UPDATE - Regarding the episode of the Surreal Gourmet I was in; it is called, "The Yum of the Parts", and is scheduled to air on Thursday, December 1 at 10 pm. It will also repeat Friday, December 2 at 1 am and Saturday, December 3 at 9:30 pm. Food Network … Ciao Pro (October 5, 2005)
Filming the Surreal Gourmet, Aug 9, 2005
Ok ... its a significantly longer story as to how it was that I was asked to appear on the Surreal Gourmet, but when they themed a show on 'architects' and I received the call, I was only too happy to oblige. I mean ... come on ... Food AND Architecture ... we're talking MY DNA! The show appears on the Food Network and outside of a few sports networks, RAI & BBC - it's my favourite Channel/Network.
So, they shot it at the OCAD (Ontario College of Art & Design) here in Toronto - actually, just up the street from me.
Shot from the impromptu 'Green Room' ... which was inside the air conditioned OCAD - a very welcome relief that day. Those diagonal pencil type coloured 'stilts' are the structure supporting the OCAD - and that 'Toaster Mobile' (modified Airstream) is Bob's signature mobile kitchen.
The props team added additional coloured sono-tubes for decoration .... I guess they felt it makes for better TV ...
One of the things we were asked to do (the guests who cooked) was to, at some point during the taping, make 'some structure' out of popsicle sticks - we were told that we would be provided with the materials and would be timed. This was John's popsicle stair sculpture. John showed up with his completed ... AND he bought all the popsicle sticks from Loomis & Tooles next to his office.
How do I know this? Because, the night before when I went to get a head start on things - all the popsicle sticks were gone from Loomis & Tooles by the time I arrived. I was forced to drive the Lewiscraft at the Yonge and Eglington centre narrowly escaping a ticket for the illegal parking that my time constraints forced me to embark upon.
This is me with the beginnings of my popsicle stick toaster mobile ... I showed up with an AutoCAD plan and about 1" of it completed, by the time I got back from buying popsicle sticks (the night before the taping ... $20 buys you A LOT of popsicle sticks, btw) I could only manage to complete the 1" base. But I'd figured out the template - so on the day of the taping I moved like greased lightning.
John snapped this photo while they were filming my intro.
This is what the site location looked like.
Here's some of those extra coloured sono tubes I'd mentioned.
Close up of the Toaster Mobile.
Me and Bob.
Me and Dale Burshtein, the Producer.
John and Sheila, the director.
John in the Toastermobile.
And then I had to run to finish building my popsicle stick toaster mobile; and my camera battery died; my memory card was full; we were filmed eating as a group; I had to do a six minute drawing of a 'deconstructed' toastermobile; and before I knew it; the experience was over and it was after 8pm.
I showed up at 8 am so ... it was a long day.
I was told that the episode featuring architects will run in the fall. When I find out what date it's on - I'll post that info.
I'm waiting for some pics that Jason took - he appeared on the episode as well. Also there were Scott, Heather & Tom .... great fun and a very memorable experience. When I get Jason's pics, I'll post whatever I can.
Later,
Pro
2:21pm Aug 11, 2005 - Here are 3 of Jason's Pics;
Me at one point in the afternoon.
Here is Jason and his son, Syd after the taping was complete.
Here is the Team Picture.
