Where there's smoke, there's barbecue
Posted Jul 1, 2010 By David Johnston
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EMC Lifestyle - When Steph Legari is behind the grill, anything can happen.
David Johnston, Perth EMC
Grill This! Smoke That! is a new Rogers Television program to air this fall featuring Steph the Grilling Gourmet. He will prepare a wide variety of exotic and traditional grilled and smoked dishes from various locations around the Ottawa area.
Take barbecued, smoked strawberries for example.
Who would have thought to lightly grill and smoke the fresh fruit before popping it into the freezer? Later, the unique berry can adorn a summer strawberry wine, sparkling beverage or just be eaten for the sheer enjoyment of its smoky flavour.
That's the genius of Steph the Grilling Gourmet. The son of Joe Legari, a local Ottawa television and entertainment personality, dancer, producer, lecturer, columnist, designer, choreographer, artist and actor, Steph is no stranger to the spotlight.
However, his love for food is his real passion.
"My life has always revolved around food," he said during a short break from filming his new Rogers Cable television show Grill This! Smoke That!
"It's what I love."
His devotion to culinary arts started with graduation from The Culinary Management Program at George Brown College in 1986. While in Toronto he sharpened his skills in a variety of commercial kitchens, but soon discovered his true love was the art of grilling and smoking food. He decided to pursue his passion while catering to the appetites and interests of large and small groups. He literally took his show on the road in 2008 with Steph the Grilling Gourmet.
"Grills are so much more than steaks and burgers," he mused. "Take it out to the garden and make it supreme on the grill."
With the experience gained from grilling up specialty foods for private parties and functions, Steph's new 15-episode television show on Rogers TV in Ottawa will help everyone learn the secrets he's developed from years of devotion to grilling.
"Whether it is an intimate group or a corporate function with hundreds of people, Steph has always enjoyed sharing his knowledge and, of course, his finished product. His television show will allow him to share his knowledge of the grill and demonstrate techniques that allow everyone to enjoy the full flavour of their food," says producer Jeff Radbourne.
Grill This! Smoke That! will feature his unique approach to cooking everything from traditional foods such as cuts of meat to fish and even fresh fruit.
"I have surrounded myself with high quality staff and only the best ingredients to create the ultimate in smoked and grilled cuisine," said Steph.
The proof is in the eating, something that Steph truly enjoys biting into. One of his prides is his personal brand of dry rubs.
"Commercial dry rubs have too much salt," he says, " and that can spoil any dish. It sucks the natural juices and flavour right out."
By comparison, Steph selects only fresh herbs, which are hand ground in small batches, to ensure the highest standard in taste.
"My dry rubs are only herbs and spice - no unnatural additives, and they're fresh, fresh, fresh!" he emphasized.
Spicing food to enhance its natural flavour is only one of the many secrets Steph will reveal on his television show, which will air this fall.
Grill This! Smoke That! follows Steph as he travels from location to location across the greater Ottawa area, thrilling audiences with his gourmet grilled and smoked delights.
"Steph's mission is to educate and demonstrate the art of smoking and grilling a variety of foods," says Radbourne. "By using fresh, mainly local ingredients as well as the best local foods available, Steph produces the most delicious and always unique television experience."
Like the flamboyant host, each show is presented from a unique location.
"Segments not only depict the standard cooking demonstration, but feature local food growers and food artisans that contribute to a particular episode's theme...a local winery, butcher or organic farmer...the possibilities are truly endless," says Radbourne.
"By providing a new and unique format to the tried and true 'cooking show' formula, Steph's show will push the boundaries of what is currently being produced. From a technical standpoint, Grill This! Smoke That! breaks new ground in the cooking show genre by being more of an adventure cooking show. It will appeal to many people on a variety of levels," says Radbourne.
Two years in the making, Grill This! Smoke That! may be coming to your table via your television, but the real proof is in the eating for Steph.
During a time-out between takes at the picturesque Camelid Farms in West Carleton, he paused and reflected on his freshly prepared salmon dish.
"We'll save that for a little munch later," he winked and said to the crew.
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