Which personalities will sign on with new AM 600 English radio?

Well, the last few weeks have been filled with great news regarding English radio in Montreal. First, the CRTC rejected Bell Media's purchase of Astral Radio. That meant TSN Radio 690 stays alive, instead of being transformed into  RDS Radio.

Now the CRTC has made another decision which benefits us, granting a license to Paul Tietolman and his TTP Media team to launch a new English station on the AM 600 dial. That means my good friend Steve Kowch is on his way back here to oversee the exciting hiring process, with an on air launch set for next spring.

Steve Kowch

I have know Paul Tietolman most of my life and I am happy that an introduction I made between him and Kowch helped push this project forward.

You can see Steve's blog on the news here.

"In the past six months I have received about 50 really good applications from men and women who are broadcast university grads, out of work broadcasters, producers, operators, reporters and from the competition who want to work at the new English radio station," Kowch shared with me from his current home in Toronto. "Many are from Montreal's diverse cultural communities. 

"There is also a lot of talent available in Montreal's diverse cultural communities who want to work in radio. TTP Media told the CRTC hearings it believes in diversity. Our on air sound will reflect that promise. I already have some excellent candidates."

Kowch says he will spend a lot of time in the next few months talking to Montrealers to not only find out what they want to hear on the radio, but to also reach out to Montreal's many English institutions, including school boards, merchants, businesses, advertisers, social services, volunteer groups and area politicians "to see how we can help them get closer to the community they serve. This is not about running PSA's. This is about covering their activities and sharing their stories in our newscasts."

Montrealers, Kowch says,  can start the process by sending me an email at steve@kowchmedia.com with ideas of what they want to hear on their new AM 600 radio station. "Running a radio station is more than just sitting in the corner office," he says. "It's getting out there meeting and speaking to listeners. I will be available to do just that in the New Year."

Kowch says that the  latest corruption inquiry is proof that Montreal needs more investigative reporting "and we will hire journalists who have a track record doing just that. Montreal is Canada's second largest city and it deserves live local news coverage 24/7. It is something we promised the CRTC and we will deliver local top of hour newscasts 24/7. Breaking news is just as important on weekends and overnight as it is 9-5 Monday to Friday. I look forward to the challenge and returning home to do the job."

Peter Anthony Holder

So, thinking out loud  I would love to see Peter Anthony Holder and Sol Boxenbaum back on the late night shifts. Would Aaron Rand be tempted by an offer to become the new station's morning man, bringing CJAD colleague Chantal Desjardins along? What about former CJAD personality Kevin Holden. Is he ready for a comeback? In terms of sports, Jess Rusnak from TSN Radio is a star in the making - schooled under the watchful eye of Mitch Melnick.  Suburban editor Beryl Wajsman  would be a logical choice to host his own hotline show, directly from The Suburban newsroom and young Dan Delmar would be a good choice as well. Unquestionably we will see seasoned veteran Jim Connell involved. I miss hearing his golden pipes on the air. Patrick Charles is a free agent, having left Mike FM. The  man once known as "Sir Patrick" was oustanding on the old Q92 and with Virgin Radio. Funny and talented, I am sure Kowch can find a role for him

It will be fun to watch all of the speculation.

Shameful treatment of Schwartz's Deli: innocent in new "MK" controversy

Shame on all of the people who took to Facebook castigating the famous Schwartz's Deli on St. Laurent Boulevard without getting all of the  facts. A printing error in the debut Montreal edition of the Jewish Pages put the smoked meat palace into full damage control.

Schwartz’s  first opened in 1928, launched by a Jewish immigrant from Romania named  Reuben Schwartz. Located on trendy St. Laurent Boulevard, affectionately known as the Main, it was sold last spring by chartered accountant Hy Diamond  in a multi-million dollar deal to a consortium headed by singer Céline Dion, her husband René Angelil and the Nakis family. Lineups typically snake up the block just to get a seat inside.

