Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Chef Jordan Wagman: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1665

Episode Date: April 5, 2025

In this 1665th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike catches up with Chef Jordan Wagman who takes us on a journey of discovering mental and physical health through food in his new book WILL: How I Found My Health Through Food. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, Silverwax, Yes We Are Open, Nick Ainisand RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail]

Welcome to episode 1665 of Toronto Miked! Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, a fiercely independent craft brewery who believes in supporting communities, good times and brewing amazing beer. Order online for free local home delivery in the GTA. Palma Pasta. Enjoy the taste of fresh, homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville. Yes we are open! An award winning podcast from Monaris hosted by FOTM Al Gregor. Silverwax.ca. Use promo code Toronto Mike 10 at checkout and save 10%. RecycleMyElectronics.ca, committing to our planet's future means properly

recycling our electronics of the past. Building Toronto Skyline, a podcast and book from Nick Ienies, sponsored by Fusion Corp Construction Management Inc. and Ridley Funeral Home, pillars of the community since 1921. Joining me today, returning to Toronto Mic'd, it's Chef Jordan Wagman. Woo!

Welcome back, Chef. Thanks, buddy. Thanks for having me. Do you find that since people started watching The Bear on,? Where is it on Disney plus that people now more people like the regular people are calling you chef like a lot of people learned? Oh, this is the formal way to you supposed to address someone a chef. It's more yes. Yes, chef. Okay. Because of the bear. Right. Yeah, absolutely. and that is the number one question that I get asked Do you watch the bear? Okay? Well stop stealing my thunder chef. Do you watch the bear so? Here's the thing I can't I couldn't get through season 3. It's too much PTSD for me, so it's too realistic There are some realistic components. I know that you know, I've heard some people push back on it But yeah, there's some realism to it for sure. Yeah

PTSD like like as if you were in the bunker or something like it's like, holy shit. I forgot to order carrots Literally like it's waking up Brad long was the executive chef of the Air Canada Center when we opened it up in 99. Mark McEwen was the consulting chef working for Tan & Bomb. And you know, listen, you didn't wanna screw up back then. And that was literally what the middle of the night was. Holy shit, I forgot to order carrots. Oh, I'm just, it's just wild to hear you share this

because I just read on this radio board that radio And I've never worked in radio. I know you're like Mike you sound amazing in these headphones. How is it? You never worked in radio. Well, I never worked in radio chef, but radio people like people who are on the radio They have a recurring dream like a nightmare That they're locked out of the studio I guess they go to a bathroom break and they're locked out and they can't get into change up the music and stuff like this is like a common dream like sort of like how it. As a student you have that dream that you is multiple things but one is that you you're you forgot to. Take yourself out of a class or something and the exams coming up and you're ill prepared because you didn't attend any of the classes.

and you're ill prepared because you didn't attend any of the classes. Like I remember I had that one for years, but it sounds like this, the Bayer, it just reminds you of these traumatic experiences as a chef. All joking aside, it, you know, from the research to the pressure, yeah, no question, absolutely. And again, like for me, you know me, I'm a feeler.

Like I, at the best of times, I'll cry at long distance commercials, right? You cried on your last appearance on Toronto mic. I'm hoping for some more tears today. Things happen that way, Mike. Yes. I'm going to remind people of your first appearance in a moment. I feel do right now. Why would I wait to do this? But you having been here since June, 2022. Wow.

That's like two and a half years ago. I don't know what that is. Long time ago. Long time ago. It's a divorce away? Well, let's do, you're in, listen to me. Some people think this basement's just where your divorce guys come and hang out, okay?

I'm a divorce guy and it sounds like you've got an update. So I'll read the description I wrote. Then I want to catch up with you. And I really happy to see you, man. It's been a while we're going to catch up with you. And we're going to tell the world, tell the listenership that you're a, you've dropped a new book. Do you drop books? I feel like that you drop episodes. Drop it. Let's drop it. You released a book called will W I L L how I-L, How I Found My Health Through Food. So in this order, pretty much we're gonna catch up,

see what's new with you, I'm gonna pester you with annoying questions, and we're gonna talk about this book that people can buy right now, Will, How I Found My Health Through Food by Chef Jordan Wegman, a great FOTM. Here's what I wrote back in June, 2022. In this 1,063rd episode of Toronto Miked. Chef, that was way back 1,063. Wow. Okay. Mike chats

with Chef Jordan Wagman about his lifelong battle with psoriasis, the removal of gluten, dairy, and refined sugars from his diet, the role of cannabis in his life, his mental health challenges, the kind summer fair, and more. Like there's a lot of guys, everybody go back and listen to episode 1,063 and then, you know, come back here to get your update. But how have things been for you, Chef, since June 2022? You know, it's funny because right there, look, like, you know, that update makes me emotional without question because it's, you know, like so much has changed and yet so much remains the same.

You know, Will is when we were recording, when we were recording the book. So this for you. Thank you. A copy of Will, How I Found My Health Through Food. You got it. Look at that. You know, little family pictures on the back look like Polaroids.

So even when we were- Am I in this book, Chef? What page have I mentioned in the book? Not- no, you're in the Will part two, part two. You're in Will part two. Coming soon. Yeah, like Hot Shines. You're in the will part two part do you're in will part do like hot shines so You know that one took me eight years to really produce and when we were recording my my show that you were the producer of In the weeds and you know, I was working on it then and right and it's just being it's this been an incredible labor of love, but it follows

my journey through finding healing through, you know, of my, from my psoriasis, um, and finding a reprieve from my psoriasis, the pain and suffering of my psoriasis through the removal of gluten, dairy and refined sugar and the addition of different cannabinoids and terpenes. So yeah, it's, it's, uh, there's about 80 recipes in there and it's, you know, my, my desserts mainly are vegan and, um, there's a number of recipes that give you the, the, the instruction on how to infuse with, uh, cannabis. I like the title of chapter 16. It reads, uh, coming out of the Cannabis Closet.

That's right. Yeah, well, when it became legal, excuse me, I have two children. So when it became legal in Canada, I came out of the cannabis closet and I was, you know, and then I was beating the drum publicly, you know, privately, my friends, family always knew I was a huge pothead, right?

Now it was like, you know, now I'm in the cannabis space, you know? That was, you know, it was so funny. You were a degenerate one moment and now you're, you know, officially in the business, you know? And no longer, I guess. Like seemingly overnight, right? Like the stigma disappeared. Not even close. Like I wish it had. Like, we're not even close. No, no, no. Cannabis real talk. So people still think you're like a lazy. Not me, but not me. But if you ask the average person, um, is a quote unquote stoner, does someone who

consume cannabis lazy, I think the, the overwhelming answer would be yes, but certainly that in, in, in in in that's theory alone in practice That's just not true. You know high-performing athletes use cannabis. I mean Scientists lawyers doctors chefs all of us, right? No, you're preaching to the choir here, but I do know that stigma exists and it's usually like I think stigma exists and it's usually like I think I blame the older generation like they were told like it was called dope like it's dope is for dopes and I think there was a huge stigma slapped on it like people growing up in the fifties and

this you know and something you'll remember and this will resonate with you because I talked about it even a couple years ago right you know, when you, and I'm off to Chicago in two weeks, and I am going to cook for the faculty of a culinary school. And I'm introducing a curriculum for culinary in cannabis and how I introduce every culinary and cannabis experience and or public speaking opportunity as I say this, and it immediately disarms everyone. I say, when you think of cannabis consumption, don't think of Spicoli coming out of the van in fast times of Richmond High.

