There is a new competitive sport on the rise in Canada and it isn’t a nouveau blend of  curling and hockey known as “cockey.” No, it’s competitive cooking and though it doesn’t take place on ice, it certainly involves blood, sweat and many, many egos. Just ask chef Dale MacKay, Top Chef Canada’s first winner, who in the last year has opened a top restaurant in Vancouver (ensemble), won $100,000 from the Food Network Show and, perhaps, most importantly earned the nickname “Fancy Pants” for good.

Tell me a bit about your background. Are you classically trained?

I dropped out of high school in Saskatoon and moved to Vancouver on my 15th birthday. I worked random jobs for two years and then when I was 17, I started dishwashing. From there, I went on to cooking at burger and fry joints like Red Robin and Earl's. 

That's not entirely classical. What made you want to become a chef? 

When I was 20, I saw Gordon Ramsay's Boiling Point, which was an eight episode documentary series that followed him as he tried to make three Michelin Stars. Literally, the next day I applied for a  working holiday visa and a month later, I flew to England and showed up at Gordon Ramsay's to ask for a day trial. At the end of the day,  they said "see you tomorrow." Tomorrow became six years. I opened Claridge's, Boxwood and Savoy with Gordon. 

What was it like working with chef Ramsay? 

No matter what, he's a pretty self-centred person. But you have to be to achieve what he has. Still, he is a nice guy. I've travelled with him and partied with him in addition to the work I've done for him and you're not always on edge when he's around. But before you can get to a point where you can talk to the chef about normal stuff, you have to prove yourself to him immensely. But that's exactly how I am to my staff. I don't sugarcoat anything. I don't beat around the bush with anything and they don't have to with me, that's how it goes. To be honest, whenever Gordon would flip out at me, it was always pretty valid. He is an extreme case because he's such a perfectionist. But it was my chef school boot camp and it made me who I am. 

You are a prairie boy but you spent most of your apprenticeship in Ramsay's kitchens. As a chef, have you left the prairies — in all their rusticity — behind? 

I think food is one of the arts. I like my food to look beautiful. I didn't like that on Top Chef this season we were overly driven to cook casual food. I like my food to look fancy. I don't do rustic food. My new restaurant, ensemble, has a casual atmosphere but the food is refined. There is a place for "low key," but not where my food is concerned. They called me "Fancy Pants" on the show, that name is fine by me. 

Name calling aside, you did seem kind of groomed to win the show. Was there a natural antipathy between you and the rest of the cast? You were this season's "bad guy." 

I got along with pretty much all of the competitors. Dusty and I are really good friends. I ate at his restaurant last week. I keep in touch with Rob Rossi, we're having dinner tonight. The producers didn't show my humorous side or any other side except for the competitive side, which is fine. I signed up for it. Everyone was worried about my background but it was honestly anyone's competition to lose. We were all even going into the final competition but I guess my "fancy pants" prevailed. [Laughs]

Was it really as risky as the show made it out to be for you to make "two dishes" for one course in the final judgment meal?

I had no idea my competitors were upset about the "controversial" move until I saw the show. I asked everyone if what I was doing was legit — the culinary department, the producers, everybody. They said as long as I didn't need more time to create the meal or present it, I could do whatever I wanted. Why would I come so far and risk being kicked out for "cheating?" The scenario was slightly contrived but the result is the same no matter what. So I’m happy.