What do you do if you typically have dinner at one, two, or even three restaurants on any given night, and share details about your meals with nearly 30,000 fans online, and suddenly all of the restaurants are closed?
Thanks to the COVID-19 crisis in Vancouver and abroad, local foodie and Top Chef Canada resident judge Mijune Pak has found herself staying home, in order to "flatten the curve" and slow the spread of the virus.
So Pak has turned to cooking her meals, and checking in with many of her chef and restaurateur friends about how they're getting by in these uncertain and challenging times, and what they're eating.
And she's sharing it all with her social media followers on a new Instagram Live Series called "At Home with Mijune."
- Go back in time and listen to the V.I.A. Podcast interview with Mijune Pak
- Learn more about the upcoming season of Top Chef Canada, which debuts in April
"At Home with Mijune" launches Monday, March 23 at 6:30 p.m. (Pacific), and the debut episode features chef and restaurateur Nicole Gomes.
Gomes, a Vancouver resident, is a Top Chef Canada All Stars winner, as well as the owner of Calgary's Cluck N Cleaver restaurant. She'll be sharing a recipe for a Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni.
At the end of the cooking demonstration, Pak and Gomes will eat together (virtually), talk, and answer questions. Episode will be about 15-20 minutes each.
Anyone who is also staying home and looking to add to their recipe arsenal will find the recipes shared on At Home with Mijune on Pak's Instagram and website.
“I felt so helpless sitting at home as health care workers put their lives on the line to save ours,” says Pak. “I'm no doctor, but if I can save a life by encouraging people to stay at home, I'm in. Staying home is crucial to stopping the spread of this virus. I also want to continue celebrating our talented chefs, local artists, and industry that is taking a huge hit from this crisis."
Details about future installments of At Home with Mijune will be revealed on Pak's Instagram page.