Think of my father, 83 years old, with two brain tumors, using cannabis to sleep and to manage his pain. Not all cannabis gets you high, and that is what the differentiator here is, is that I cook with cannabis. I don't only cook with THC and THC is what's getting people high. Right no I'm glad you know clarified but yeah we've come a long way but there's still a way to go. Sounds like when I'm too long way

to go okay well you're helping to fight that battle you and Canada Kev shout out to Canada Kev. Alright so you mentioned your kids so how are your kids doing? They're great Jonah is can't believe it. He's graduating university. He's graduating university. And now he's off to Southeast Asia for a couple months. And now he's moving. He's coming up North.

I live in Muskoka now. Okay, so these updates, we need to get these updates. Okay, cause you mentioned you're divorced now. So when you were here in June, 2022, you were not divorced. I was June 2022. Show me your papers. No, I don't think I was separated. I don't even remember at the time. No, but I mean, are you okay? I'm great. I'm great. You know, everything has its cycle. We were together for 30 years and she's an incredible, incredible mother and I very, you know,

yeah, yes, I'm much happier. And you were in Toronto, you were living in Toronto. I was for a long time when I moved back to Canada in 2002 from Colorado Springs. Yeah, we were in Toronto, Bathurst and St. Clair area. Okay and now you're in Muscogee. In Port Carling. I live in the heart of Muscogee in Port Carling and I couldn't be happier. Is there room in there for me? This sounds amazing to me. How was it through the winter? I often think about it, I mean I love to kayak, I love to bike, it sounds like a dream in the summer but I wonder oh do I want to be there for the winters? What's it like up there in the winter? So here's the thing, I've learned a term,

and it's not an endearing term to someone like me. They call them city, citizens, cityites, cityites, or cityites, or referring to people who come up from the city and think that they can now transition immediately to living up north. Winter Mescope is my life. I'm that guy, and I'm like tripper Jordan, right? Like I became a chef cause I went on a trip

and I'm telling you, it's so damn humbling living up there. Like just this week alone, there was an ice storm where I saw like 20 centimeters of ice surrounding a small little branch. Okay, so how you holding up? Are you adapting? do you have any, like, do you wish maybe, maybe I'll, I'll winter somewhere else. I was in Costa Rica for a month. Okay. That helps. It helped for sure.

Did you see Chris Shepard there? We're looking for him. I think he's in Costa Rica. I didn't, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't. It was, it was lovely getting out of here, but it has been a humbling winter. And, uh, you know, full disclosure, I'm renovating a little bit this winter. So I haven't been there this winter. I've been in Toronto, a Bathurst and that's how you survive. And, and, but you know, Bathurst and King comes with its challenges too.

Mind you. Right, right, right. Shit. It's about there's a King. So, so you moved. So let me just, uh, not prying too personal here, but, uh, so the marriage doesn't work out and you're not alone. I think most of the listenership has been down

that same road and you guys are friendly today? Like is it an amicable separation? For sure, my children are older. As I said, like Jonah's graduating university, Jamie's graduating high school and she's off to Queens where he's graduating from. So, you know, we, you know, we're, I'm living the life

of a dad with adult children, which is lovely. Yeah, you know what, I could have been living that life too, but I said no, I gotta try this again. I gotta say my oldest gets his, his convocation is I think June 15th. Oh really? So I'm, that's the first university graduate of my children. Wow. At the same time as yours. So, but my, my kid's not going to, so they,, so where in Asia is your child going? Yeah, I think he's going to Thailand. I know he's going to Japan at the end. So he's going to a number of different places

with three of his good friends. And I'll tell you the truth, like number one, he's not spending a dollar of my money. Number two, yeah, not a dollar of my money. And number two, this kid has worked his tushies off, like his tushy off, you know? And it's good on him. Like have at it, go enjoy it.

Oh yeah, because now is the time, right? I guess it's tougher to do it when you're- 100%. You got the, I was gonna say the mortgage, and I was like, oh, what kid, who's ever gonna have like a mortgage? It's like, my home ownership is not attainable for us normies, right? Yeah. No, dude. It's like it's it's very humbling I'll tell you and then you separate and you and that becomes very humbling right where then you're dividing everything in two

And it's like hmm Maybe I'm not gonna live in Toronto and hey guys Are you cool if I move out of the city? And they were like, see you dad, you know, we don't need two bedrooms here. And well that that so that's maybe walk me through that journey. Like was the original goal you'd pick up a place in Toronto until you realized, oh, I need to be like a multimillionaire. Did I always wanted to live out of the city? I really did. I, you know, I am a country boy at heart, as humbling as it is living

up North, like I'm learning and I want to learn. I love it. It puts a smile on my face. But I, I, I didn't love living in the city. I'll be honest. I didn't love the traffic. It was hard for me and my, my, uh, both my mental health and my nervous system, I think. But I feel like, again, maybe I'm putting some of my own thoughts into you, which is ridiculous, I gotta stop doing that. But I feel like you're the kind of guy, you don't need to be traffic.

Like I feel like you would bike if you could bike, or you would, there's other ways to get around this city. Do you know what's crazy? Tell me. Is that you're saying biking, and just on Saturday I went for acupuncture and I was hit by a car when I was biking and these fingers both these fingers were pointing at 90 degrees. I can't

even make a fist and so it's so bad you can see the bruise there where I had acupuncture and like these electric currents going through me. And it's, it's, you know, driving a bike makes me, I know you love the bike, but you, I could see what happened to you. It's not like you had a bad accident and now you're shy. Yeah, I am without question. I love to be active, you know, getting old socks, Mike, but don't you, again, again, I'm not trying to transpose

my opinion, I've been going, I've been a lot of thinking lately on a lot of subjects. Hit me. But don't you find you get more fearless as you get older? I am cautious, I am less, I am less fearful of the things that I was fearful of my whole life. I am less fearful of the things that I was fearful of my whole life. I am less fearful of being alone. I am less fearful of being in a room.

I'm less fearful of things that really made me scared early on. Um, but yeah, I don't know. I don't know. Like, I don't know. So speaking just for myself, it's, and I just turned 50 last summer. So I'm just 50 years old right now. And I just, I don't know how to explain it, but I don't care. Like, I don't have any fear. I don't really, I don't know, like, I don't have any fear. Like, and I had a bad didn't do what happened to your hand, but I had a pretty bad bike crash in 2020 where my helmet split in two and then I broke, trying to remember what, oh, I broke my wrist. I remember that. Yeah, so I broke my wrist.

