A Kelowna chef is slated to be featured on an episode of the Food Network’s Fire Masters — for a second time.
James Holmes, head chef of Bernard Avenue restaurants Salt & Brick and Jack’s on Bernard, will go head-to-head with other esteemed chefs on the competition-based show.
“Kelowna’s just on fire right now for being on the Food Network,” he told the Capital News.
Fire Masters is a one-episode competition with three competitors. The first round sees three chefs compete, leaving two standing for a second-round battle. The last-remaining chef cooks against one of the judges, a well-known chef, for a prize of $10,000.
Fire Masters is unique in that chefs can only cook on fire, outdoors.
Although Holmes can’t give too much away, he said, “The one thing I can tell you is that in your first round, you bring your signature dish and it goes from there.”
In February, Holmes was on The Food Network’s Big Food Bucket List with Salt & Brick, but he says Fire Masters is a whole new ball game.
“This is a competition so there’s a lot more drama to the show,” Holmes explained. “I am a competition chef, I do it all the time but to do it on national television it’s a lot more stress and just a lot more involved,” he said, adding the chefs have to cook their dish within 30 minutes.
As for being on the Food Network by himself this time, he said the episode will give Kelowna a better look at his personality.
Holmes said the episode was recorded in September 2019 and the Food Network recorded two seasons in advance.
“It has been a year-and-a-half that I’ve had to keep my mouth shut and not talk about it,” he laughed.
“I’m just stoked that five Kelowna chefs have been on The Food Network now. It’s just amazing how Kelowna’s been featured and we’re just a bit more in the spotlight now and showing people what we do, it’s just awesome.”
Find out if Chef Holmes wins $10,000 when Fire Masters airs on June 3 at 8 p.m. PST on the Food Network. Learn more here.
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