Interview with Chef Brad Long
When the Toronto Raptors play or Avril Lavigne comes to town, Executive Chef Brad Long of the Air Canada Center and star oft he Food Network’s Restaurant Makeover stuns and satisfies the world’s pickiest clientele.
By Julie Hunter
Hailed by celebrities, critics and chefs alike for his fresh cuisine, Executive Chef Brad Long shows us how a cookbook changed his cooking style and how he keeps Italian tenor Andrea Boccelli cheering.
Have you always wanted to be a chef?
Chef Brad Long: God no! It never occurred to me. I was a musician and every time I was on the road, I ended up in the kitchen, that’s really how it all began.
Did you cook at home with your parents?
Chef Brad Long Yes, a little bit. They both cook classically, nothing fancy. They grew up in the depression, so everything is very simple.
What were some of your favourite childhood dishes?
Chef Brad Long Cooking my own eggs in the morning – which my mom taught me how to do. And a dish my mom used to make called, “Saturday chicken”- which was chopped up chicken thrown into a stew with dumplings that covered the whole top of the pot. Also, my dad’s homemade burgers. Thanksgiving, Christmas and all the food linked to occasions were great as well.
What is your cooking trademark?
Chef Brad Long:Fresh ingredients. I am intense about respecting where things come from not changing them. Interesting foods with a history tell a story, and I like to keep them that way.
What are some of your favourite cookware items?
Chef Brad Long:A well balanced and sharp knife and a wood rasp which I use throughout all stages of a meal.
What is your foodie pet peeve?
Chef Brad Long: When people say they are allergic to things they just don’t like or want to try. Just say you don’t like it!