I remember that. That's right, I'm trying to remember, what did I break in that one? Because I've had so many crashes. I broke my wrist in that one and then the CT scan was negative and then a few years later, they found a blood clot on my brain,

which the neurologist says is too much time between that crash and the blood clot to be related. But I don't know. I can't say. Anyways, I don't know. But he says he doesn't think it's related. But regardless, I have this bad crush. And I do remember I took six weeks off biking because I had the cast and I didn't need to

bike so bad. I'm going to bike up a freaking cast. I'm going to let this heal or whatever. And I do remember the first ride out. I felt more tentative. Like I felt like I was afraid to crash again and I biked differently, but it lasted like two days. And then I was biking like I didn't give it. I didn't give a damn like, and I even had this chat recently with Mike Richards who came over and I was talking about the insurgents because I do want to talk to you because I

know you're an American citizen, right? So you have dual citizens. I do. Okay. I want to talk to you about that in a minute too, but I, you know, I have no fear if I'm biking on let's pick on what street I'll pick on Dundas. So I'm on Dundas. I'm biking, I don't know, 25 K an hour. Like, I don't know, six inches away from me as an 18 wheeler, right? Like I don't, I think about my kids doing that and I feel like sick to my stomach. Like I can't afford to have like a, you hit a pebble and my sweet daughters under the wheels of an 18 wheeler. It makes me sick. I have no fear doing it. I, and, and my fear is more so my children than me, but without question, I'm still very cautious. I was the dad who asked their children to put helmets on the toboggan hill. I was that dad, you know, like I'm,

and I blame my brother, you know, for being so cautious because, you know, Adam Wagman is, you know, he's personal injury lawyer and very well-done, you know, and he's very good at his job and he's very well-known and he's very cautious and he's seen that stuff happen, how one decision impacts the rest of your life. So that impacted how cautious I was with both my children and how I think I became. You know, so I relate completely to the kids thing.

Like, uh, I, I've taught my kids how to bike super, like it's all about survival and being safe and the way I have them bike is different than the way I bike. That's for damn sure. And I mean, it's actually a law that if you're under 16, I think it's all about survival and being safe. And the way I have them bike is different than the way I bike. That's for damn sure. And I mean, it's actually a law that if you're under 16, I think it's 16 that you're supposed to wear a helmet, but I, they know that like daddy always wears a helmet and I don't care if my son's 23 now, like he's wearing a helmet.

If he goes on a bike ride, it's like, it's stupid. It's like wearing a seatbelt. Like you're gonna put that on or whatever. So I agree with you on that front, but when it comes to me, and this will come up maybe a bit later when we talk about your feelings as a dual citizen in some what's happening right now, but I was thinking if things go south in a hurry, would I be part of the insurgency?

Would I be a part of this, the rebel, what's Charlie Angus calling it? The resistance. Like, would I be prepared to fight? Like I'm having these thoughts now and I'm like, I'm 50, but I feel good. I feel healthy. Like I feel really, I feel as healthy as I've ever felt. I'm setting a record. Here's a humble, not a humble brag. It's a pure brag. Okay, chef. But this March, so for the listeners, you're hearing this episode in early April, but it's recorded the last day of March. So I was just looking at my stats because I use Strava for my bike rides,

and I say, oh, as I speak to you right now, I'm sitting at 991 kilometers for March, and it's- For March. For March, just for March, yeah, 2025. And I realize, oh, I've actually, can I measure all this crap? Because that's how I'm wired. I got to measure all this crap.

And I realized I've never had a thousand kilometer month of March. I've had an April, a May, a June, just like, you know, but this is actually a personal best for the month of March. I realized, oh, I still have to pick up my daughter later after this recording. I'm going to hit a thousand kilometers in March 2025. And it's a personal bet. So this is a long winded way of telling you, I think I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life. I feel very good. And I, if I, if I know my kids are safe and I know people I love are safe, somewhere safe, I'm ready to fight.

Like I'm ready to fight. And I don't, I'm fearless. Because you do look amazing. No, no, no, truly you do. Um, has your diet changed at all? Uh, no, no, no, but I will be, I'll tell you right now, uh, just, truly you do. Has your diet changed at all? No. No? No, but I will be, I'll tell you right now, just a quick segways, I will be reading Will, how I found my health through food, and I may be making changes to that diet,

so I can be totally ready to fight. We might need some Canadians to get ready to fight. Who knows what's going on here? We'll get to that in a minute here, but I'm glad to hear your kids are good in the divorce. Yes. Was it tough going through it? Like... Yeah, yeah, yes, yes.

That sucks, right? Yeah, look. 30 years is a long time. It's not a divorce at that point. It's like your whole life has separated, right? And it, you know, my children, we built a beautiful home tomorrow night, a gorgeous home.

We had renovated it and you know, we were in it for a very long time and that's big change for your kids. And so, you know, that was hard for sure. And as a father, it's hard for sure. And then, you know, I can be quite honest and say that the hardest part has been Jonah's away anyways, but my daughter's last two years of high school were, you know, formative years for her. And, you know, are we close?

Of course. There's another day that goes by that, you know, we don't speak multiple times. And I, you know, would come in from Miskoka just to drive her to school and pick her up from school. Wow. Just for the 15 minute, the opportunity for 15 minutes to watch her on her phone on the drive home. You know what I mean?

Right. But that was the hardest part is certainly sacrificing my relationship with my daughter. But as I've said, and I talk about my you know, my mental health and suicide and all of those things and I lost a friend, Mark Cooper, and you know, I just, I think these are real thoughts and times and life is really, really, really hard. It was hard, and it's still hard, and it's still, just because time has ticked, doesn't mean that you don't stop healing, and doesn't mean that you don't stop learning.

I'm proud of me. I can look at myself in the mirror and be very proud that I'm here today and thriving and for my children, you know, because there were moments that were really, really freaking dark, you know? No, I can, I can imagine that it's horrible. Your mindset is a short term pain for long term gain. Like you just sort of like, I got to get, I always compare it to Shawshank when Andy's got to get through that shit to come out clean on the

other side. It's going to be, it's going to, it's going to stink. Time and perspective, you know, but you kind of have to see the big picture and, uh, she's all my cry with you as chef now that we're reliving this, uh, you know, these divorces or whatnot, but, uh, here, now I got to ask you the obvious, at least from where I'm sitting is that you just mentioned you've become more comfortable with being alone. So does that mean like you're not dating? Like you're not-

No, no, no, no. It's, there's certainly a person that I hope to be with forever. And yes. I hope to be with forever. And yes, so no, I'm definitely not lonely. No, I'm definitely not lonely. Now I don't know who this person is or their circumstances, but are you 100, are you like, are you for sure in your heart

that you're done procreating? Have you got the snip? Oh oh I did many years ago and and and and regardless yes completely completely completely done okay well the snip helps make it so you can't even what does and and you know the truth is man I just it's and and I don't it's it is maybe selfish and that's okay. Like I'm okay with it. I I'm okay being, you know, 53 years old and saying, I'm living for me. Like I've lived for my children, you know, my children are very blessed and fortunate and privileged and all of those things.

