Victoria amateur cook Stephen Childs, whose captivated the taste buds of TV judges on Recipe to Riches, heads to the Big Smoke this week as he vies for the top prize of $250,000.

However, thereB次元官网网址檒l be no cooking involved for the season finale in Toronto, which airs next week on Food Network Canada.

Online public voting, starting Wednesday (Dec. 5) and ending Friday, will determine the overall champ amongst the seven category winners.

Through the whole process of going on TV, having his likeness appear on a PresidentB次元官网网址檚 Choice package containing his now-marketed food creation, and qualifying for the big prize, Childs said heB次元官网网址檚 been taken back to his childhood.

His father passed away from cancer 10 years ago, and Childs has found himself transported back to experiences of going to diners together with his dad and cooking in the kitchen as a kid with his parents.

B次元官网网址淚 have some wonderful memories around the family and food,B次元官网网址� he said, noting that he is creating new food memories with his wife and young daughter.

Last week Childs extended his good fortune into the community, donating $3,000 of the $25,000 he won on OctoberB次元官网网址檚 savoury snacks episode of Recipe to Riches to the Mustard Seed food bank.

B次元官网网址淭hat sort of came out of the first idea, of both my wife and I entering this year, us asking B次元官网网址榃hat would we do if we won?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 money out of nowhere and you donB次元官网网址檛 get that very often in life.B次元官网网址�

He pointed out that every dollar donated to the food bank can buy $3 worth of food.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 a pretty significant investment and return for them.B次元官网网址�

Regardless of how the final turns out B次元官网网址� he admitted it really is largely out of his hands B次元官网网址� he hopes to encourage more people to look at donating to charity at this time of year.

Online voting can be done at between 9:01 a.m. PST Wednesday to 1:59 p.m. PST Friday (Dec. 7). The final episode airs on Wednesday, Dec. 12.

editor@vicnews.com