Recap of ‘Recipe to Riches’ season three
By Jerrison Oracion, Senior Columnist
Things are heating up in season three of Recipe to Riches, which airs its finale on April 2.
The hit CBC show welcomed a series of newcomers this season, including host Carlo Rota (Little Mosque on the Prairie) and judges Arlene Dickinson (Dragon’s Den) and Vikram Vij of Vij’s restaurant. But the real star of the show this season has been kitchen commander Rob Rainford, who we see in the product development part of the show. You see him a lot because he helps the contestants explain to various chefs how to make the recipe; he helps the contestants realize the restraints of a commercial kitchen, as well as the food processing standards.
The marketing teams seen in the product launch part of the show are also great because you get to see how a product is promoted before it is sold in a supermarket.
In the final round of Recipe to Riches, Canadians compete to have their recipe sold at Superstore under the President’s Choice label and win a $250,000 grand prize. It is the viewers who ultimately decide which recipe will win, but here is my analysis of the five recipes that won in the show this season and could win the final round.
First, we have Port Coquitlam’s Jesse Meredith’s recipe of Mini Raspbery Cheesecake Chocolate Cups, which has a great design because the cup in it is similar to a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. It tastes great and it is creamy and rich.
Next, we have Winslow Taylor’s recipe of Jammin’ Jamaican Lobster Bisque. The lobster tastes great, and the broth is delicious and spicy. The store version does not have the same amount of lobster as the original recipe, which is probably to keep the cost at $3.99 instead of $25.
Third, we have Alcide Desveaux’s recipe, Grandpa’s Acadian Meatpie. Meatpie is a traditional recipe from Alcide’s home province of Nova Scotia. It’s fairly simple, with a buttery crust and lots of flavour.
Fourth, we have Gibsons’s Elisa Hendricks’s recipe of Italian Lollipops, which looks appealing and like it would taste flavourful and crunchy.
Finally, we have Cyra Belbin’s recipe of Mexi Mac and Cheese Bites, which has a great design and looks like it could taste cheesy and crunchy.
Of the five, I would have to say that Meredith or Desveaux are the frontrunners. Both recipes look delicious and would definitely sell well on a larger scale. But we’ll have to wait until the April 2 finale to find out for sure.