And so, you know, it's, it's, I live for me and, and, and making them happy and they're there, them thriving makes me happy,'s, I live for me and, and, and making them happy and they're there, them thriving makes me happy, but I'm living for me now. Well, yeah, you're in a good place there. And it sounds like your kids are doing well. And now one's going to Kingston and one's going to, you know, do some traveling and then, yeah. And then he's coming to hang out with me in Muskoka for the summer. Life is good. Life is good, man. Life is good for Chef Jordan Wagon, which I love to hear here. So again, we did talk

about this in episode 1063, but we're going to kind of touch on some greatest hits here. It's been a while here. We're going to refresh some memory here. So can you remind us greatest hits time? You were diagnosed with psoriasis at a very early age, right? 12 years old. Yeah. Is that my buddy Michael's place? I call it those, what do you call it? Those Cory Hart years. I wear my sunglasses at night. You know who's in the video? Who? Lori Brown from Much Music. No way. She plays the woman in the video. No way. Yeah. Also I have a, and I might don't want to ruin my they'll kick us off Spotify if I play it but I hear that I love that song that you're playing there and here I'm quickly going to my thing but I wonder if I play a couple notes of it but here's I'm gonna play opening riff of that real quick okay and then I'm gonna bring it right down you ready? and then I'm going to bring it right down. Ready?

I love that. Yeah. So that's all you're getting today. That's, that's just blame Spotify. But now I want you to listen to the opening riff of a different song. Okay. So the next, yes, before you played it, I called it. I didn't even realize it. No. And my whole life I'll hear one and think it's the other and even though they're not identical they're really cool and I know how it comes first. Sorry Cory. I know you're proud Canadian but I've always hear them. I'll hear it and I'll start singing the other one. Wow.

They're so similar to my brain ever in my life. Never not once have I made that connection until you just said that. Well that's what you're here for. I love that. So but you how did you guess it'd be your rhythmic? I just I could I mean, you know, I can't I definitely need glasses. No, but it's you know, I have a little bit of an ear. Can you yeah Well, we I know this because the opening theme for your podcast is you singing. Yeah, yes, I love it. If you wanna break into song, just do it. Thank you.

But on the glasses front, you said you're 53. So I've only started wearing, these are readers I'm wearing right now because I am having trouble with the screen. Same with me. But only since I turned 50. Same with me. Okay.

Exactly the same. And I've yet to book an appointment with an eye doctor Oh, I actually so because I had I didn't need any anything never wore anything until and I turned 50 and I'm like I don't need anything and people are like, oh you need to have been at 440 I don't need a dead. Oh, it's wrong. I'm super human or whatever And then they sort of went south very quickly to where I I'm like, oh I need glasses to read my computer I can't even I can't see a five from a six. I'm like, oh, I need glasses to read my computer. I can't even, I can't see a five from a six. I'm like, this is bad news, man.

I can't blow up my font. You see those boomers. Oh, I do. But then I was, I was talking to my wife. I'm like, I think I'm going blind. She's like, you know, you can see an eye doctor. Like she's like, and I'm like, oh, why didn't I like think? Yeah, I know.

But then to like, she literally like, you know, in MIMICO, there's this eye doctor and you can book a schedule online and go in. I actually don't have coverage for this. That's another story. But I'm like, I can afford for my eyes. This is important. But I go in and I'm like, we do all the eye test. And then she says to me at the end of this eye test, she goes, I hear you that you didn't

start till recently, but she says your eyes are exactly where they should be for a 50 year old. You have the typical eyes of a fit. No worse than because I was thinking I'm going blind. Like I'm like, this is such a rapid decline. I'm going blind. I can't, I felt the exact same way in this eye doctor. We do all the tests and you know, this stuff that is dying the iron and she's checking everything out. And she's like, you have typical eyes for a 50 year old person. And I felt like relief, like I'm happy to be typical.

I, I struggle. It's a problem. Like now if I forget my readers, I'm in trouble. And I'm happy to be typical. I struggle. It's a problem. Like now if I forget my readers, I'm in trouble and I'm like, do I need my readers? Yeah. And if you're at a restaurant, you need to see a menu. I had this the other day. Menu? Yeah. How about I need my flashlight and I need the glasses.

Well, here's what, you know, the trick is you take the photo and you blow it up on your computer, on your phone. Speaking of smart, your smartphone. That's the, that's the cause I don't actually, I've never, I've yet to debut my glasses outside of my home. So I got a, and this by the way, the best part is, so I do this, my wife, I guess back when Edmonton, when she was a student, she worked for an optometry place

or whatever. So I get this, she's like, okay, here is, I'm gonna call that prescription for glasses and they have these numbers as codes or whatever. And I flip it to my wife and then she says, oh, you need 1.5 readers. Right, exactly. Cause I'm like, I don't know why, I'm so stupid, Chef.

I'm so glad you're here so I can tell you how stupid I am. I'm thinking, okay, I don't have any coverage right now at hundreds of dollars or whatever. And then she says- 3.99 at Shoppers. Ready for this? She comes home with the readers, which are perfect for what I need.

And I, Oh my God, I can see this is like, I'm smart again. And I say, Oh, what are those costs? She goes, they were a dollar 25, a dollar and a dollar 25. Right. And I'm like, and I'm wearing them around. Okay. So these are a dollar 25. And then I said to her, could I have a pair for each floor? Right. Exactly. A dollar 25. I can see for a dollar 25. Welcome to her, could I have a pair for each floor? Exactly. A dollar 25.

I can see for a dollar 25. Welcome to 2020. Because when I left my corporate job in 2018, I had this magic visa. I call it was a credit card for health stuff. And I didn't want to, you can't take it with you. So I'm like, I'm draining this thing before I leave because it's smart. Like, so I went to an optometrist and I didn't need to wear the glasses, but I'm like,

I'm going to buy all the glasses I can get for this money I have on this credit card from this German software company. And so the glasses you end up getting are like sticker price, $799. Right. So my brain thinks glasses are $799 and these, the pair I'm wearing right now is a dollar 25. And I think the difference is like an actual

Prescription versus obviously the off-the-shelf Question so I what's the difference? Yes. These are just readers, right? This is what I need for reading because I don't get me if I'm driving around or I'm walking around I can see everything fine. So but this prescription I have for the 799 dollar glasses are for should I need glasses in the real world? You know, a lot of 50 year old, 53 year old guys wear glasses. I know it.

I'm just wearing readers right now. So I know it. So there you go. We're in the same boat. You should come by more often. I'm old, dude. What brings you to town, by the way? You just visiting the kids?

What's going on? No, I'm here because I'm well, it's funny. I it's actually it's it's a it's a relevant question I'm here because I'm renovating but and and but I I'm actually out of town quite a bit now I have some really cool things happening right like I I tried to for a long time my my goal was, you know, obviously continuing my private events, but I wanted to pursue the in the cannabis space, what that meant for me. And the truth is it's very difficult to make a living in the cannabis space as

somebody that it's not that I have competitors. It's not that at all. I have a unique offering. I have a unique skillset, but it's that people don't have the budget for that. And I, and I learned it as I was, you know, obviously doing a lot of things concurrently and what I realized is that I really needed to go outside of my own. You know, just go outside the box a little bit, go more mainstream. And then this opportunity arose at dimensions retreats in Algonquin Highlands.

