Chicken Grenades wins big!

In January of this year, John Grass ('84) was watching the Food Network, like he usually does, when he saw a commercial for a show called Recipe to Riches. They were calling for viewers who thought they had a $250,000 recipe, and Grass immediately thought of the chicken dish he invented, which he now calls chicken grenades.

John played football at Mount Allison - on the team that went to the Vanier Cup in 1984. He and his wife, Lynn, a nurse, run a home for the elderly. His daughter, Sarah, is in her fourth year at the University of New Brunswick studying nursing and his son Ben ('15) is in his first year at Mount A studying science.

He is by no means a professional chef. He is just a regular guy who loves to cook, has a knack for it and likes to try new things in the kitchen. On a whim he filled out the online application and forgot about it.

He forgot about the contest for all of an hour when the phone rang. It was representatives from the Food Network asking him to bring his recipe to the audition in Halifax in February. The judges liked what they saw and tasted, and handed Grass a golden ticket and a contract of secrecy, he said. There were seven categories which three contestants were selected for: puddings and pies, cakes, savoury pies, sweet and savoury snacks, frozen treats, entrées and Grass' category, appetizers.

All the contestants were flown to Toronto to tape the show, and winners in each category were selected. That just so happened to include John and his chicken grenades, which won him $25,000 and the chance for his item to be sold in stores, through President's Choice.

Again, he was sworn to secrecy. He didn't even tell his wife he'd won, he said. The show was taped in March, and aired Wednesday on the Food Network. So he kept it a secret for over eight months.

After all seven category winners are selected, Canadians can vote online at www.recipetoriches.ca for the best recipe among them all. The grand prize winner will take home $250,000. Voting will begin on Dec. 7 and end on Dec. 9.

His chicken grenades are made with bacon, wrapped around a piece of seasoned chicken breast filled with shredded pizza mozzarella and Monterrey jack cheeses and jalapeño peppers, glazed with apple pepper jelly and dusted with barbecue dry rub spice. They are available at Atlantic SuperStore, Atlantic SuperValue, and SaveEasy.

Read full story: N.B. man's grenade recipe earned riches (Telegraph-Journal)