Co-owner Anastasia K. Nakis  told me that the past week has been extremely trying for her partnership. The Jewish pages printed an advertisement and according to officials there mistakenly added the MK symbol, lending the impression that the restaurant serves kosher food.  This ad was reproduced on Facebook and an onslaught of criticism began against Schwartz’s.  The Jewish Community Council even got involved, with executive director Rabbi Saul Emmanuel confirming to the Jewish Tribune that legal action was to be taken.

See lower down on their website for their retraction.

An official from The Jewish Pages will tell me more tomorrow, but the publication is taking full responsibility for the mistake. 

Nakis said that all she did was send the magazine her logo ” and they made the ad.  "They added the MK and kosher and I told them to remove it because we were not kosher," she said.  "Their original wrong ad went to print instead of the amended version.  This spiralled as someone took the ad and made a poster of it without me or my partners permission and sent  it  out to the Jewish community.  To tell you the truth, the way my staff and my partners and I have been mistreated and insulted by something that we had absolutely no control over is really upsetting.  My 18 year old cashier got berated by an irate woman the other day while she was minding the cash - just screaming at her on the phone.  It's out of control."

Le Biftheque rises from the ashes

When I reached Michael Seltzer by phone last week to ask him how he managed to revive the landmark steakhouse Le Biftheque, which opens for business again next week, he invited me to come visit the original Cote de Liesse location to see how the project is proceeding. With his wife/slick business partner Linda and long time general manager Gilbert Laurin by his side, he escorted me throughout the large property to illustrate the total makeover taking shape. An army of workers were in every corner.

Gilbert Laurin,  head chef Tony Masella, Michael Seltzer and chefs Richard Taitt and Robert Headley

Seltzer laughed when I told him how last August I was the first journalist to report that Le Biftheque was coming back. “Yes I know,” Seltzer acknowledged. “I read that copy of The Suburban the day I was doing the final signing to take the restaurant back.”

Thirty-one years ago Seltzer introduced Le Biftheque to Montrealers. A series of franchises soon sprung up elsewhere in Quebec and Ontario. In 2005 he sold the flagship restaurant on Cote de Liesse and rights to all of the franchises, accepting an offer he just could not refuse. The two subsequent owners both filed for bankruptcy. Seltzer was unsuccessful in buying it back the first time, but last summer he sealed the deal. Now residing primarily in South Florida, where he operates another steakhouse called Gameroff’s, he’s pouring a significant amount of dollars into the building. Besides a completely revamped and more elegant interior, there will new sushi bar right off the lobby, a roast beef cart and special fruits and vegetable items, to go along with popular  staples like the  rib steaks, fresh rolls, croutons, and of course the famous butcher shop.

The cows outside are being painted and half of the former staff are already back on board. Laurin was lured out of retirement. With word of mouth spreading, Christmas party bookings are already filling up. “People will be pleasantly surprised,” Seltzer said. “I did not want this restaurant to look like all the others.  I wanted it to look higher end. It is chic and very clean.”  

Le Biftheque was always one of my favorite restaurants.I mourned its passing and cannot wait to be back at one of their tables.

Here is my video interview with Seltzer.

Mathieu Darche: the ambassador the Habs still need

There is no telling when the  Montreal Canadiens will resume playing hockey. It is all in the hands of the least popular man in professional sports, Commissioner Gary Bettman and the NHL Players Association boss Donald Fehr. The cancellation Friday of the Winter Classic in Michigan indicates that the entire 2012-2013 season may be lost.

On Friday November 2 I was at McGill University's McConnell Winter Stadium to see the hometown national champion Redmen host the York University Lions. It was a special daytime Score with School Contest, which I had the distinction of organizing for the English Montreal School Board. Thanks to the tireless work of my colleague Daniel Smajovits, we worked directly with Martin Routhier of Rooths Sports and managed to attract more than 700 students to attend. The message repeated was "Stay in School." McGill won 2-0.

Darche signs autographs at McGill game.

We were very fortunate to have the best ambassador any school can ask for in former Hab Mathieu Darche. Here is a man who got his degree at McGill in Commerce and Marketing, made it to the pros and carved out a pretty good career for himself. Over the last number of years he was my favorite player on the team. A real grinder, he took the body, dove in front of shots and scored some key goals. More importantly he was the best ambassador the team could ask for, always available to talk to the media and present  at community events.