And Dimensions Retreats is, listen, it is, when I say it's a special place, it is a special place. Donald Curry is in charge of all of the programming and we treat We we treat Individuals we do wonder they know we they do wonderful work With the veteran community and the healing and see these metamorphosis, but it's all You know, it's all database. This is all It's it's all database. This is all, it's medical based. The use of, you know, there is use of cannabis for both ceremonial because there are, you know, there are sweat lodges and there are, you know, a lot of it is based on somatic

healing and it's really just, you know, from float tank to, as I said, the sweat lodge to the yurt where there's the yoga. And for me, it's like, when I came across this place, it was like this, this melding is melting pot of like, all of my loves, right? So they were looking for something from a food and beverage perspective that met all of what Donald Curry was doing from the programming perspective. Right. And all of the food there is based on this book, all of the food, my signature dishes and chef Nazanin Arabini is the chef there.

And so she came on basically at the same time as me, um, 10, almost a year ago now. And so we've been working and the food has. almost a year ago now. And so we've been working and the food has, it's, it's wonderful to be able to impart this to the world, to different people, but just to see the love that these culinarians have for the food that I'm teaching them, right? Without gluten, without dairy, without refined sugar, that's a complete different skillset for a cook to have when they leave our kitchen. Right. Because that doesn't really exist in the quote unquote real world. And then on the flip side, right? So there's, you know, dimensions and Yeah, where's dimensions?

Algonquin Highlands. So there's Stanhope Airport. So right before Hamilton between Minden and Halliburton. So between Minden and Halliburton, right off of 118 on Maple Lake. Okay. Okay. And Dimensions Retreats, and can I, do you mind if I, I can give a code to your audience. Yeah, go nuts. So if you use the code chef25,

chef25, that's just for Toronto mic listeners, and you go to the website, and I can, you know, happy to provide, but just dimensions, retreats. And when you inquire, use that code. Jordan Wagman, Chef Jordan sent you, they will honor it. But it is a remarkable place. So each there's, there's all of these cabins, each individual cabins, it's like soaker tubs and beautiful walk in showers and gorgeous beds and, and beautiful walk-in showers and gorgeous beds and, and shades that like are electronic. And it's just, honestly, your

nervous system just relaxes. We've hosted like tons of people. How long do you got to go for? Like, From like three days to, you know, two nights to we, we do veteran retreats for 10, for 10 days, we're doing veteran, uh, we're doing individual, we call veteran retreats for 10 days. We're doing individual, we call, elevate retreats for like 14 days in the summertime. But if you're up north, your kids are going to camp, or like, you know, and I don't, to know me is to know, I don't talk about things and products unless I believe in them. And I believe in this. And so the food is phenomenal, the grounds are phenomenal, the team is phenomenal, Donald Curry and what he does with the, you know, with the therapeutic side of things and the whole programming side is off the charts.

Okay. And so this is a, is it a summer thing? What is it? It's an all year round thing. So we just hosted unbounded unbounded is an amazing community that really focuses on cold plunges So we have tons of cold plunges. They don't scare me. I Can't do them. Oh like physically I I can't do them because the psoriasis. What is that? No, it's it's it's just well a I do have an allergy called cold eudicaria, where I break out into hives from the cold. But I learned through someone at Dimensions, Vanessa was her name and she was amazing and really said to me, you know, chef, if all you can do

is go out into the snow with bare feet, that's your cold plunge. Okay, yeah, it's all relative. It's all relative, right? Work within yourself. See, I don't mind cold. I mean, I bike in minus 30 degrees of a windchill or whatever. But that whole idea and it frightens me. I guess I feel like my heart's going to stop.

It's frightening. It is frightening. Like, especially so I have you talk about like dreams, my, you know, you go into the water and like, but they've just dug out a square. What happens if you like, happen to get on that side of the square? Like it just, you lose, you get disoriented. I just, it's just not for me. But there are experts at dimensions and everywhere, right?

Like, and you know, and that never happens. It's just me and my silliness. But you know, the experts are doing it and it's apparently me and my silliness. But the experts are doing it, and it's apparently brings amazing benign. How much time do you get to spend in that cold water? Again, I don't know the answers, but I would tend to say everything that is individual, it's individual. If you get the most out of 10 seconds,

check box checked out. I went swimming yesterday, and it's a pool in a condominium. So I don't know what that is. It's like 80 degrees or something Fahrenheit. That's cause they have their temperature in Fahrenheit. But I think I said, I said, oh, to my wife, I'm like, what does it take you to get in the pool?

And it's like, that's too cold for her in the pool. She's not doing any cold planches. I don't think. Yeah, 80, 80s. I mean like, give me a 90. Yeah, I actually like it. I mean, that's what it is. I don't know. There must be some safety reasons, but uh, I do. I do my 100 lengths and in the whatever that is at 80 degrees Fahrenheit and I don't find it cold. Like there's an initial Oh, but once you get moving, I'm fine. You get used to it. No, but they have a sauna there. You don't sauna. You don't like it. I don't know if I have the time I'm just gonna say I feel like I got shit to do like I like to move So I'll tell you it's changed my life saunas every day like we have an infrared

We She has an infrared so I'm in her infrared quite often and Is that code? Infrared sauna, right? Um, yeah, it's phenomenal. I could be a sauna guy. I feel like it's in me. It's more about like, cause how much time do you spend in there? 35. See, I actually, I don't know if I'm good at like sitting for 35 minutes, but I'm doing I'm doing emails. You're doing emails

You're doing shit. Yeah, you know like I am. I'm I'm on my phone the whole time I've got my readers on right they fog up from time to time Oh, you know what you're turning me around in the whole son because I do the swim and then the sauna is right there This is love it I'm on lives in this condo building and me and my ten-year-old were in it doing our swimming And I think I could be a Sonic guy. I love it. This convo is changing my life. So I think I have my tips and tricks,

Jeff Jordan's tips and tricks if you don't mind. Wear sandals. Okay, I'm writing this down. Yeah. Where's that? Okay, so much going on. So you've been working at this retreat. Yeah, that's a fractional role, been teaching the team.

It's been awesome. Okay. Like, you know what, it's so fractional role been teaching the team. It's been awesome. Like, you know what? It's so amazing to see them, you know, post pictures of food that is, you know, my food, but them cooking my food. Yeah. So the book, which, you know, if you guys haven't paused this podcast and ordered a copy and then you're just, you're not living life right here. It's called Will, How I Found My Health Through Food by Chef Jordan Wagman.

And it's 86 delicious, and I say delicious because I haven't tried them all yet, but I know you're a good chef. So they're delicious, gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free recipes. And because we were gonna finish that greatest hit, because not everybody has gone back to listen to episode 1063.

Another shameful thing, I'm shaking my head at the FOTM's listening. But so I mentioned that at 12 years old, you're diagnosed with psoriasis. How old are you when you realize you can treat it with cannabis and this wholesale dietary change? Yeah, I mean, you're talking decades went by, right? I was 12 years old, I smoked joints every day of my life.

