For those here in Canada, Christine Cushing is a household name, having appeared on Food Network Canada (a franchise of the US parent company) from the very beginning. I remember first seeing Christine on her “Dish It Out” show but she went nationwide tackling the vacant early evening slot with her live one-hour cooking show (complete with live call-ins) on Christine Cushing Live. After five years of “CC Live”, she followed up with a a half-hour taped show called ‘Come Dine With Me’ and soon after she departed television to pursue, market and sell her own brand of tomato sauces and olive oils.
Before I get to the interview with Christine, let me tell you more about her: Christine is of Greek heritage and in fact she was born in Athens and emigrated with her family at the age of one. From early on, she spent time in the kitchen…or her make-shift kitchen entertaining family and friends with her “Easy Bake Oven” (it’s amazing what you can bake with a light bulb)! Christine moved on to a real kitchen alongside her hugest influence in cooking… her father.
Christine decided to go to Toronto’s George Brown College and then further honed her cooking technique by traveling to Paris to study at Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne. Christine has since worked at The Four Seasons Hotel, King Ranch Health Spa and Scaramouche Restaurant and she ran a successful catering business/recipe development/consulting/conduct class parties in peoples’ homes.
Currently, Christine still keeps herself very busy with the successful tomato sauce line, an olive oil from Crete (Christine’s mom is from there) and her new(ish) foray back into television with “Fearless in the Kitchen”. The premise of this show is Christine transforms terrible home cooks in to fearless chefs, culminating in cooking a home-cooked meal for family or friends. Each show begins with the hopeless home cook between transformed into a swan in the kitchen…with Christine’s guidance.
Fearless in the Kitchen was just renewed for a 3rd season and now that you and I know Christine a little bit better, Christine has some more exciting news to announce about her show, talk about her second brand of olive oil, a certified organic extra-virgin olive oil from the Mani peninsula of Laconia, we touch upon Greek cuisine and food trends to watch out for in the coming year. Enjoy my chat with Chef Christine Cushing!
(Video captured by my friend, Marianthe Mesbouris)
- For info on the show, “Fearless in the Kitchen”, dates, times, schedules and a recipe archive from the show, click here
- For more info on Christine’s tomato sauces and her Cretan and Mani olive oils, visit Christine Cushing’s site
- Food Network Canada still has a micro-site dedicated to Christine and all her recipes from the show can be found here.
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© 2007-2011 Peter Minakis
Very fun seeing you on video! Now I feel like I *know* you a little better.
Interesting interview; I have become super interested in olive oil, what an expert in France calls ” fruit juice”; he drinks it first to taste it. I have never had Greek olive oil so would love to try hers. She has a great smile.
I’m sensing you don’t mind interviewing/working with Christine. She’s pretty cute! Unfortunately, we don’t know her in South Florida.
Awesome interview Peter…, you guys work well together
Bravo, Peter!
I haven’t seen her new show here on the Alberta prairies, but she was definitely a favourite of mine when she came out with her first show. I wondered what has happened to her. I loved how she made cooking so real.
Great post,
Thanks!
Valerie
Where is Christine cushing ?