880 I'm like, you know what? Why can't I have both? 00:32:18.299 --> 00:32:22.180 Why can't I cook and still be a dad and participate 00:32:22.180 --> 00:32:25.500 in things? And so that's when I decided to make 00:32:25.500 --> 00:32:28.700 the tough decision of leaving Twisted Apron. 00:32:28.859 --> 00:32:31.460 So I worked there helped open it But I decided 00:32:31.460 --> 00:32:34.119 that you know what my son was getting older and 00:32:34.119 --> 00:32:36.119 I wanted to be there more I wanted to be more 00:32:36.119 --> 00:32:39.220 at home Because even they you take work home 00:32:39.220 --> 00:32:42.460 with you And so a lot of people don't know that 00:32:42.460 --> 00:32:46.279 I have a regular full -time job on top of being 00:32:46.279 --> 00:32:49.359 black magic I did not know that either in fact 00:32:49.359 --> 00:32:51.599 you probably did tell me and I forgot because 00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:55.180 I'm old No, I work as a cook at a long -term 00:32:55.180 --> 00:32:58.779 care facility so what I say is That job pays 00:32:58.779 --> 00:33:03.180 my bills. Black magic feeds my soul. Oh, that's 00:33:03.180 --> 00:33:06.420 a nice thing. Yeah, so it allows me to be free 00:33:06.420 --> 00:33:11.519 and do what I want. So I, not to put anyone down 00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:15.180 or any other thing, my chef said, you have three 00:33:15.180 --> 00:33:18.039 ways you can cook. You can cook the food that 00:33:18.039 --> 00:33:21.400 people want you to cook. You can cook the food 00:33:21.400 --> 00:33:24.960 that you want to cook. Or you can cook the food. 00:33:25.289 --> 00:33:27.630 That you are convinced in the people that they 00:33:27.630 --> 00:33:31.170 want to eat and so I've been blessed it I've 00:33:31.170 --> 00:33:34.150 been doing black magic. So if I've been I've 00:33:34.150 --> 00:33:35.990 been at my job for 11 years now and I started 00:33:35.990 --> 00:33:39.650 black magic almost a year afterwards out of boredom 00:33:39.650 --> 00:33:43.910 My wife was tired of me coming home angry from 00:33:43.910 --> 00:33:46.630 the home because you know, I'm I was tied up 00:33:46.630 --> 00:33:51.809 in regards to my creativity and so as Mark Wahlberg 00:33:51.809 --> 00:33:53.670 said in the other guys, I'm a peacock. You gotta 00:33:53.670 --> 00:33:57.839 let me fly And so, she's like, why don't you 00:33:57.839 --> 00:34:00.059 just start your own catering company? You've 00:34:00.059 --> 00:34:01.559 been doing catering for all these other people, 00:34:01.599 --> 00:34:04.460 just do it for yourself. I was like, babe, that's 00:34:04.460 --> 00:34:07.039 a great idea. I was like, what am I gonna call 00:34:07.039 --> 00:34:09.980 it? Duh, call it black magic. I can't call it 00:34:09.980 --> 00:34:12.480 that. That's risky. People are gonna think I'm 00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:14.719 talking about something else. She's like, exactly. 00:34:15.300 --> 00:34:18.980 Yeah, get some talking. Exactly, yeah. But I 00:34:18.980 --> 00:34:21.159 just... It allows me to be free and creative. 00:34:21.400 --> 00:34:23.840 So the menus that I do at the market, I change 00:34:23.840 --> 00:34:27.239 it every time. Is it more costly? Yeah. Is that 00:34:27.239 --> 00:34:30.079 more work? Yeah. But if I have to cook the same 00:34:30.079 --> 00:34:32.019 thing every day, I would die of boredom, and 00:34:32.019 --> 00:34:34.239 I would stop cooking. Well, and each time that 00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:37.599 people come back to your tent, to your area, 00:34:37.880 --> 00:34:39.659 they're going to get a different meal, which 00:34:39.659 --> 00:34:41.780 is nice because then they can sample a little 00:34:41.780 --> 00:34:43.780 bit of everything that you do. Oh, yeah. I try 00:34:43.780 --> 00:34:47.699 to keep it very inclusive as possible. I want 00:34:47.699 --> 00:34:49.599 everyone, like if you're a party of like five 00:34:49.599 --> 00:34:51.940 or six and you're out in the market, I want everyone 00:34:51.940 --> 00:34:53.519 to feel that they can grab a dish. So there's 00:34:53.519 --> 00:34:56.460 always a vegan dish on my menu. And this year 00:34:56.460 --> 00:34:59.940 I'm making an effort to be gluten -free as possible. 00:35:00.099 --> 00:35:03.320 Oh. Yeah. Yeah, a lot of people are getting into 00:35:03.320 --> 00:35:06.099 the gluten -free and the vegan as part of their 00:35:06.099 --> 00:35:09.159 menu, which is really great for us people that 00:35:09.159 --> 00:35:11.800 have issues. Oh, yeah. No, I look at those. I 00:35:11.800 --> 00:35:15.619 call them food lifestyle choices. I don't say 00:35:15.619 --> 00:35:17.159 dietary restrictions. I feel like it's a little 00:35:17.159 --> 00:35:19.199 bit negative. So I just say whatever your food 00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:21.480 lifestyle choices. I always looked at that as 00:35:21.480 --> 00:35:24.699 a challenge. I remember one time I did a four 00:35:24.699 --> 00:35:27.400 -course vegan dinner. First time cooking vegan. 