The Pay Chen Show

Pay broadcasts live from Montreal with her best friend, radio announcer Nat Lauzon! Their friendship spans over 20 years and this is the first time they've done a show together despite working in radio and television for two decades. They chat about your public pet peeves  (people who clip their nails in public, drivers who don't signal, people who use their cellphones in movie theatres) and listeners shared some good ones! Take a listen to their take on things that p*ss people off!

Would you go back to a restaurant if the food and atmosphere were great but you encountered a rude staff member? Summer entertaining and cottage meals made easy with Chef Jason Rosso! Plus, a unique program brings international students to Canada to work on research projects that will improve our lives in the areas of science, engineering, health and more. Pay chats with one 20-year-old student from India who is working on a research project at York University and finds out how these students are giving Canada a global reputation! And, what men need to know before hitting the gym.

The most expensive hotdog in the world sold out at $100 each. What and why..? Toronto real estate agent Paul Greenberg shares advice and tips for potential buyers and sellers in the city. How do you figure out the up and coming areas and snag that deal? Find out about the Starbucks effect and the simple ways to increase the value of your property! And if you want to support more Canadian businesses, Pay discovers a list of unique and great companies in the country that will make your shopping and gift-giving much easier.

Comedian Ali Hassan co-hosts with Pay for the first hour of this extended show! Pay's review of Magic Mike XXL and why she's not a pervert. Nutritionist Lianne Phillipson-Webb (sproutright.com) shares picnic food tips, and why your low-fat food might make you fat. Pay and Ali debate whether borrowing a bathing suit is like sharing underwear. Chef Natalia Machado from the Argentinian steakhouse L'Atelier d'Argentine in Montreal, talks about creating a restaurant that is popular with women and the trend of Argentinian flavours. Ecoholic and NOW magazine columnist Adria Vasil tells us what we should be aware of when it comes to dry-cleaning, and what those green or organic claims really mean. Plus, what do we need in our sunscreen and what are our best eco-friendly options? And get ready for the $125 Twinkie.

"Meh" and "hot mess" are now real words according to the Oxford English Dictionary! Find out what other words have made their way onto the list. Nutritionist Theresa Albert shares summer fit tips and the surprising number of vegetables we're actually eating. Consumer technology expert Amber MacArthur talks about smart technology trends and how they're making our lives easier! And MS affects more people in Canada than any other country in the world, making it Canada's disease. Find out symptoms and treatments with Dr. Karen Lee. People are looking for "functional calories" with their drink choices. Learn about the hot trend of cold brew coffee and where you'll find it this summer. And Taste of Toronto returns to Fort York this week - hear about what you can expect at the festival!

It's the first day of summer! Pay is back from a week in Scotland and chats about her adventures in Edinburgh and Glasgow (including a place where you can drink beer in church). Matty Matheson (host of 'Keep It Canada' on Munchies, and chef at Parts & Labour) joins the show to talk about his travels across the country meeting food producers and chefs, and learning about the great things we make and grow in Canada. Nervous about having people over? Lifestyle Expert, Shoana Jensen, shares tips for easy outdoor entertaining and ways to take the stress away. What was Pay doing in Scotland? Enjoying drinks and a play in church, swinging on a trapeze at a circus school, and making haggis pakoras in an Indian restaurant in Glasgow. Also, in Perthshire...she was looking for a tea plantation. Yes, Scottish tea.

Pay broadcasts live from the 25th anniversary of Toronto Taste with Zane Caplansky as they celebrate some of the city's best chefs and restaurants, and raise money to help Second Harvest. Guests include Food Network stars: Roger Mooking, John Catucci and Bob Blumer! Listen to their conversations with chef and musician Roger Mooking (and why Zane owes Rogers a lifetime of knishes). Owner of Dufflet Pastries, Dufflet Rosenberg, talks about being one of the "original 6" chefs for Toronto Taste; having supported the event for 25 years. And what cake recipe has never changed? Learn more about the work Second Harvest does by rescuing perishable food around the city and who they help. This includes a group of kids at a Boys and Girls Club who had their first meal of the day at 4pm because of Second Harvest. And find out how you can volunteer by helping them deliver small quantities of food in your neighbourhood! Afrim Prisine from the Cheese Boutique talks about Toronto's changing cheese palate and tells us the one cheese you should be eating this summer. John Catucci from "You Gotta Eat Here" talks about the next season of the show, what he'd like to eat more of, and how you can send in your favourite restaurant ideas. Food Network host Bob Blumer, raised how much money that night with his live auction prize? And he shares his love of finding the best food around.

Pay's  most awkward conversation with her mother. The worst. What are the strangest things a vet has seen a pet eat? Turns out dogs often eat the evidence... Find out how you can attend some great seminars as part of a mini vet school and learn about the options and ways to ensure your pet lives their best life. Toronto Taste is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. Pay chats with chef Mark McEwan about his involvement with the event and how to get food to hungry people instead of throwing it in the garbage. Plus, the story of a Colorado teen who's spent her life in foster care, puts out an online ad looking for a family to celebrate her birthday with.

