Nicole Gomes, notable Canadian chef and co-owner of Calgary's Cluck N Cleaver, in her home in North Vancouver, B.C., on May 7. She is currently competing on Top Chef World All-Stars on Bravo.Jackie Dives/The Globe and Mail
Nicole Gomes never set out to become one of Canada’s most well-known chefs, but a number of stepping stones over nearly three decades and an ever-growing lineup of major television appearances have done just that.
At the age of 45, the celebrity chef and restaurateur is approaching 29 years in the field, giving her a clear view of how the hospitality industry has evolved. As I peruse her kitchen résumé during our conversation, it is both impressive and peppered with too many notable moments to count.
Highlights include: Being the first woman to be hired to work in a David Hawksworth kitchen in 2000 (yes, really), the conceptual and opening executive chef for Calgary’s long-standing Italian eatery Mercato (2005), bringing her former acclaimed catering business Nicole Gourmet to life in 2006, and launching the soon-to-be-expanding Cluck N Cleaver with sister Francine Gomes (2016).
“I still feel like I’m 30 years old, my energy is still crazy these days,” she says with a laugh. “When I was starting out in my career, I was normally the only woman in the kitchen, but kitchens are much more female-occupied these days. In general, the world seems more open to diverse voices, and that’s how it should be.”
Nicole Gomes on elevating Calgary’s food scene and returning to Top Chef
Then, there’s the TV side of her robust career.
While running her popular catering company in Calgary, Ms. Gomes made her first appearance on Food Network Canada in the spring of 2011 as one of 16 competitors on Top Chef Canada Season 3. After a respectable fifth-place finish, and her lively personality radiating through the screen, the chef established herself as a fan favourite.
She returned in 2017 for Top Chef Canada All-Stars where she emerged not unscathed, but happily victorious … and more popular than ever. Then more television producers came calling.
From U.S. shows such as Iron Chef Gauntlet and Beat Bobby Flay to a judging role on the Canadian-made Fire Masters, food TV fans have had countless opportunities to be reminded that Nicole Gomes is at the top of her game.
“I do look back on it all and think, ‘Holy moly, how the heck did this all happen to me?’ I auditioned for one show in 2010 and never thought of it again … then kaboom. It has been such a wild trickle-down effect.”
Ms. Gomes makes herself breakfast in her home in North Vancouver, B.C., on May 7.Jackie Dives/The Globe and Mail
Her latest star-turn has been Top Chef: World All-Stars, an international version of the original series. Ms. Gomes was recently eliminated from the competition, in a respectable eighth place, and says she has nothing but fond memories about the experience.
“It was way more intense, the challenges were much harder [than the Canadian version] and the energy was so different, it was heightened. The cast included chefs from around the globe. It was nice to work in an environment with so many talented people from different countries.”
A few episodes in, part of Ms. Gomes’s background story was told – about her impending adoption of a child from Vietnam. The chef spoke openly about the process on the show and after recent episodes aired, she has had hundreds of people reach out via social media to share their own adoption stories.
“It was a very personal thing to share publicly, but I think it’s very healthy to talk about things like that. So many people make life decisions that require a ton of thought and also perseverance. It was my hope that my story of trying to adopt would resonate with people watching and I think it really did.”
When asked if her stints on television have led to an increase in business at Cluck N Cleaver, she laughs.
“It has its pros and cons when it comes to the business, because people will always judge you on a different level. Cluck is just a chicken joint, relax,” she says.
Regardless of whether she’s finding success on or off camera, in or out of the kitchen, she attributes much in her career and personal life to her mother, Lida Gan.
“My particular character is very determined and I am a very big goal setter,” she explains. “So much of who I am comes from my mother. She taught me how to be strong and goal-oriented by being a single mother who raised three kids while also being a successful businesswoman.”
These days, the chef lives in Vancouver to be closer to her mother. She is working with Railtown Catering in Vancouver as a consulting chef, but makes frequent trips back home to Calgary to help sister Francine operate their original Cluck N Cleaver and work on the impending second location in south Calgary.
“Now that I’m in my 40s, my time is best spent closer to my mom and with my family. My sister comes to visit often, and we’re a close unit,” she says. “I think it’s so important to have other things in your life than simply your career. It really, really is.”