Last summer new Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin offered Darche a two-way contract, meaning that if he was sent down to the minors he would take a significant cut in pay. The message was being sent that he was simply not in their plans. Strangely though, they signed another forward in Petteri Nokelainen in the same salary range. Nokelainen was hardly a fan favorite, nor much to write home about. Certainly keeping Darche on the roster would have been a much better move.

The NHL lockout has not been good news for any of the players. In the case of Darche, he is an unsigned free-agent in the latter part of his career. He also has a family residing happily on the South Shore following a decade of being constantly on the run.  If this NHL mess is ever resolved, I would bet some team will grab him. I still hope Bergevin will give Darche more consideration.

At the moment Darche is a key player in the NHL lockout, part of Fehr's negotiating team. "I speak to Donald Fehr regularly," Darche told me. "I am so impressed with the man."

Should Darche decide to retire, the Canadiens would be well advised to hire this guy and put him in the head office as part of their community relations team. In fact, he'd be the ideal person to head such an initiative, getting his foot in the management door on his way to one day becoming an assistant coach or  general manager. Perfectly bilingual and educated, he is a fabulous role model out there for all of the kids whom we want to keep on the right track. Failing that, I am sure there is a place for him in the local broadcast media.

When we brought Darche to LaurenHill Academy in September, and again at the game on November 2, every kid wanted his autograph and to talk to him.  They all knew he wore number 52. He helped us promote the game at McGill, which by the way was very entertaining. Folks who miss the Habs can certainly have a bit of their appetite filled by seeing the Redmen or their crosstown rivals the Concordia Stingers play. There was plenty of end to end action, good body contact and a nice ambiance in the arena. With a surround seating capacity of over 800, with an  impressive VIP lounge, this is a great place to watch hockey.

Montreal bound Peter Frampton says life being sober has helped career blossom

Now that I have reached the ripe old age of 50, I am old enough to remember the days when I collected Peter Frampton’s albums and rocked to his hit song Show Me The Way in the 1970s.  The Grammy Award winning singer will be in Montreal on Monday, November 12 (8 p.m.) for the world premiere of his FCA (Frampton Comes Alive) 35 concert film at the IMAX Montreal Science Centre (2 de la Commune). 

Peter Frampton

While the event will raise money for the Saku Koivu Foundation of the Montreal General Hospital, Frampton will be unable to “show Koivu the way.” The former Hab was scheduled to be in this city last Saturday for a game between his Anaheim Ducks and the Canadiens. But the NHL lockout wiped that off the map. It is Koivu’s good friend, Côte St. Luc’s Steve Stein, who is steering the ship.  General admission for the film is $50. VIP seats, which include an opportunity to meet Frampton at a 6 p.m. cocktail, are $150. This also includes a DVD of the film, signed Frampton merchandise   and free onsite parking.  No tickets will be sold at the door. Go to www.peterframptonmtl.com for the details.

Steve Stein and Saku Koivu

I had a chance to talk to Frampton on Monday and he was pretty candid about the fabulous comeback his career has enjoyed this past decade.  In fact, he shared something with me that he says he does not usually talk about with journalists. “The last 10 years have been the best for me since I was a kid,” he remarked. “I have been sober for 10 years now and  that has enabled me to put everything in my life back into perspective. My music is blossoming and  I feel the creative juices flowing. I am writing constantly.”

 Frampton  says he knew he had a drinking problem and finally went for help. "Obviously if someone has this problem they need to go to someone," he said. "I did that. I really don't talk about this a lot."

Frampton also recognizes what type of fan base he has. “I have the hardcore fans who followed me when I started out and I am finding new ones,” he says.

Of the concert film, Frampton notes, “I have tried to find the best musical performances from as many different countries and cities as possible. My MO in choosing these tracks was to make this CD as representative as possible of the entire year of shows.’’

As for his upcoming date in Montreal, the singer sounded excited. “I’ve been coming to Montreal going back to 1968 with Humble Pie,” Frampton recalls. “I always have a great time there and I have a good following in the city. It was a particular honour for me to perform at the 2011 Montreal Jazz Festival. I even included a track on my new CD set from that concert.”

