10 Things You Need to Know About Steve Hodge

Posted by Denette Wilford. Last updated on February 4, 2021 by Food Network Canada Editors

If you live in Vancouver, you might already be familiar with Steve Hodge, owner of Temper Chocolate & Pastry. Chocolate lovers from all around the country can experience the masterful delights of the chocolatier and pâtissier by watching him as an expert judge on Great Chocolate Showdown or helping to transform struggling bakeries on Project Bakeover. To get to know Steve even better, here are 10 things you need to know about him.

Watch Great Chocolate Showdown February 22 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Watch and stream all your favourite Food Network Canada shows through STACKTV with Amazon Prime Video Channels, or with the new Global TV app, live and on-demand when you sign-in with your cable subscription.

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Steve Hodge's Sweet Start

His mother owned a bakery, so <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-chocolate-showdown/bios/steven-hodge/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Steve Hodge</a>'s love of sweet things came early on in life, but his passion for pastry came later. He was 21 when he started studying at the California School of Culinary Arts, where a chef told him how difficult pastry is to master. Hodge took that warning as a challenge and ran with it and, well, look where he is now.
Steve Hodge

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Classic Bakes

Steve's favourite thing to make? A classic croissant, complete with honeycomb effect, flaky exterior and nice, soft and melt-in-the-mouth once pulled apart. Think you can master a flaky croissant? Try that and other <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/kitchen-basics/photos/most-difficult-dishes-to-master/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">hard to master bakes</a>.
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All Business

Before his culinary education began, <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/project-bakeover/video/short/steve-hodge-bio/video.html?v=f7cce630-64ff-11eb-a17d-0242ac110005" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Steve Hodge</a> was working towards a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, all while playing football at Whittier College in California. He lasted just a day working as a discount broker before realizing his true passion.
Steve Hodge

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Around the World

The classically French-trained chef remained in California and apprenticed at Wolfgang Puck Catering and Porto’s Bakery. But the lure of sweets stuck with Steve and he moved back to Vancouver where he worked as an executive pastry chef. He then trained with Dominic Jerry at Sugar Art in Richmond, B.C., and that's where he learned how to create gorgeous confections with sugar and chocolate (like <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-chocolate-showdown/video/webisode/how-to-coat-chocolate-with-the-panning-method/video.html?v=821fb748-484d-11ea-8848-968976d50ae6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">these beautiful coated chocolates</a>, for example). From there he headed to London\, where he worked as a pastry chef at Le Caprice, then The Wolseley and, finally, the three-Michelin Star Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.
Steve Hodge

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Steve's Signature Dish

Steve's signature dish, The Charlie (or the Charlie Bites) are named after his eldest daughter. Charlie Bites are a delectable cinnamon pastry with layers of flaky goodness to bite into. To try some of Steve's delicious bakes yourself, <a href="https://temperpastry.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">order fresh or frozen baked goods from Temper Pastry</a>.
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Leaders of the Pack

Steve has worked under pastry chefs around the world. His mentors during his time in London was Pastry Chef Regis Negrier and then in Vancouver Chef John Lewis, who now works as an instructor in Vancouver Community College. Now, Steve's taken on mentoring struggling bakery owners on <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/project-bakeover/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Project Bakeover</a>.
Steve Hodge

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Canada is Home

Steve may call B.C. home but he's originally from London, Ontario. But growing up in Dundarave, a seaside village in West Vancouver, he knew that's where his passion for chocolate would really take took off and he opened his own shop, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/temperpastry/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Temper Chocolate & Pastry</a>, in 2013.
Steve Hodge

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The Name of the Game

According to Steve, "Temper" has a double meaning. Aside from chocolate being tempered, chefs are notorious for their bad ones. We'll take his word for it. Watch Steve demonstrate his <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-chocolate-showdown/video/webisode/how-to-seed-temper-chocolate-like-a-pro/video.html?v=5d0ab75a-46d6-11ea-9350-f690959684a2" rel="noopener" target="_blank">seed tempering technique in this chocolate 101 video</a>.
Steve Hodge

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A Man of Many Culinary Talents

His full-time job is all about the finesse of baking but Steve also loves to hunt and fish. His favourite way to cook at home is to light up the <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/bbq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">grill for a barbecue</a>. Cooking simple dishes with fresh ingredients is key for Chef Steve.
Steve Hodge

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More Than Just Chocolate

Steve loves working with fresh fruit at Temper, including rhubarb and peaches, thanks to his mom's pies while growing up. He created a caramelized puff pastry that consists of a light vanilla Bavarian cream and candied rhubarb that cooks in apple cider vinegar, so it's both sweet and tart. With peaches, the shop offers light and fresh brioche <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/baking/photos/fast-fabulous-fruit-galettes/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">galettes </a>with wedges of the fruit and a pastry cream.
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