By Ian Holmes

Former Nanaimo man appears on CTV reality series MasterChef Canada

Mar 5, 2017 | 8:08 AM

NANAIMO — He didn’t make it far on a reality TV series, but a former Nanaimo man says appearing on the CTV program MasterChef Canada was an “incredible ride.”

Chris Rivest, 37, who now lives in Calgary, was among 24 contestants to appear on season four of the CTV program.

Rivest was eliminated toward the end of the season premiere, which aired March 2.

“It was absolutely bonkers man,” Rivest told NanaimoNewsNOW. “You can’t describe what it’s like, it’s like an out of body experience.”

Rivest was eliminated as judges pared-down the number of contestants from 24 to 12.

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He said he felt like a ‘”deer in the headlights” when singled out by a judge for confusing veal for pork chops. Rivest was then told by another judge that his food presentation “fell flat.”

Rivest, an amateur cook with a loyal YouTube following, said all of his experience flew out the window while appearing on the program.

“You feel nervous, you feel anxious, you feel proud, you feel stoked, happy,” he said. “It’s every single emotion you can feel is just firing on all cylinders.”

Rivest said cooking helped save his life, noting he was “going down a pretty dark path” after the death of his sister.

“If somebody can get out of a dark place by enjoying anything, whether if it’s working out or cooking, or whatever, that can be super cool.”

Rivest, who worked for years in the radio industry, is charting a new path as a nutritional counselor.

He hopes the exposure he gained on MasterChef Canada will help him in his new career.

Ian.holmes@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @reporterholmes