Born in Leicestershire, England, and raised in Montreal, Michael Blackie has been cooking for almost 27 years on three continents. In 2009 Michael joined the National Arts Centre as the Executive chef and Director of Food and Beverage. During his tenure Michael created “Celebrity Chefs of Canada” two years running this event showcased the talents of 18 chefs from across Canada. This unique event garnered national attention. In 2010 Michael was the co-host of Chef- off! A seven-part Food Network produced show that showcased the antics and challenges of two chefs, as they battled for number one position. Chef-off was nominated for a Gemini award in 2010, in the category of reality TV.