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Host John Catucci indulges in classic favourites with a twist - from 12 delicious, mouth-watering poutine combinations at Boomers Gourmet Fries in Stratford, ON (check out the signature “poutini” – garnished with an olive), to over 40 gourmet burger selections at Relish Burgers in London, ON (including one heart-stopping option named after the local ER) to more than 10 varieties of Eggs Benny at John’s Place in Victoria, BC. Caution: This episode may induce a food coma. Can someone say defibrillator?
Host John Catucci is in Montreal, QUE, where he crushes tomatoes by hand at the family-run Pizzeria Napoletana, his Nona would be so proud. And by the time he leaves the restaurant he won’t be just a friend, he’ll be family! Buon Appetito! It’s high stakes fun for a chef’s preference mystery meal at Floyd’s Diner in Victoria, BC. Customers who feel lucky raise the stakes on eating when they let John flip a coin for their order of the famous “Mahoney.” Heads, it‘s a free meal, tails, they pay double! And In Port Perry, ON at the legendary Haugen’s Chicken & Ribs, John samples their top secret dipping sauce. Some patrons have been known to drink it straight, will John?
Host John Catucci sinks his teeth into Halifax, NS’s Best Pizza Pie for over 10 years running at Salvatore’s Pizzaiolo Trattoria, where the cheese goes under the sauce putting it’s taste over the top! At The Harbour Diner in Hamilton, ON, locals line up for juicy menu items such as a better-than-mom’s meatloaf and mash and a big and meaty, super cheesy, crab and lobster mac’n cheese. While at Thunder Bay, ON’s Hoito Restaurant, John takes a bite out of history with paper thin Finnish-style pancakes served there for nearly a century.
Host John Catucci lands at Stoney’s Bread Company in Oakville, ON where they serve up a massive open-faced, blackened salmon sandwich on home-made focaccia. To die for! Over on the west-coast, he hits the Rock Cod Café in Cowichan Bay, BC famous for mouth-watering dishes like The Captain’s Plate, stacked with deep-fried goodness including halibut, prawns, oysters, scallops and calamari. Even for John’s appetite, that’s a really big catch! And get ready for a new dance craze to sweep the nation as John shows off his signature “bacon-mushroom-cheeseburger” moves at The Tomahawk in North Vancouver, BC (est. 1927).
How far north would you go for authentic southern BBQ? Host John Catucci travels to Ontario’s wilderness to discover a hidden gem in Busters BBQ, where blueberries are the key to killer sauce. John also visits the Argo Café in Vancouver, BC where they serve up everything from your typical diner food like grilled cheese sandwiches and fries to bistro-caliber duck confit. Then in Lunenberg, NS, John drops in at the renowned Magnolia’s Grill, where he is put through the paces of making chef Nancy’s signature fish cakes and delectable key lime pie. It’s all fun and games until somebody double dips!
Host John Catucci feasts on one-of-a-kind favourites! An East Coast café, Charlene’s Bayside restaurant, serves authentic comfort foods in a big way, including a bucket filled with chocolate mousse and brownies; and a Moncton, NB joint, the Tide and Boar, prepares everything in-house, from the famous Boar Poutine, right down to the ketchup. And if that’s not enough, you might want to try their very own uniquely Canadian take on tiramisu, the “Beeramisu.” And welcome to the Prince Albert’s Diner in London, ON, for a burger staple that offers bacon and peanut butter on a quarter pound of dripping goodness. When you see it, the only question is, smooth or crunchy?
Host John Catucci dishes up non-traditional breakfast treats at a new Toronto, ON favourite, Uncle Betty’s Diner, where the eggs benny is served on freshly made, in-house doughnuts. Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it! Over in Halifax, NS, The Armview Diner remains an institution since the 50s. Their fish comes strait from the shore through their door, and John follows in order to get cooking and serve updated classics to a new generation of Haligonian hipsters. From fish fries, to seafood burgers and salads, Haddock is the catch of the day. In Victoria B.C, Brooklyn-born brothers, Howie and David Siegel, owners of Pagliacci’s, show John some New York City attitude. Their restaurant’s claim to fame? Homemade, creamy, dreamy and definitely calorie enhancing New York-style cheesecake.
At Saint John Alehouse in Saint John, NB, host John Catucci goes head-to-head with eight pounds of lobster and 42 ounces of prime rib steak rolled into one. Then off-the-beaten-path in Burnaby BC, John arrives to shake things up at Fraser Park Restaurant, a joint known only to locals where they string up German sausage and serve home cooking with a German flair. And in Orangeville, ON, a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich never tasted so good with 10 different varieties to choose from. Drippy, ooey-gooey, sloppy steaks have John doubling up on the napkins!!
Looking to gain a little weight? How about a lot? John Catucci visits three Canadian eateries that offer only full-fat options! D & S Southern BBQ in Carlsbad Springs, ON features The Determinator Burger: three homemade patties, back bacon, beef brisket, onion rings, cheese… oh and built with grilled cheese sandwiches instead of buns. Think you can handle it? No-one else has! Déjà-Bu, in Caraquet, NB serves up poutine made with potatoes double fried in duck fat for double the crispiness and twice the flavour. At Bubi’s Awesome Eats in Windsor, ON. they offer $1000 and a t-shirt to anyone that finishes their behemoth 8-pound burger and lives to tell the tale! Will John?
