Name: Chuck Hughes
Why’s he famous: The magnetic celebrity chef who is partner and executive chef at Montreal’s Garde Manger as well as the star of the Food Network’s Chuck’s Day Off — a behind-the-scenes look at his restaurant business. Hughes is currently partnering with Hellman’s for their Real Food Movement campaign to connect Canadian families with fresh, healthy food. His recipes are at realfoodmovement.ca.
What he drives: A black four-door 2008 Volkswagen GTI.
Why the GTI: There’s something about it, it’s like a mini Porsche. Just the feel and the drive, it’s really a car for people who love to drive. It’s got pep and spunk and it’s really an experience to be in. I don’t take driving for granted anymore. It’s way more than just getting from point A to point B.
The car’s best feature: Its horsepower, although I’m not sure I should be talking about that (laughs). I’ve got a little bit more horsepower and I’m not sure how legal that is. I also love the integrated Bluetooth. It’s a fun, sporty car, but still offers a lot of space. I can put in my skis, my hockey equipment and other stuff, no problem.
What kind of driver are you? I’ve got the highway driving, which is like “how fast can I go without getting caught?” It’s like a video game, pretty much, for me. I’m really concentrated because I want to get there first. I’m still cautious, though. But when I’m driving downtown, I’m more laidback. Most of the summer, downtown, I drive my Honda Ruckus scooter around, though. So those are the two facets to my driving.
Dream car: If money was no object, I would probably get an all-black El Camino with, like, 22-inch old-school Daytona rims that was worth more than a house, just to drive around for fun. You know, the thing is, when you’re thinking about your life and thinking about it in terms of the rat race, I would want a Porsche — a Carrera or 911. It’s still my ultimate dream. One day. You never know.
Heather Buchan is a Toronto-based journalist whohas worked at Homemakers,Canadian Living, Canadian House & Homeand, most recently,Hello! Canada, where she cut her teeth in the world of celebrities.
