Calgary & Alberta Economy

[potatopizzafan]

The next season of Top Chef US has been announced as being in "Canada" (with the promo featuring judge Gail Simmons in her hometown of Toronto). There's been a lot of filming in Toronto apparently, although host Kristen and Gail were posing at Inglewood Drive-In on Kristen's instagram. The way the US show is filmed is typically with a single major location, with one or two episodes filmed doing an excursion nearby during the season and then the last few episodes filmed somewhat later in a completely different location. For example, the most recent season ("Wisconsin") was filmed in Milwaukee; there was a two episode trip to Madison fairly early in the run, and then the finale was filmed on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. Vancouver/Whistler was the finale location of one season (the not-great Texas season). The show does a lot of work on promoting local restaurants and food businesses, and is underwritten heavily by tourism boards.

My guess is that the main season is set in Toronto, with a couple of day trips (Niagara for sure, perhaps cottage country?), and then Calgary/Banff is either the semi-finale location for the last 6-8 chefs with an overseas finale, or we are hosting the actual finale.


A rumour is that a challenge will involve cooking on covered wagons.

There was some kind of filming going on at Olympic plaza this week, they had Calgary stampede covered wagons in the plaza and it seemed like it was food related, so this tracks!

 

[Surrealplaces]

I think Calgary is perfectly suited to stand in as "Generic City USA" in much the way Vancouver does, especially if Generic City gets snow lol.

Vancouver makes a good stand in for any place coastal, and if mountains are part of the geography, it works out well.

The film that really made me crack up was 'Rumble in the Bronx' It didn't sub in very well for the Bronx in the scenes with mountains in the background lol.

 

[Mountain Man]

Reminds me of when Exit Wounds filmed in Calgary, was supposed to be Detroit but the Calgary Tower made an appearance haha.

 

[Surrealplaces]

Reminds me of when Exit Wounds filmed in Calgary, was supposed to be Detroit but the Calgary Tower made an appearance haha.

Same for Silverstreak in the 70's. There's a road sign in the movie that says 'Welcome to Kansas City' complete with the Calgary tower in the background

The sign isn't in this still, but this is the shot of the skyline, right after the sign

 

[Mountain Man]

So Last of Us isn't the first time Calgary has filled in for KC? lol