Dolly’s Fish Market’s delicious Halibut Elite Burger had viewers drooling across Canada last week when the Prince Rupert restaurant was featured in the Food Network’s popular series Pitchin’ In.
Charmayne Carlson, owner of Dolly’s, said it was an honour to be recognized by the Food Network and to have celebrity chef Lynn Crawford visit her restaurant. Carlson is not only a fan of Crawford, but also looks to her as an idol.
“You can’t get bigger in my eyes,” she said.
Crawford has more than 25 years of culinary experience, starring in the Pitchin’ In series that follows her as she visits fishermen, farmers and food growers around North America searching for the freshest and best ingredients.
The Food Network contacted Carlson back in April with Crawford and a crew arriving at Dolly’s to film on June 30. Crawford and the crew spent about five hours at the restaurant filming.
Yaishia Schlez, Dolly’s front-end manager and Carlson’s daughter, said filming was a blast.
“The whole time Lynn was here it was like a ball of laughs. She was picking up our phone and answering calls and walking through the kitchen like it was no big deal,” Schlez said.
While filming, Crawford learned how to make Dolly’s acclaimed Halibut Elite Burger, which she refers to as “the most incredible halibut burger” in the episode.
“Watching Lynn and mom work together in the back making the halibut burgers was probably the most fun,” Schlez said.
“All you could hear back there was laughter.”
The episode, titled “Pitchin’ In at the Lodge”, follows Crawford on her journey to Eagle Point Lodge, 30 kilometres away from Prince Rupert. Crawford offers to prepare a dinner for the lodge’s owner JR Shaw and his staff, catching fresh halibut with the help of its guides.
After a successful fishing trip, Crawford stops in Prince Rupert to pick up some ingredients, taking the opportunity to stop by Dolly’s.
“In Prince Rupert, I’ve heard of this special halibut burger that they prepare at Dolly’s Fish Market,” Crawford said in the episode.
“I’ve dreamt about those burgers.”
Clips taken at Dolly’s include Carlson and Schlez, along with cooks Marshall Nelson and Basil Lewis.
“I got all my staff to come in. That was [important to me to do] when the Food Network came. All my staff that wanted to be on T.V. got on T.V. which was awesome,” Carlson said, noting the entire Dolly’s team is responsible for its success.
Carlson and Schlez also appear in interviews scattered throughout the episode, starting off with a remark by Schlez that halibut are ugly.
“When I first saw myself I got a little teary-eyed, I won’t lie,” she said with a laugh, calling the experience both surreal and gratifying.
Carlson said she hopes the episode will attract more visitors to not only her restaurant, but Prince Rupert in general.
“It’s not only Dolly’s, they showcased Prince Rupert so well,” she said.
The Pitchin’ In at the Lodge episode can be viewed on the Food Network’s website under the Pitchin’ In section.