The first season of the Canadian reality competition show '' Top Chef Canada'' was broadcast on

Food Network Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (which holds a 69% ownership stake of the network) and Nexstar Media Group ( ...

in Canada. It is a Canadian spin-off of Bravo's hit show ''

Top Chef ''Top Chef'' is an American reality competition television series which premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006. The show features chefs competing against each other in culinary challenges. The contestants are judged by a panel of professional che ...

''. In the first season, 16 chefs competed against each other in weekly challenges. The program took place in Toronto. In the season finale that premiered on July 4, 2011, Dale MacKay was crowned Top Chef Canada.

Contestants

Sixteen chefs competed in season one. Names, ages, hometowns, and cities of residence (at time of filming) are from the Food Network Canada website. In the order eliminated: * Michael Stauffer, 30,

Dundas Dundas may refer to: Places Australia * Dundas, New South Wales * Dundas, Queensland, a locality in the Somerset Region * Dundas, Tasmania * Dundas, Western Australia * Fort Dundas, a settlement in the Northern Territory 1824–1828 * Shire ...

, ON * Clayton Beadle, 26, Whistler, BC * Rebekah Pearse, 29,

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, maki ...

, AB * Steve Gonzales, 35,

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

, ON * Derek Bocking, 30,

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...

, QC * Jamie Hertz, 31,

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

, BC * Chris Kanka, 34,

, ON * Patrick Wiese, 40,

, ON * Todd Perrin, 40, Quidi Vidi Village, St. John's, NL * Darryl Crumb, 29,

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749 ...

, MB * Andrea Nicholson, 28,

, ON * Francois Gagnon, 32,

, QC * Dustin Gallagher, 28,

, ON * Connie DeSousa, 29,

, AB * Rob Rossi, 27,

, ON * Dale MacKay, 30,

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

, SK

Contestant progress

: Eliminated by placing last in the Quickfire Challenge.
: Although in the bottom, Chris had won immunity in the quickfire challenge, so he was not eligible to be eliminated.
: Although in the bottom, Dustin had won immunity in the quickfire challenge, so he was not eligible to be eliminated.
: In the knife pull, Francois pulled "Hog Wild", guaranteeing immunity, while the Black Team finished the relay first and gained an extra hundred dollars in their budget.

: (WINNER) The chef won the season and was crowned Top Chef. : (RUNNER-UP) The chef was a runner-up for the season. : (THIRD-PLACE) The chef placed third in the competition. : (WIN) The chef won that episode's Elimination Challenge. : (HIGH) The chef was selected as one of the top entries in the Elimination Challenge, but did not win. : (LOW) The chef was selected as one of the bottom entries in the Elimination Challenge, but was not eliminated. : (OUT) The chef lost that week's Elimination Challenge and was out of the competition. : (IN) The chef neither won nor lost that week's Elimination Challenge. They also were not up to be eliminated.

Episodes

Each episode includes two challenges. The Quickfire Challenge is a short, simple challenge with a varying reward each week. In the initial episodes of the season, it usually guarantees the winner

immunity Immunity may refer to: Medicine * Immunity (medical), resistance of an organism to infection or disease * ''Immunity'' (journal), a scientific journal published by Cell Press Biology * Immune system Engineering * Radiofrequence immunity de ...

from being sent home that week; however, in the latter stages, the Quickfire winner is given an advantage in the upcoming Elimination Challenge. It also has been made clear that Quickfire winners this season may receive other rewards, including cash prizes. The Elimination Challenge is a more complex challenge that determines who goes home. One or more judges join the show each week to evaluate both the Quickfire and Elimination challenges. Each week's elimination is announced in a segment called "Judges' Table." Each week of season one featured a guest judge or special guest, such as

Dan Aykroyd Daniel Edward Aykroyd ( ; born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian actor, comedian, producer, musician and writer. He was an original member of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" on ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1979). During his tenure on ''SNL'' ...

Susur Lee Susur Lee (; born December 1958) is a Canadian celebrity chef based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Culinary career Susur was born in Hong Kong, the youngest of six children. He served his culinary apprenticeship at Hong Kong's renowned Peni ...

, Daniel Boulud,

Rob Feenie Robert Feenie is a Canadian chef based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Culinary career His interest in cooking began during a high school exchange program in Europe. He attended Dubrulle Culinary Institute (now part of The Art Institute of V ...

, and recurring judge on the American version,

Gail Simmons Gail Simmons (born May 19, 1976) is a Canadian-American food writer and cookbook author. She has served as a permanent judge on Bravo's Emmy-winning series ''Top Chef'' since the show's inception in 2006. Simmons was previously the head critic on ...

References

{{Top Chef Canada, Season 1 2011 Canadian television seasons