Gurj Dhaliwal
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Not only can Gurj Dhaliwal cook up unique, mouth-watering dishes such as Garam Masala Prawns and Tamarind Glazed Beef Kebabs, but he’s among the most charismatic cooks to ever command the spotlight on a television soundstage. So it came as no surprise to his fans when he won the Superstar Chef Challenge last year on Canada’s Food Network. For Gurj, who’s wanted to host a cooking show since he was a kid, winning the top prize — which is a chance to develop his own show — was a dream come true.

How has winning the reality show Superstar Chef Challenge changed your life?
I’ve probably been asked this about a hundred times and I can honestly say not that much. I still live at home with my family, I still babysit my little niece Isabella and I still cook dinner as much as my mom lets me. It’s not like I won the show and have a lineup of arranged marriages. But there has been quite a bit of exposure and with that you do have the proud people of not only Vancouver showing me love but also people of the South Asian community.

When is the show due to be launched?
We don’t have a launch date scheduled yet, we are still exploring different concepts that we can develop into a great show for the Food Network and for myself.

What kind of show would you like to do? Given your personality, would it have a strong humorous element?
How I got on the Superstar Chef Challenge was I did a taste test of my Butter Chicken on the streets of Vancouver and the reason I believe it worked was because of the people and their genuine candid responses. I want to host a show where I can interact and have fun with people. I’m a total people person and have always relished meeting and approaching people. Usually, my first question is: You hungry?

What was the toughest part of being on a reality show?
I loved the experience of being on the show but the toughest part about it was afterwards, and keeping it a secret for nearly 182 days! I felt like I had to go into hiding or FBI witness protection services to get away from all the questions and speculation.

Were there any moments that you found particularly embarrassing?
There were moments of embarrassment on a daily basis, but the most embarrassing would have to be at the very end of the show when I won and the credits were rolling and the producers asked me what would your mom say if she knew you had won? And my response, with a Punjabi mom accent, was something along the lines of, ”Oh good, he’s such a good boy. Now maybe he’ll find a good girl and get married.” I was not expecting that to make it to air at all. Every interview during the show I would answer at least one question with an accent but it didn’t make the cut in any of the other previous five episodes. I was surprised, a little embarrassed and Mom wasn’t too ecstatic either. I love you, Mom.

What was the best part?
How they declared the winner was awesome. There were three finalists, each with a butcher block and knife in the block, and only the winner’s knife would come out. The whole build-up of it all was quite grand. The best part was when that knife came out so easily. I knew it was the beginning of a dream come true. I have always wanted to have a cooking show on television since I was a little boy banging around in the kitchen with my mom and grandma attempting perfectly round roti- making.

What was the most memorable “challenge” that you faced as a chef during the reality series?
It would definitely have to have been the final challenge; it was an eight-minute live-audience cooking segment. Your own show, on the stage, do whatever you want . . . are you kidding me? I was super-stoked and when I heard there was an audience and it was going to be 200 culinary students, I knew I was going to kill it. My whole shtick or brand was to be somewhat of the male, Canadian, fatter Indian version of Rachel Ray. The concept was “Every day made East” quick and easy meals. I started my eight-minute show with a countdown of 1-2-3 EASY! That got the audience hyped up and excited. The final mouth-watering dish was very easy but very delicious. It was warm spinach salad with garam masala prawns, dried apricots, toasted almonds and citrus vinaigrette.

What are you up to now in addition to developing your own show?
Along with playing the role of uncle day care five days a week, I have started my own personal chef’s service called GD Gourmet. The business is a combination of catering private parties and events. Then there are cooking lessons I give in people’s homes, either one-on-one lessons or group interactive lessons. Lastly, I provide workplace-related lunch-and-learn seminars focusing on healthy recipes, and with that I’ll be providing ready-to-eat meals. You can e-mail me at info@gdgourmet.com and visit www.gdgourmet.com

You’re also well known for losing 30 pounds as a contestant on The Province and Global TV’s Fitness Fantasy series. As someone with the skills of a chef and who’s also lost weight, any healthy-cooking tips you can share with people trying to eat healthier?
Well, no, it was actually 31 pounds I lost, and I’m still demanding a re-weigh. Through the Fitness Fantasy contest last year I have changed my diet and continued to work and challenge myself. For those who want to be more health-conscious, I would say to eat leaner proteins: chicken breast, lots of turkey and slowly introduce tofu into your diet. Also eat more seafood and fish, something I feel not enough people are doing. Go out and purchase a steaming basket — either the one that coils in a pot or the bamboo one — and try steaming more of your food, especially vegetables. Something that’s worked for me is to do your best to stay away from the starches at dinner time and substitute with different beans and legumes.

What’s your favorite entrée recipe that you’ve created yourself?
A very popular recipe that came about on the first episode was the Bombay Burger. This is a great recipe for a home made summertime burger on the barbeque.