Food Network host dazzled by HRM eats

John Catucci was a mainstay on Food Network Canada screens for five years in You Gotta Eat Here!, and just 18 months after its cancellation, the cameras are rolling on the traveling foodie once again.

His brand new show, Big Food Bucket List, recently brought him to Nova Scotia, where he went to four mainstay eateries.

“I always have a fun time in Halifax, and coming and trying more delicious food was get. It was so nice to get out that way, as it’s been a while,” said Catucci.

He visited Halifax’s King Of Donair, Dartmouth’s John’s Lunch and The Canteen, and then traveled to Sugar Moon Farm in Tatamagouche.

“Everywhere we went had its own amazing spin, and everything was so different. It was so perfect to check out those dishes and take those places off my bucket list,” he said.

“It was nice to have the break after You Gotta Eat Here! wasn’t picked up, but now I’m back, excited, invigorated and hungry.”

Donairs are available in some form all over this province and many others, but Catucci agrees with Haligonians: No one does it quite like King Of Donair.

“As weird as it sounds, for all the times I’ve been here, I had never tried one. It was always on my list, and I realize now that there’s nothing like it,” he said.

“The combination of the way they season the beef, the way they cut it, and their donair sauce is incredible. There’s an addictive quality to it.”

He jokes that it was weird to be inside KOD during the waking hours.

“To eat a donair in the sunshine was new. Usually you want a donair when you’ve been to the bar and you’re coming out. It’s a 2 a.m. experience, but I see why people here are so obsessed,” he said.

While many imitate, Catucci says much of the competition comes in the form of gyros.

“That’s also seasoned beef on a spit that’s cut off, but then the pita is dressed the way a souvlaki would be,” he said.

“You get tzatziki, and I expected this donair to be garlic-y. But here, the savoury meets the sweet sauce, and it’s just awesome.”

Nicholas Nahas, KOD owner, is humbled by the high praise Catucci heaped upon the recipe.

“It was a great experience. I was familiar with him and I’m a fan. Years ago I tried to get his show to come out, and didn’t get it. But I was so excited to be featured on this new show,” he said.

“We’ve been around since 1973, and as a rule we’re open 364 days a year. But this was a huge occasion, and we shut the place down for two days of filming. It was just an opportunity we were so willing to be a part of.”

He’s seen the look of wonderment with which first-timers greet his donairs, but it was pretty special to see someone of Catucci’s stature experience it.

“It was great to have him try it. His smile was amazing, but we want that smile whether it’s a seasoned foodie or someone just visiting. We just love it,” he said.

“We hope this experience will give us exposure – especially because it’s on the Food Network Canada – and get more eyes on our business. It’s one thing to look at our donairs, and another thing entirely to come try one.”

Catucci was encouraged by everyone he spoke to telling him to go to John’s Lunch, and he wasn’t disappointed.

“I walked in and felt like I stepped back in time. It looks like an old school diner from the sixties. The cooks are making your food in front of you and you can talk to them,” he said.

“Everyone is a regular and the owners know people’s names. It’s just the best fish. It’s like Cheers with fried fish. It’s just so delicious, and it wasn’t just about the food. The vibe, the atmosphere and the people there were amazing.”

The Canteen – owned by Top Chef competitor Renee Lavallee and her husband – was another stop he just loved.

“She has that chef pedigree and know-how, and after meeting her and her husband, we had an instant connection. She just felt like she needed to cook for me,” he said.

“She loves to do this, and it’s her passion. Knowing she enjoys what she does just means so much.”

He was also taken with her knowledge of exactly where her ingredients came from.

“She knew the scallops were from Digby, and she makes a point to meet and know her farmers and fishermen suppliers. She sources out as local as possible, and you can taste that in her food,” he said.

“When and owner and chef spends the time she does sourcing and showcasing, you can feel that. It’s in the presentation, how food is served, how it tastes, and how it makes you feel.”

Finally, he called his time at Sugar Moon Farm a magical experience.

“It reminded me of being a kid and going to sugar shacks on school trips. It’s wild to see the process and the work that goes into making maple syrup,” he said.

From the Nova Scotia blueberry pancakes with maple whipped cream to the maple bacon mac and cheese, he had a formidable, fantastic experience.

“When we got there, they had just finished tapping the trees, and seeing the time they put in was incredible. They just put maple syrup in everything,” he said. “There was nothing more Canadian than the things we were eating.”

He has a tip for those visiting Nova Scotia looking for the best food in the area.

“Talk to the locals and keep your eyes open. Find the places locals say you have to go, and ask about the best dishes in the area. Find out what people in town rave about,” he said.

“People love talking about food, and they have an emotional connection to it. I just love seeing the excitement people have for their favourite places and dishes, and that’s what this show tries to capture.”

The show, Big Food Bucket List, begins May 24 on Food Network Canada.