Frampton will not be singing here on November 12. “The only singing I might be doing is in the shower,” he laughed. “This is actually my first ever premiere of my own movie. It is pretty exciting and I just love the cause.” 

Over the last two years Frampton has toured the world in celebration of the 35th anniversary of his 17 million selling live album Frampton Comes Alive! Each stop was divided into two sets: the first featuring Frampton Comes Alive! performed in its entirety, and the second set including songs from throughout his career. His performances on the tour featured classics such as Show Me The Way, and Do You Feel Like We Do, as well as tracks from Frampton’s most recent albums, Thank You Mr. Churchill, and the Grammy®-Award winning instrumental album Fingerprints. The FCA! (Frampton Comes Alive) 35 Tour DVD film is the ‘best of’ the concerts. 

Presently Frampton is writing music for a ballet in Cincinnati, where he and his band will perform at the end of April. He  says his 2013 tour will be mapped out in a few months and he hopes Montreal will be on the list.

I complimented  the singing talents of his son Julian, now 24. "I have four kids," he says. "Three girls and Julian. He's sang with me on stage. Right now he is working on his music. It is difficult to get into music these days."

The Saku Koivu Foundation at the Montreal General Hospital still thrives in Montreal, although Koivu now plays for another hockey team. The Foundation was created to provide Montreal with a PET/CT Scan machine, which has now been purchased. However, the Foundation continues to support Saku's ongoing commitment to making cancer patients’ lives a less difficult experience. “I understand Saku Koivu is quite a hero there,”  Frampton says.

David Adjey event at Rib 'N Reef cancelled

Besides our very own Chuck Hughes, David Adjey is probably the world’s biggest celebrity chef to visit Montreal since Gordon Ramsey came here more than a year ago for his short-lived experiment as partner in the Laurier BBQ operation.

Adjey, dubbed “the most unconventional chef on television”  for his tough-love approach to cooking and his “tell it like it is” attitude to culinary management,   is perhaps best known  as one of the hosts of Food NetworkCanada’s Restaurant Makeover    and  a  new show called The Opener.

A native of Toronto, he graduated at the top of his class from the Culinary Institute of America in New York and has worked in kitchens across the globe.  On October 24,  Rib ‘N Reef Steakhouse & Cigar Lounge on Decarie was supposed to host its second annual fundraising endeavor with proceeds  benefiting the Traumatic Brain Injury Program/Concussion Clinic of the Montreal Children’s Hospital and The Head Trauma Unit of Sainte-JustineUniversity Hospital Center. It has now been cancelled and will reportedly be rescheduled next spring.
 

I sat down with Adjey and Katsoudas last week, when the event was still set to take place.

Here is my video interview:

Any chance Adjey will open his own restaurant in Montreal? “This might be my audition,” he quipped.

Katsoudas and Adjey.

Adjey said he was last in Montreal to film an episode of The Opener.    

One of Adjey’s most interesting projects of late is his fast-food chicken franchise in the making called The Chickery on Spadina Avenue in Toronto. “We already have a Tim Hortons of chicken in  Swiss Chalet,” he says.  “I just think there’s room for us to be the Starbucks of chicken.”  

It is a simple concept, with two options: roast chicken   and chicken fingers. “The roasted chicken is  brined, given a rub containing 15 spices such as  smoked paprika, brown sugar, and dried mustard  and then spit-roasted,” he explains. “We soak the chicken fingers in a buttermilk batter for 24 hours, seasoned, dredged, and fried. Our side dishes include mac and cheese, collard greens, squash, and an Asian slaw of nappa cabbage, bok choy, cilantro, and purple cabbage.”

Kasoudas visited the establishment recently and was impressed. Can a Montreal franchise be in our future? “I think it has the possibility to succeed here,” he hints.

Adjey is also the author of the acclaimed cookbook, Deconstructing the Dish, and was actor  Dan Aykroyd’s former personal chef. He is one of the most unconventional culinary personalities in North America, renowned for his rough and tough exterior, his witty personality, and his burning passion for food, reflected in the ultimate simplicity and elegance of his sensational dishes.

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