Pay went to check out a new Taiwanese snack bar in Cabbgetown AND visited an asparagus farm in Norfolk County. Do you know how much asparagus can grow in one day?? Nutritionist Lianne Phillipson-Webb shares tips on taking care of your skin through the decades without using any chemicals or expensive products. How to keep your skin in top shape, naturally! Canadians throw out over 30-billion dollars of food a year! Hear about one organization trying to rescue this food and distribute it to people in need. Second Harvest is also holding one of their biggest fundraising events on June 7th, Toronto Taste...it's your chance to meet and try food fem 50 of Toronto's top chefs! Find out how you can help by donating money, food, or time!

Pay has two new favourite restaurants you might want to try - including a popular Martime-inspired place serving Halifax donairs! It's the Victoria Day long weekend in Canada and the garden shops were a zoo! Outdoor design expert and host on HGTV, Carson Arthur, has tips on renovating your outdoor space with the most return on investment. Before you decide to build or plant something - hear what Carson has to say about boosting your property's value! And how do you take one restaurant meal and turn it into two meals? MealShare has expanded in Toronto and 18 local restaurants make it easy for you to enjoy your night out while also donating a meal to someone in need! Find out what one guy received from the man who bulled him 20 years ago! Plus, one of the most popular stories of the night...sending someone a jart. That's right....a jart.

Have you ever had to lecture your parent? What lies have you told someone you were paying money to help you? (A dentist, plumber, or in Pay's case...personal trainer) Find out about the biggest awards night for...cheese. Yes, the Oscar's of cheese awards some of the tastiest and stinkiest products in the country. Maybe you need to try something other than cheddar the next time you're at the grocery store. Chef Julian Bond has tips on buying, what you should ask, how you should store your cheese and how to make it last. It's almost time for the big Yard Sale for the Cure to benefit the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Have stuff to get rid of? Host a yard sale and raise some funds, or find the sales in your area and take some a new treasure.

Pay is back from a trip home to Nova Scotia and a quick food and farm trip to Winnipeg! Tune in to hear how many times her parents were robbed in just a year and a half. Find out about a great giveaway AND what all the hype is about fermented foods. Toronto nutritionist Meghan Telpner joins the show to talk about the fermented foods we should include in our diet, and why. Mother's Day is coming up and what better gift than one that helps a mother who is taking care of abandoned and orphaned children? Singer/songwriter Amanda Martinez talks about her experience with SOS Childrens Villages and the work they do around the world to care for children. Should a woman be fined for feeding hungry deer in the winter? Pay doesn't think so!

The topics may be serious but the people are funny! Could you live on $1.75 a day? Over 1-billion people around the world do. Actor Ennis Esmer (The Listener, Red Oaks, Dark Matter) and actor and comedian Colin Mochrie join the show to talk about the Live Below the Line Challenge where they will feed themselves on only $1.75/day for five days to raise awareness and funds for organizations fighting extreme poverty. Do you know the truth behind the shrimp you're eating? You should. Food writer and Toronto Star columnist Corey Mintz and Dan Donovan, co-owner of sustainable seafood shop Hooked Inc, tell us why you should avoid shrimp from many East Asian countries.  Find out what countries offer safer seafood.

Comedian Ron James joins Pay to co-host the first hour of the show. He talks about his years of comedy, traveling across the country and his love for performing in Canada. Ron is performing in Toronto at Massey Hall on Thurs. April 23rd. How do you feel about renting chickens to keep in your yard? A Toronto company wants to give you the opportunity to have fresh eggs and will let you rent chickens to raise! A Toronto woman shares her experience raising chickens in her downtown backyard. Aussie-born chef and owner of El Gastronomo Vagabundo food truck, Adam Hynam-Smith, has a new cookbook with recipes of his most popular dishes. Find out how you can attend the launch party and dine on his delicious food.

It's another extended show this week as MasterChef Canada judge and chef Alvin Leung and Season 1 winner, Eric Chong, pop into the studio to talk about what lead them to open a restaurant together. The Rebel (Eric) and the Demon (Alvin) get ready to launch R&D in Toronto's Chinatown, but not after spending a lot of time together. So what IS the Demon Chef really like? Eric dishes on his softer side and what it takes for two former engineers to switch careers. DNA testing for your dog? Why not? Pay talks about one condo complex gathering a DNA database of pets to catch lazy owners who don't pick up the poop! Pay talks to a Toronto mom about suspicions something was wrong with her baby and the process of getting it diagnosed and learning to adjust to the news. Tune in to hear about baby Brielle and her life with achondroplasia. You'll definitely learn something you didn't know before! FREE YOGA CLASSES! At the public library? Who knew? Find out what great free programs are available to you and how young professionals can access exclusive events with New Collection. And there's a great way to expose your kids to a live orchestra! The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has a young people's concert series for kids ages 5-12. Let them experience the magic of live music with a performance geared towards them.