Calgary Zoo's sous chef wins $10K Chopped Canada prize
Krish Nair beat out 3 competitors to claim Saturday's title
When you plan an outing to the Calgary Zoo, you're probably not thinking about the food.
But in between visiting the gorillas, penguins, tigers and hippos, you might want to grab a bite to eat from its award-winning chef.
Krish Nair, the executive sous chef with the zoo, has just been crowned the culinary champion of Chopped Canada's most recent competition.
A panel of three culinary superstar judges, including Michael Smith, Eden Grinshpan and Massimo Capra, awarded him the $10,000 prize Saturday.
From 5-star London luxury to the YYC Zoo
Nair's culinary career began in India and brought him to London, where he worked in the prestigious kitchens of the five-star luxury hotel, The Savoy.
From there, he travelled to Canada and landed a position with The Fairmont Banff Springs, before eventually coming to work at the Calgary Zoo — where he says he couldn't be happier.
"Every day, I see a beautiful peacock. I see beautiful animals," said Nair, 30.
He said he starts each day with a stroll through the zoo's private herb and vegetable garden, harvesting fresh produce for the restaurant.
"Just imagine, you're going and picking up your own vegetables. You're making a soup out of it, or you're making nice salad out of it, and presenting it to the guests. It's a different experience and a different story."
Each episode of Chopped Canada features four chefs who race against the clock to create a three-course feast using mystery ingredients, which in Nair's case, included spring salmon, soda water and asparagus.
With files from The Homestretch