I thought I was a degenerate because I, you know, love the Grateful Dead and you know, I had long hair and that was just what I was destined to be and do. And, and, and, you know, I, I realized very quickly that when my psoriasis hurt, um, I'd wake up in the middle of the night and at a very early age and I'd smoke a joint and went back to bed. And it's still today I employ that. I wrote every high school exam in the hospital, spent a year and a half of my life living in a tent at the Dead Sea. Every day I'd wake up, you know, tanning naked with the Danes for, you know, 14 hours a day, whatever it is,

and healed my psoriasis. But every time I found something that would quote unquote heal my psoriasis, it would come back with immediacy. You know, like in short order, whatever that looked like, whether it was just getting off the plane, or it was just, you know, within weeks of returning to Toronto, or getting out of a hospital. And I got tired of it and was like you know I guess it's it's going on 11 years which is insane to me but like

you know a decade ago I sought the help of this natural path and I removed the gluten-dairy refined sugar and that was what I was like it was literally like 30 years later and so I struggled for 30 years and then in 60 days my psoriasis was healed and you lost 30 pounds it was insane so and I never thought I was overweight Mike I never if you're not one of like a massive person and losing 30 pounds in 60 days sounds uh that sounds scary that's a lot of. That's a lot of weight. It's a lot of weight for sure. You know, like I, I look at myself today and I weigh myself. I was just at my folks place.

I weighed myself. It's one 94. How tall are you? Five, eight and a half, but I'm a stocky dude, you know, so like, I mean, I'm stocky, I'm built, but it's, you know, my, I could easily weigh 185 and be happy. I'd love to, you know, I'd probably be 10 pounds, but, um, you know, it just, it's, you carry it very differently, you know, when you're, when you're packing all of that inflammation and that's what it is, right? Like in your, just, it's all of this retention. And when you remove all of those impurities from your diet,

it's just amazing how, you know, everything is different from what comes out of your orifices to, you know, how you feel on the daily, you know, what the addiction becomes is being addicted to feeling really good. So if anybody listening has psoriasis or knows somebody who's, you know, or any autoimmune disease, any, see, I guess I'm kind of curious what exactly psoriasis is. Yeah, I know it's an autoimmune disease. So it's like Crohn's colitis, you know, there's, there's

many like a million in one autoimmune disease. And so it's basically your body fight, your body fighting your body. So we, my body doesn't understand that, you know, it's, it's always in fight mode basically. So what, what happened was, you know, I ended up as a result of, you know, the third dose of, of the, the vaccine for, for, um, COVID-19, um, I ended up, um, you know, this is like, I guess it's two years ago now. I remember going through this with you. I was bedridden. Like you remember you were, we recorded something like I, yeah, like I, so I, it was the worst experience of my life where I went to sleep on a Friday. I got the injection on a Friday, I woke up Monday morning with a fever and every single and I don't know how to and I'm fairly good at articulating but unless you see it, it's very difficult to imagine that everything is

swollen. Your crusty, like your feet blow up, your hands blow up, your lips blow up, everything blew up and my psoriasis came back and I had no choice but to go on a biologic, go on an injection that literally in four days after taking the injection and subsequently in two years later, zero knock on wood, zero side effects and my psoriasis has been gone. And what it does is, and that's the difference between, and if I can speak to like, you know, I've always preached Eastern medicine and, you know, and try to, you know, but I think what's important is that we balance both Eastern and Western. And when Eastern medicine like, you know, changing your diet and, and, you know,

acupuncture, which I employ now, or massage, or whatever it is you employ, you know, um, frequency and meditation, when all things fail and you have to employ Western medicine, well, guess what? That's what it's there for. And so it saved my life. I'll tell you the honest to God truth. It saved my life. So for the last couple of years you've been you've been clean and clear? Completely clear. No psoriasis very little you know to deal with you know just bad attitude mostly and you know my

my eating habits is you, they just never change. So you're still strictly gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free? Yeah, listen, I had a loaf of sourdough, you know, in the last couple days, right? Like I had a loaf, literally. But is that gluten-free? It is. No, it's not gluten-free. No, it's not.

It's good sourdough that I know the bakers are sounds still and so Excuse me. It's it's all about moderation balance finding your balance, right? Okay, and I do love the fact that there's this book you've gifted me has some great recipe somehow to it's like a how-to Guide for living your best life through eating and living well Amen, and you know and and you know what's funny, Mike, is that like, and I'll plug this just to tell you what's going on, but like I'm opening up a restaurant. Where?

For a couple, Eli and Tanya, who are from Toronto, and it's called The Moose on Round Lake, at 3735 Round Lake Road, just between Pembroke and Killaloo. Pembroke by the way is hockey town Canada. Oh dude it's you know it's awesome I gotta say I love Northern Ontario but I love that area a lot of native indigenous land right a lot of indigenous land up there but so I guess my point is is like you know we're opening up this restaurant in May 2, 4.

Okay. That's the plan. Coming up. And so I said to Eli today that, um, you know, what's unique about our restaurant is we, we aren't cooking with butter. We aren't cooking with dairy. Like we're not cooking with, excuse me, we are cooking with dairy. We're not cooking with cream or milk.

So why that's important from a restaurant standpoint is your costs are lower, but it just easily, very easily, because that's the world I live in, because that's the sandbox, you can be so much more inclusive where you can list all these dairy-free items. They may not be gluten-free. Some, many are gluten-free, but they are all dairy-free. so when you can start reaching people and making those small little Changes in the kitchen and at home you start to build towards those wholesale changes like being gluten dairy and refined sugar-free You're a busy guy. You got lots going on. I love it. Is your podcast on permanent hiatus? What's going on? I'm just gonna I'm so it's funny. You say. Obviously I've been giving thought as I was coming in here. No, I really-

In the weeds, by the way, it's still archived on Apple and Spotify and everywhere you get your podcast. I'd like to bring it back. I would like to bring it back. I have a lot to say. You have stuff to talk about. I do.

I'm hearing it now in the headphones. Okay, well, I'm here when you're ready. I'm just letting people know they can subscribe. And when there's a new episode, you'll get notified. So in the weeds with Chef Jordan Wegman, you can hear Chef sing. Can I say this to you Mike? I'm so proud is the wrong word but as your friend I'm proud to be your friend but you are a good man and I'm so I was I woke up I saw you on CNN and you know it was very impressive very you were awesome. Thank you. Yeah. I asked did you see it on YouTube?

Or did you see it on CNN? No, I saw it on CNN. See this blows it blows I don't know why it blows my mind I've been hearing from people who are saying a stone was telling me this when he was here the other day I saw you on CNN and in my mind I'm thinking oh, you mean you saw the YouTube No, you CNN uploads their YouTube and it gets shared all know vir I really but you saw me on CNN. I saw you on CNN. That's my story You're saying that sentence to me right now. Okay, I was proud of you as an American. Okay. Well, that's what we're going there next You got glued in so, you know, you had the sourdough bread But I mean there all my gifts are mainly full of gluten to be honest, but I hear something with no gluten in it

Okay, it's also dairy free and there's no sugar in this either to be honest, but I hear something with no gluten in it. Okay. It's also dairy free and there's no sugar in this either. And you might've got one last time you were here, but you are receiving a wireless speaker from Monaris. Did you get one? I did not. Oh my goodness. Chef Jordan Wegman is a quality speaker and you are going to listen to season eight of yes, we are open, which is a podcast hosted by Al Grego. He's a cuddly FOTM himself.