Did someone say “bobotie”? John tracks down this South African mince meat delicacy at Stoneface Dolly’s in Ottawa, ON a little family-run joint. And only four hours away down the Trans Canada Highway in Toronto, John walks in on Hadley’s, a neighbourhood restaurant that smokes everything in-house including the cheese, and serves up classic comfort food, like their signature deep-fried “poached” eggs with homemade hollandaise. John also visits St. Peter’s Bay, PEI and dives into Rick’s Fish N’ Chips and Seafood House for some seafood pizza (not just for sushi joints) and Cajun mussels. This world-renowned eatery delivers the best crunchy-crusted filets and homemade fries on the island.
Host John Cattuci discovers a lobster-lover’s dream come true at Moncton NB’s Catch 22 Lobster Bar, where classic comfort dishes turn into magnificent lobster creations served 22 different ways. At Chicago Style Pizza in Hamilton ON, pizza loving John has himself a new favourite - a pizza stuffed into another pizza. Now that’s amore! At Topanga Café in Vancouver, BC, John chows down on authentic, homemade, California-style Mexican dishes which include their signature Wet Burrito with oh so much extra guacamole. It’s a fiesta of food when Enchiladas, Tacos, Tostadas, Nachos Supreme, are added to the menu, not to mention the unexpected, yet famously delicious, homemade chocolate cake. Olé!
Host John Catucci hits the road for good ole comfort food: At the Urban Deli in Saint John, NB they serve up classic two-handers, a.k.a: Massive American-style deli sandwiches. In St. John’s, NFLD, Ches’s Fish and Chips - a local favourite for more than 60 years - remains tight-lipped on a famous family batter recipe where if you can’t spell your name in the batter, then it’s not ready! And at Reggie’s Hot Grill in Peterborough, ON, John settles an argument between best friend owners while diving into Reggie’s Signature Burger, an all-beefer topped with a fried egg, a slice of mozzarella cheese and followed by a round piece of cheddar to give the cheesy illusion of a second egg. Garnish with crisp bacon and you have a meal worth arguing about!
Host John Catucci discovers the perfect cure for what ails you at Ottawa’s Elgin Street Diner. Open 24 hours, it’s famous for its chilli laden poutine and humongous Hangover Blue Plate Special. Here they sell over 700 lbs of fresh cut fries per week, 700!!. John then gets strict schooling on the art of the perfect smoked-meat sandwich at Schwartz’s Deli in Montreal, QUE (est. 1928), And at Mrs. Riches restaurant in Nanaimo, BC, John attempts to finish the massive K2 Mountain Burger and get his face on the “wall of fame” – will he be triumphant, or will he fail to scale this mountain of meat and bust a gut while trying?
Pulled pork and ‘magic’ spice rubbed ribs draw the crowds at Boneheads BBQ in seafood centric Halifax, NS. Host John Catucci licks smoked chicken bones clean and gets poutine lucky with burnt beef tips. And what’s the name of that damn pub in Thornbury, ON…? Oh, yeah – it’s “fun times” for John at Dam Pub with Chef Suzette, getting caught bypassing the pan when preparing shepherd’s pie potatoes! John also drops into Landmark Café in Victoria by the Sea, PEI where he digs into a decadent, triple-cheesy lasagna the likes of which, dare he admit, his mother never made.
Host John Catucci braids his first challah and discovers new takes on throwback Jewish classics at Winnipeg’s The Tallest Poppy, where the corned elk beats out the beef, and the blintzes are brazen. In Toronto, John goes mental for meatloaf muffins and bears witness to how rules are made to be broken through the magic of deep-fried mac and cheese, all at the modern west-end diner, The Cardinal Rule. And over at JR’s in Almonte, ON, John makes his mama proud juggling spicy meatballs and showing off expert flambéing skills -, well, almost expert!
As if being berated by Chef Sandy weren’t enough, John has to take on her 9 lb double-decker hamburger. Only at Blondies in Winnipeg, MB could John find a burger bigger than a grown man’s head – certainly bigger than his! Then in Ontario’s cottage country, John is subjected to further ‘teasing’ in the kitchen, but manages to impress with his little gnocchi song at That Little Place by the Lights in Huntsville, ON. And at Neighbours in Vancouver, BC, John gets the ‘good neighbour’ treatment when taunted for his pizza sauce stirring skills and put to shame in a spanikopita-off!
Host John Catucci is transported back to his childhood as garlic hits the pan with a sizzle at Tre Sorelle in Orillia, ON. It might take three sisters to prepare these Italian classics the old fashioned way, but it only takes one brother to eat them! Then, what do you get when a Czech family takes over a Danish restaurant? Same enormous portions of kylling and dansk schnitzel, only served up with a different accent! Watch John go dice for dice with Chef Paul preparing the out-of-this-world potato salad. And across the country in Canada’s smallest province, John is welcomed like a local at Water Prince Corner Shop in Charlottetown, PEI, famous for their authentic seafood chowder and ‘burping’ biscuits.
