It’s easy for talented chefs to whip up a five-star meal from ingredients found in a kitchen, but what happens when you challenge those same world-class chefs to forage for ingredients? Hulu’s new cooking competition series Chefs vs. Wild pairs chefs with survivalists and then sends them off into the wilderness to cook up an impressive meal.
Award-winning chef and restaurateur Kiran Jethwa hosts the series and serves as a judge along with wild foods expert Valerie Segrest.
The eight-episode first season premieres on September 26, 2022 with the release of the first two episodes. Two new episodes will be released each week leading up to the October 17th finale.
Hulu released the following description of season one:
“Reaching the peak of the culinary world has never been this demanding. In each episode of Chefs vs. Wild, two different world-class chefs will be dropped into the wilderness where they’ll embark on a grueling and unprecedented mission – survive and forage enough wild ingredients to create a restaurant-worthy, five-star meal. Episodes will culminate in the chefs going head-to-head in a wilderness kitchen, using their foraged ingredients and ingenuity to create savory dishes and, ultimately, impress the judges.”
Season 1 Episode 1 “Smoked Out” Chefs and Survivalists:
Chef Sammy Monsour from Cary, North Carolina – Sammy is a third-generation chef and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. He’s opened restaurants to rave reviews, published cookbooks, and proven himself as an activist in the sustainability field. His work has been recognized by the James Beard foundation, Zagat, and he has received a Michelin Award. Taking food from the wild and making it shine on the plate is his specialty!
Chef Viet Pham from Salt Lake City, Utah – Viet is a classically trained chef and a self-proclaimed “MacGyver” chef. After attending California Culinary Academy, he worked for Laurent Gras and eventually put his name on the map with his own restaurant, Forage. He won Food & Wine’s Best New Chef 2011 and received multiple James Beard nominations. A few of Viet’s favorite wild ingredients are herbs, wild trout, and cooking over a live fire.
Survivalist Robin Lafreniere from Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, CAN – Robin is from Lake Manitoba First Nations and is a survival instructor at the International School of Survival. She is a member of the Anishinaabe First Nations tribe and living off the land is part of her heritage. She is an expert at shelter-building, fire-building, and foraging. Her favorite ingredients are chaga, chanterelles, fiddleheads, and wild onions.
Survivalist David Noel from Hilliardton, Ontario, CAN – David lives off the grid in a 160-square-foot cabin in the woods. He is self-employed and able to dedicate his life to being in nature and his son. Having experience with construction, one of his biggest strengths is being able to build shelters out of different materials. He went to school for culinary arts and business management and loves to cook quirky dishes such as rabbit brain pudding!
Season 1 Episode 2 “Oh Matsutake, Where Art Thou?” Chefs and Survivalists:
Chef Nico Albert from Tulsa, Oklahoma – Nico is a self-taught chef, owner of Burning Cedar Indigenous Foods and Founder of Burning Cedar Sovereign Wellness. As a child, she spent time in her mother’s kitchen preparing meals for her family. Her passion for food and her Cherokee roots inspired her to create contemporary recipes that revitalize Indigenouscuisine and educate her community on healthy eating and food sovereignty.
Chef Alan Bergo from Menomonie, Wisconsin – Alan Bergo is a James Beard Award-winning chef, author, and host of the show Field Forest Feast on Tastemade. He currently resides in rural Wisconsin where he hunts edible plants and mushrooms as a full-time career, testing recipes, writing cookbooks, and crafting once-in-a-lifetime meals. Notably, he was executive Chef of Lucia’s Restaurant and Wine Bar, and SousChef at Heartland Restaurant in St. Paul-an establishment that only served food found within a 200-mile radius of its doors.
Survivalist Greg Chaney from Juneau, Alaska – Greg has lived in Alaska for 40 years. He resides on an off-grid property on a remote island in Southeast Alaska. He loves doing things the “old-school” way and considers himself a minimalist when it comes to survival. Not only can he get his fire and shelter set up, but he’s made his own fishing nets and poles. Now that he’s retired, he has big plans to go on more adventures and expeditions!
Survivalist Baha Mahmutov from Wharncliffe, Ontario, CAN – Baha is originally from Kyrgyzstan and grew up while the country was part of the Soviet Union. He eventually fled the country and came to the US for a better life. He and his wife live in Ontario, Canada where they raise birds, ducks, chickens, turkeys, and live off the land. His biggest strength in survival skills is foraging, particularly for mushrooms, herbs, berries, and wild plants.