And this time he went to Saskatchewan. I believe he went to Regina. And I'll have some more, you know, throughout the next couple of months, we're gonna be talking about episodes as they drop. But subscribe to Yes, We Are Open from Minaris. And season eight is dropping now. Al went to Saskatchewan. Love it. Land of, my. Al went to Saskatchewan.

Love it. Land of my first wife is from Saskatchewan. I've never been. I've never been. Well, she never in our marriage, which was 15, we didn't get to your big number, but 15 years of marriage, during that 15 years, she never stepped foot in her home province of Saskatchewan.

I know, I guess everyone she cared about had left. Right, okay. And she didn't ever feel drawn back. And I know. I'm now married to a woman from Alberta and she goes there every year. Like she goes... I think the beef is better. In Alberta? Well yeah. I hear that. Katie Lang disagrees, but that's okay. So I... Oh yeah. So that's right. I want to clarify something and then shout out another sponsor. But whenever I introduce you, although I didn't do it today, but I always talk about Chef Jordan Wagman. You know, he's a James Beard nominated chef.

He's also an author, a media personality. And then I talk about how you, you found your health through food and cannabis consumption. But this James Beard, I say it like you want a damn Oscar. Okay. He's a, come on, man. He's a James Beard nominated chef, but I know Beard, I say it like you won a damn Oscar, okay? He's a, come on man, he's a James Beard nominated chef, but I know, I have no idea what I'm talking about. Can you just tell me finally, I finally have the courage to ask you, what the hell does that mean,

you're a James Beard nominated chef? You know, the truth is, like at 53 it means a lot less. Back then, and you know Michelin, Michelin and James Beard meant I think a lot more, you know, many years ago than they do now. Feels like everyone is, you know, not everyone, but a lot of people are. But we still talk about Michelin five star restaurants

or whatever. Well we do, but there's a lot of Michelin mentions and now they're in Toronto and it just, you know, there's just, there's a lot of places that have a Michelin mention and I don't diminish them many are most are amazing you know James Beard was a TV personality you know very close with with with Julia Childs and he had a place in Greenwich Village which his house I believe which converted into basically which became upon his passing Julia Childs. And he had a place in Greenwich village, which is house, I believe, which converted into basically, which became upon his passing, which is,

I mean, I cooked there in 2002. So that's, you know, two decades ago. And it's, you know, so you know, it's 30 years, I'm going to guess where they would welcome all lot of the top culinaryians from across Canada or across the US and and the globe in for an evening to cook and it was a showcase of you know just an opportunity for people who subscribe to for tickets for the beard house to come and enjoy different you know food experiences the the the Federation or the James be the beard federation became this, you know, sort of like almost like Michelin de facto Michelin where Michelin was about the restaurant.

James beard was about the chefs. Okay. And so I was part, I was cooking in Colorado at the time at the place called the cliff house of Pike's peak. And you receive a James beard nomination because a writer or writers right into the foundation and say, we nominate this chef for, and I was nominated for the top 10 up and coming chefs in North America. It was long time ago. It's 2002. Wow. Well, it's 2025. So it doesn't mean a whole lot. What it did is open up every door I ever knocked on and then either you swam or you sank, you know, you either

Treaded and and and were successful or you you failed miserably and Thankfully, it just opened up doors and I was able to knock them down who won that James Beard award that you were nominated for To be honest, I've never been asked that question I don't know the answer because I'm gonna hunt them down and I'm gonna hurt them I'm gonna kick them. You'm gonna kick them in the shin. The nomination is so like it's just as good. It's just as good. You know, every time you're-

It stands out in the bio, right? It's all about getting the attention. Get used to doors open. And you mentioned Academy Award. That is what Academy Awards are in culinary is a James Beard nomination, a James Beard award. Those are the equivalent of Academy Awards. So this is like your Oscar nom. For sure, without question. You know, if you were an actor you would just, your first line in your bio would be the Oscar nom. And then you phased out into nothingness, Mike. It was all downhill there, that was in the early 2000s, it's been all downhill since then. But now here you are now, back on Toronto Mike for a second appearance here.

Alright, we are, oh yeah, I'm gonna to thank Nick Ienis because Nick Ienis stepped up to sponsor this fine. I love it when people put up their hand and say how can I help fuel the real talk? That's the best. That's the best chef. So Mike at Toronto Mike.com for the next Nick Ienis out there. But Nick Ienis has a great podcast called building Toronto skyline. And he's actually launching another podcast called Building Success. And they're both great, my voice is on both, so of course it's a wonderful program, you know that, come on, I was on CNN for goodness sake. I need a bio, which I don't have,

because I don't have any PR or anything. I needed the first line to say, CNN corresponded Toronto Mike? Like, I don't know where it is. Yeah, I know, for sure, as seen on corresponded Toronto Mike. Like, yeah, no, for sure. As seen on CNN, Toronto Mike, you know what I need to even like the SEO of my, my, my web pages and stuff at Toronto Mike.com. I just realized I'm not shouting this from the rafters loud enough. Like you're James beard nominated chef and that was 20 something.

And now I seen on CNN, Toronto Mike. It's pretty good. You get a good pipes on you, but I'm thinking now too bad James Earl Jones passed away. I need him to say, what a legend. This is CNN featuring Toronto Mike. I can't even imitate it. It's so freaking amazing. This is CNN. Although I'm almost certain he signed the away the rights to mimic his voice via AI. I believe, to Disney. So I believe James Earl Jones, his voice will be heard in future Star Wars.

Oh, it's just going to say Star Wars, really? Because Disney owns the Star Wars. Right. I believe he signed away that you will hear James Earl Jones' AI version. He was compensated. Are you an Avengers fan? I watched the Avengers. Yeah. Avengers yeah yeah yeah it's been tough to be a fan like I love them but you need in the Marvel universe yes Avengers okay so yeah Marvel it's funny you mentioned that I it's a lot going on and they're all connected to different

things like it's a full-time job to keep track of everything going on in the Marvel MCU the MCU MCU, the Marvel comic universe or whatever. I kind of tapped out. I think the last one I saw was the final Avengers movie. Yeah. Yeah. But you're still keeping on. Yeah. I mean, Doomsday started to like, now they've got what's-his-face coming back, who is Iron Man, who we all love. Of course, Stark, Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr. Yeah. Well, you know, I've lost touch, but you'd think one of my kids would bring me back in, because I got the nine-year-old and the almost 11-year-old, but they haven't really

brought me into the MCU, so they're off to it. You know what's big now? It's, God, don't screw up the name of this, One Piece. It's an anime out of Japan, so I don't know when it started, but there's like a thousand episodes. And my 10 year old, who's turning 11 very soon, he's like obsessed with One Piece. And like- Where'd they get into that?

I think he's watching that on like Netflix or something. I think it just, so I feel like there was anime when we were growing up, but we didn't have access to it. Like we just, it wasn't easy to get, like we didn't work and getting it, but bootleg VHS cassettes. I remember it like on the off channel on like, you know, Sunday at 2 a.m. sort of thing. Or like it would be like a battle, not a battle, sorry. What's the one, there's one, there's a show I used to watch. I got a battle of the planets.