Brunch in Edmonton, AB means Urban Diner. Join host John Catucci as he makes a mess of the massive meatloaf breakfast sandwich, then flips out for their famous house signature poffertje pancakes. Haven’t had your breakfast fill? Check out Fat City Franks in Calgary, AB, the ultimate mom and pop hot dog shop, where cool cat retirees Bob and Jane show John their one-of-a-kind breakfast dog. Then John learns the art of ‘the big smoke’ from the father of the TO barbeque scene, at Phil’s BBQ in Toronto, ON. Will the sweet and sassy sauce reign supreme or will John’s taste buds learn to handle some serious heat?
Go back to the golden age of diners with host John Catucci at Red Top Diner in Winnipeg, MB. The 60’s might be over, but the Red Top’s 6-patty Monster Burger lives on! Then, John lines up like a local at Diner Deluxe in Calgary, AB, where nifty nuances on brunch classics – like maple fried oatmeal and meatloaf hash – make it worth the wait. And at Café Polonez, in Toronto, ON, a restaurant so authentically delicious the former Polish president paid a visit, John tries his hand at pierogi making… You might want to leave that to the professionals, John!
Meals are more than meats the eye at Boon Burger in Winnipeg, MB! See what happens when host John Catucci sinks his carnivorous teeth into the vegan delight Winnipeg voted burger of the year. Yes, we said vegan! Then, get ready to indulge at Jelly Modern Doughnuts in Calgary, AB, where Canadian classics maple and bacon join forces on the nation’s most beloved coffee accompaniment. And in Etobicoke, ON John loosens his lederhosen to make room for The Musket’s jager schnitzel. Watch as the masters of German meat work magical pork wonders.
Who’s that mad man eating ice cream in the snow? Host John Catucci, of course! After cooking up a bowl of hearty, belly-warming beef stew, John dons his parka to enjoy homemade ice cream at Evelyn’s Memory Lane Café in High River, AB. Then it’s ready… steady… ribs-steak-smoked meat! John goes meat crazy at The Main, a founding father of Montreal’s deli scene. Hope he leaves some room for the latkes! And in Toronto, ON watch John’s cholesterol hit the roof, sampling the likes of ‘The Coronary’ and ‘The Colon Clogger’. With names like that, no wonder this burger institution is called Dangerous Dan’s.
We’re in Turner Valley, AB where city boy host John Catucci gets a Wild West makeover; he mounts a horse and starts his day with the freshest burger possible. With their own cattle, Chuckwagon Café raises the bar on beef; ‘if it ain’t Alberta, it ain’t beef!’ Then John meets the shock jock of fast food, Jon Truch, at Tubby Dog in Calgary, AB, where the wild, wacky and wonderful hot dog creations feature madcap toppings like grape jelly or pickled ginger. And welcome to Flapjack’s in Caledon, ON, home of sinfully delicious banana bread French toast and new pancake line cook… John Catucci! Who knew John could flip such a mean flapjack? He’s flippin’ awesome!
Host Giovanni Catucci visits the Coastal Waters in Ingonish, NS. At Chez Claudette in Montreal, QC John shows off his fluent Franglais while preparing the ultimate in Quebecois comfort dishes. Then John checks out a barbecue joint that Americans cross the border for: Tunnel BBQ in Windsor, ON.
John loves the old-school Italian pizza at Baffo’s, in Bolton, ON – but Chef Elio’s rigorous pizza training might be more than he bargained for. Then – this ain’t no Tex-Mex at Tres Carnales Taqueria in Edmonton, AB. From taco to torta, will John master authentic Mexican street food or get bounced out the door by a lucha libre masked man? And in New Glasgow, PEI, John goes tank to table, tackling a whole lobster at New Glasgow Lobster Suppers, an island institution since 1958!
Host John Catucci takes a cross-Canada Euro-food tour! Highland Kitchen in Edmonton, AB might have a Scottish sounding name, but it's their modern Ukrainian inspired fare - like pork stuffed nalysnyky (crepes) - that John enjoys in the city's historic Highlands neighbourhood. Then John's flick-of-the-wrist flipping skills are put to the test at Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus in Calgary, AB, where more than 80 varieties of giant Dutch pancakes are served for breakfast, lunch and dessert. Traditional Dutch varieties - like onion, bacon and cheese - go head to head with
Man can't live on cinnamon buns alone, but host John Catucci certainly tries at The Sugarbowl in Edmonton, AB. An iconic landmark since 1942, the signature sweet and sticky buns draw crowds from across the city. And at The Grilled Cheese in Toronto's Kensington Market, John goes in for a grown-up version of the sandwich everyone grew up on. Will he slay 'The Beast', or will this double cheese,double meat doozy be too great a challenge? Then the cheese keeps on coming for John at the Shish-Kabob Hut in Peterborough, ON - in the form of a hot pepper and feta spread that
