A former Saint John Sea Dog can add accomplished home cook to his resume.
Michael Campoli, who spent the 2018-19 season with the team, won this week’s episode of Food Network Canada’s Wall of Chefs.
It’s no surprise to his Saint John billet, Shelley Rinehart, who benefitted from his passion for cooking.
“He was a really interesting kid. He had a good sense of what would go together and what herbs would mix together and what flavours. He had a real flair at the stove. It was a show on top of [being] food,” Rinehart.
Campoli learned to cook at a very young age after being taught by his grandmother.
He would often cook for Rinehart and her partner when he had a few days off.
Rinehart keeps in touch with all of her former billets and their families.
She spoke with Campoli on Tuesday morning, who called his win “awesome,” adding he had a great time on the show.
Since he left Saint John, Rinehart said Campoli has finished his degree in finance, so she wouldn’t be surprised to see him open a restaurant one day.
“I can’t imagine that he wouldn’t. He is so passionate about food. Not just the cooking but the whole experience of cooking, of bringing everyone around a table,” Rinehart said.
Campoli gets a $10,000 cash prize with his win.
