Page 74 - DreamScapes Magazine | Fall/Winter 2025

TA L K
THE
Bob
Blumer
Effect
Where art meets kitchen cool
BY ILONA KAUREMSZKY
PHOTO: EVAAN KHERAJ
74
DREAMSCAPES FALL/WINTER 2025
THERE’S NEVER A DULL KNIFE MOMENT when Bob
Blumer’s in the kitchen—especially steps from Niagara Falls,
where the artful chef was forced to prep 800 of his bite-sized
“nut cases” at warp speed after a cancelled flight got him into
town six hours before doors opened. These playful bites of
Saint Agur cheese hugged between toasted meringue-coated
walnuts were his flavour bombs of choice for the third annual
Fallsview Food & Drink Fest.
As crowds flooded in, Bob tossed, candied and stuffed his
culinary quirks with the same gusto that made him a food TV
icon. You’ve seen him flipping and whisking through The Sur-
real Gourmet, World’s Weirdest Restaurants and Glutton for
Punishment, where breaking Guinness World Records was just
part of the gig.
How punishing, you ask? Try flipping 559 pancakes at the
Calgary Stampede or cracking 2,069 eggs in an hour, one-
handed at Québec’s Festival de l’Omelette Géante. Then there’s
the 2,672 pounds of salsa he diced in Texas; and the 108 table-
side Caesar salads tossed in Arizona in an hour. The
seven-time Guinness World Record Champion even cried his
way through peeling 50 pounds of onions in under 2.5 min-
utes—without shedding his cool.
Bob may live in Los Angeles under the “D” of the Hollywood
sign, but this Montréal-born culinary daredevil still wears his
Canadian apron with pride. His latest cookbook, Flavorbomb,
makes food sing louder, crunch harder and pop with punch.
Over a cup of French press coffee in midtown Toronto I
caught up with the whimsical gastronaut to dish on his latest
passion project, food activism, and how he cooked his way out
of prediabetes.
DS: You just completed Chefs Cycle—what’s that?
BB: It’s my 10th year riding for No Kid Hungry. This year over
125 chefs and hospitality pros rode. We cycle 100 miles a day
for two days, raising close to $1 million this year to help food-
insecure kids. I’m also an ambassador for Second Harvest in
Canada. Borders don’t matter—food equality does. There’s
enough food; we just need to move it where it’s needed. I use
my Instagram platform @BobBlumer to shine a light on this
issue. Everyone has a way to give—time, money or voice.
DS: Health matters, too.
BB: Big time. I tiptoed across the prediabetes line recently,
so I overhauled my diet and cooked my way out of it in three
months—the time frame an A1C test covers. I dropped 20
pounds without trying and wrote about it for AARP Maga-
zine. If the article resonates, I might do a book. The secret?
Low-carb eating.
DS: Health tip?
BB: Minimize carbs. You don’t need to quit them—just watch
for the white culprits: bread, rice, pasta, potatoes and of course
sugar. I still make three delicious meals a day. I just cook
smarter.
DS: You’ve been called a gastronaut and surreal gourmet.
Artist or chef?
BB: I’ve evolved into seeing myself as an artist. Ingredients are
just one of my mediums. Whether I’m sculpting, painting or
cooking, it’s all art to me. I create flavours and visuals. I want
everything I make to be artful.
DS: Still living full tilt?
BB: Always. People see my schedule and go, “Oh my god.” I say,
“I’m having the time of my life.” My biggest fear? Silence.
DS