Battle of the planets. And battle of the planets, I don't know if that's anime, but it was like a Japanese cartoon that was dubbed into English. We had a bunch of these going around, but I don't know the same thing. But yeah, so my kids into one piece, not the mark, the MCU, but okay. I'm going to thank recycle my electronics.ca because if you have old cables, old electronics, old devices, don't throw it in the garbage. The chemicals end up in our landfill. Go to recycle my electronics.ca put in your postal code, and then you'll get... You'll find a place near

you. You can drop that off to be properly recycled. And last but not least, Chef, I want to invite you. I know you might be in Muskoka or maybe you'll be in Algonquin there. You might be far away, but June 26th, 2025, from 6 to 9 PM, we're having a TMLX event at Great Lakes Brewery. It's TMLX 18. It is at 30 Queen Elizabeth Boulevard in South Etobicoke. Free event. You get your first drink on the house from Great Lakes Brewery and you get fed by Palma Pasta.

Everybody should just come out and say hello to CNN Mike. That's my new name. As seen on CNN. This is CNN Mike. I'm gonna start every episode like that. Okay. So you're in a walk us through it. You're born in Canada. You're born here. Toronto? Toronto. Okay. And you talked about like living in Colorado Springs or whatever. So how do you get your American citizenship and when do you get it? My mother is go orange from Syracuse, New York. Um, so she was, she met my father on a blind date and moved to Toronto and

the rest, as they say, so my brother lives in Brooklyn. Um, my sister is here. My other brother is here. Um, and I come and go. So I'm off to Chicago, you know, I live in Canada, but I do a lot of work in the US. So yeah, I'm able to come here. Like we said, you're a dual citizen. So yes, I am. I am. Yeah, exactly. But what are your, that's an interesting perspective. What are your thoughts on what's happening now in this world?

And again, I always think this could change in a half an hour, but as we speak and what we know to be true, what do you think of this trade war between Canada and the US, the threats from the USA to annex this country? How are you feeling about all this? Well, look, I mean, I try to, as they say, stay in your lane and comment on things that I'm knowledgeable about. I can say that, you know, I think there are people in the world who speak often to just hear themselves speak, and I'm not sure there's a lot of thought that goes behind What is said I think that's for a number of people

I don't It's it's it's it's just so Freaking childish. It's just so it's like the you know It's like the Nana Nana Nana going on and you know, it's like the Stephen A Smith and LeBron feud going on right now. It's just so freaking childish. Just shut the hell up. And LeBron was with his son Brawny at a medical appointment.

You know it's funny and it's what's so interesting about that. I'd rather even you know talk about that than I would politics or religion but you know, talk about that than I would politics or religion. But, you know, it's amazing because what I hear so much about Brawny is it's not so much that he doesn't belong in the NBA. It's that his path to the NBA was just all about nepotism. And so that he very well could, if he was in the G League and he was just developing, he could very well develop into a player. And it turns out, and I thought, I don't know if the line was realistic or not. So please, nobody, you know, heckle me, but you know, I think he just got 36 points and,

and, and like a pretty decent staff line the other night in the G league, you know? So it's like, obviously if you're getting 36 points in the G league, maybe there is something to be said and you have that pedigree Maybe there is something to be said that you belong as a person who's going to develop into an NBA player who comes off the bench Seventh or eighth or ninth or tenth one day, you know what I mean? The question is if his name is Brawny Smith, right? Drafted in the NBA. Well, no is the could know is the answer and there's many on draft No, potentially, or...

I think it's a clear no. Or somebody might say, listen, like you have this pedigree and you're, if we're picking last in the draft or whatever that looks like, and we're going to take a flyer, maybe we take a flyer here. The flip side is why draft somebody when you can just go pluck them as a free agent and pay very little for them and... You know, it kind of reminds, I feel like this, you know, maybe I'm misremembering now cause it's off the lid here,

but Scott Niedermeyer, who was a hall of fame defenseman, there was, I think it was Anaheim. I can't remember this detail. Yes. There was like a pretty wonderful deal offered to Rob and it was always at the time it was pretty clear it was to make Scott happy, right? Right. So there's like ways around because there's a salary cap, right? So so Scott gets the max but there's extra money coming to his brother to keep him happy and This obvious I think it's it's clear that this this drafting by the Lakers is because his father is the franchise you know, what's interesting is that I I

Going into this year when Nylander's brother came up, when Alex came up, I thought Alex, you know, I wasn't sure what the deal was and what that what the look was going to be, but I was actually impressed with how quickly he left, you know, with how quickly they rectified that or just, you know, right, right, you know, but, but maybe that's where he, you know, yeah. Yeah. Right. So long. So it's best suited at this point. But so I, but I, but I'm impressed by is how you were able to pivot from a Trump talk to LeBron James bank. Like honestly, it was ACES.

Thank you. So we don't, I, I'm not here to get you in trouble, but I do find it interesting. You think that's political because to me, politics is if we were having a chat now about who do you want to be prime minister of this country and we were talking about Carney versus Poliev, right? Now we're going to have a talk about politics, but discussing whether Canada is a sovereign nation and whether America should make any threats at all to their allies, that's not political. It's lunacy. But it's not politics. But it's no, but it's so politics. No, but I go back to, I just think people say things that are without a lot of thought.

Really, that's what you wanna put out into the universe and the truth is because it's just another media cycle. It is kinda crazy. When it comes to politics, I think change rules and I think change rules. And I think change rules for a lot of people. I think sometimes things are stagnant and need to be shaken up a little bit.

I can honestly tell you, as a person who is relatively, newly single, not single, but divorced, whatever that is, as a single parent, it's humbling living in this country as a you know on one income you know what i mean like it's it's freaking humbling so you know it's it would be nice if there was um a little bit of relief shall i say but yeah it's um i'm voting for change okay so but yeah so you got political, but you don't want, I mean, I'm not gonna put words in your mouth, but do you want Canada to remain a sovereign,

independent nation? Sovereign state, of course, 100%. I just gotta make sure, because I don't know if I wanna produce a podcast. No, we're not interested in being anyone's 51st state. Or, and this is another pet peeve I have, where people are talking about 51st state, when we all know, he's saying 51st state or I can that's this is another pet peeve I have where people are talking about 51st state when we all know he's saying 51st state But he means you'll be like Puerto Rico, right? You know, you're not gonna be the 50th. Yeah, exactly

Not a chance. Yeah all these lefties up here forget about it chef Jordan Wagman the new book that everybody should get their mitts on is called will how I found my health through food and You got to come by every couple of years and update us on your life. I appreciate you very much dude and I'm uh yeah I'm very grateful for your friendship and truly this book is my it's the greatest piece of work I've ever done in my life I couldn't be more proud of it so it's available everywhere on Amazon. That's CNN Dude to you. CNN Dude now on CNN. CNN, dude. Now on CNN. And that brings us to the end of our 1665th show. Go to torontomike.com for all your Toronto Mike needs. Much love to all who made this possible for helping to fuel the real talk.

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