00:35:27.659 --> 00:35:30.760 That would be definitely... But I look at that 00:35:30.760 --> 00:35:32.820 in my eyes, just like, oh, okay, that's awesome. 00:35:33.500 --> 00:35:37.719 It's just another challenge, another way to prove 00:35:37.719 --> 00:35:40.300 myself. And so that's a competition right there 00:35:40.300 --> 00:35:43.920 and there. I had a dinner that I did for these 00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:46.400 girls who was a bachelorette out at Harrow, beautiful 00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:49.440 Airbnb. They had a scallop dish on there. They 00:35:49.440 --> 00:35:51.719 chose the scallop option. There was one vegan. 00:35:52.099 --> 00:35:56.559 I don't like the whole aspect of... If it's five 00:35:56.559 --> 00:35:58.699 people, these four people are eating one dish 00:35:58.699 --> 00:36:02.639 and you're the vegan, here's your salad. Yeah. 00:36:03.079 --> 00:36:05.920 Here's your ratatouille. Here's your filo with 00:36:05.920 --> 00:36:08.920 vegetables inside of it. No. So what I did was 00:36:08.920 --> 00:36:13.119 I recreated the scallop dish vegan. Wow. I don't 00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:15.769 want to out her, but... They were like, the girls 00:36:15.769 --> 00:36:17.269 were tasting each other's plate. They're like, 00:36:17.389 --> 00:36:21.409 you can't tell that that's not vegan. The king 00:36:21.409 --> 00:36:24.329 oyster mushrooms, if you cut it and then you 00:36:24.329 --> 00:36:27.650 give the cross marks on it, you sear it, and 00:36:27.650 --> 00:36:30.050 the flavor profile, the butter and the herbs 00:36:30.050 --> 00:36:33.550 and the monte, it came out looking just like 00:36:33.550 --> 00:36:36.309 a scallop. And tasting like one too, sounds like. 00:36:36.389 --> 00:36:38.230 Right, and so they were like, oh my goodness, 00:36:38.289 --> 00:36:41.650 you could barely tell them apart. And those are 00:36:41.650 --> 00:36:43.929 the moments that I go for. Those are the moments 00:36:43.929 --> 00:36:46.650 that, because of Black Magic, there is way more 00:36:46.650 --> 00:36:50.630 interaction between me and the guests. Because 00:36:50.630 --> 00:36:54.170 in the restaurants, I'm in the kitchen. Maybe 00:36:54.170 --> 00:36:56.210 if you own the restaurant, you could walk out 00:36:56.210 --> 00:36:58.510 and you could, you know, we'd say touch the tables 00:36:58.510 --> 00:37:00.949 and talk to people, talk to the guests, what 00:37:00.949 --> 00:37:03.690 not. But if you're the cook and the chef, you 00:37:03.690 --> 00:37:05.769 don't really get that opportunity. But with Black 00:37:05.769 --> 00:37:07.789 Magic, I could see somebody, if they come to 00:37:07.789 --> 00:37:09.909 the night market, I could watch them walk over 00:37:09.909 --> 00:37:12.750 to their seat They eat, their eyes widen up, 00:37:12.829 --> 00:37:15.150 they touch someone like this. Hey, you gotta 00:37:15.150 --> 00:37:19.110 try this. Or they're walking back out, and they're 00:37:19.110 --> 00:37:22.090 like, you're a fool, you're a maggot. And that's 00:37:22.090 --> 00:37:23.769 what it's there for. People are always like, 00:37:23.809 --> 00:37:25.489 how do you say thank you to a chef? Show me an 00:37:25.489 --> 00:37:27.949 empty plate. You show me an empty plate, I know 00:37:27.949 --> 00:37:30.090 that the meal was enjoyed. And that's gratitude 00:37:30.090 --> 00:37:33.769 enough for me. I love it, I love it. And I'm 00:37:33.769 --> 00:37:36.610 so excited for this Friday, Phil. Thank you so 00:37:36.610 --> 00:37:38.590 much for being on here today. Thank you for having 00:37:38.590 --> 00:37:41.110 me, it was awesome. Make sure that you follow 00:37:41.110 --> 00:37:43.750 him on Instagram and Facebook at Black Magic 00:37:43.750 --> 00:37:48.929 Culinary Creations and also his website blackmagicculinarycreations 00:37:48.929 --> 00:37:53.369 .ca and if you're in the Winsor Essex County 00:37:53.369 --> 00:37:58.280 area, get down here to the markets. get him to 00:37:58.280 --> 00:38:01.280 cater any of your meals, any of your events. 00:38:02.219 --> 00:38:06.480 From two people to 150. There you go. Weddings 00:38:06.480 --> 00:38:09.840 or just intimate dinners. My name is Tracy and 00:38:09.840 --> 00:38:11.679 thank you for joining me for another episode 00:38:11.679 --> 00:38:14.780 of YQG & Bloom. Make sure to like, follow and 00:38:14.780 --> 00:38:17.079 subscribe and I will see you soon.