Brunch is a favourite past time shared by many and should be an extraordinary experience, one that you will cherish. Vancouver has some wonderful places for brunch. Each of the places I visit is unique for what is offered along with the type of service and selection of dishes. I am on a journey around the city to find these extraordinary places and, at the same time, I will be joined by a notable personality who may be a Film Producer or Director, Musician, Arts Festival Director, Actor or other well-known individual for Brunch at restaurants in and around Vancouver.

For my fifteenth brunch in this series, I was joined by TV Hosts Fiona Forbes & Mike Eckford at House Guest in Vancouver talking about TV, Life and more!

Fiona Forbes is a Canadian television personality who currently hosts the award-winning entertainment talk show URBAN RUSH, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Forbes received a degree in History from the University of British Columbia and had planned to go to Law School. Instead, on a whim she enrolled in the Journalism Program at The British Columbia Institute of Technology. She has also hosted numerous other shows including DAYTIME on the Rogers Network, AUTOMOTIVE MORNING on Life Network and BREAKFAST TELEVISION on City-TV. Fiona also does extensive work as a Master of Ceremonies for corporate events and is passionate about lending her talents to support many wonderful charities including the Canadian Cancer Society, the Children’s Hospital Foundation and Canuck Place.

Michael Eckford is a Canadian television personality who is currently co-hosting the entertainment talk show Urban Rush on Shaw Cable in Vancouver, British Columbia. Michael has been hosting television shows for fifteen years, twelve of them with Shaw TV. In 2012 he also became the Co-Host of the Bro Jake Show on CFMI 101 Radio.

How did you both meet? And was it the tv hosting that brought you both together or?

Both doing tv but not together, we met at brunch at Senior Frogs and then were paired up by producers a few weeks later.

Have you always wanted to be a TV Host?

Mike – No – I wanted to be a Firefighter – I was a volunteer firefighter for years in Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast and then I was in construction. I watched Sportspage which was a big influence for me.

Fiona – No – I wanted to be a Lawyer – I took a broadcasting course then auditioned and got a job on live tv. My father was a lawyer and also an actor.

How do you both keep your shtik in mode or better put your cool when you are co-hosting events and tv shows?

We usually don’t plan, we are situational doing stuff and things just come up. No good when we plan stuff.

What do you want your viewers to learn if you will from your show each day?

Fun, we laugh, interesting people that we interview, learn about a story. Learn more about their city and country.

Tell me who some of your most notable guests that you have interviewed on your shows over the years ?

• Arnold Schwartzeneggar
• Bikram the Yoga Guy
• David Suzuki
• Steel Camper
• Michael Buble
• Kim Cattrell
• Cory Monteeth
• Terry David Mulligan

You both done over 20,000 interviews, is there anything that has stood out for each of you from any or many of them?

Mike – ripped my pants once and they then stapled my pants together so that I could do the show.

Fiona – my shirt became see through due to the lighting just as we were about to go live.

Mike – Greg “Who’s line is it anyway” almost got into a fist fight with me.

Fiona – kicked a comedian in the crotch.

Mike – introduced –cock instead of cake

Fiona – one a list movie star was so rude and I had to do the interview

What is your favourite food?

Fiona – Sushi, Italian food, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding

Mike – Clubhouse Sandwich

Mike had the had the Chicken & Waffles ($12) bacon & pecan waffles, yogurt fried chicken, cream cheese maple syrup ; Fiona had The Survival Burger (with no egg) ($13) and Richard had the Lobster Cake Benedict (without eggs) ($15) lobster & crab cake, tomato bruschetta, bearnaise and a Waffle ($7).

What are your favourite restaurants in Vancouver?

Fiona –

• Il Giardino
• Vij’s
• Blue Water Café

Mike –

• La Quercia
• Hawksworth
• Blue Water Cafe

What do you do in your off time?

Fiona –

• getting a puppy
• running
• travelling

Mike –

• family with my 3 kids
• working out
• skiing
• tennis
• read

Has the format of your show changed from the beginning  to now?

Not really but its going to in the fall, stay tuned to October 15, 2012.

Do you come from an entertainment family?

Fiona – mom is an actress and father was an actor and director

Mike – big brother is in radio

Is there an event or two which you have hosted either on your own or together that has been memorable?

• Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards
• Burnaby Blues Arts Festival (stage caught on fire)
• Burnaby business excellence awards

Where was your recent trip?

Fiona – Palm Springs for New Years and LA

Mike – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Where was your most recent trip?

Fiona – New York

Mike – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Who are your mentors?

Fiona –

• my dad – he gave me great advice
• Mom – she is my biggest fan, watches the show rigourissly and gives feedback

Mike

• Manuel Fonseca
• Vikki Gaberau
• Terry David Mulligan

Michael tell me about your new radio host gig on the Bro Jake show, how did that come to be?

We have both known each other forever, Mike Reno did a year as co-host on the show and then left to go on tour. Jake asked me to fill in, I ended up taking it and do 6am-10am Monday-Friday.

What’s next for each of you or what’s on the horizon?

Expansion

Urban Rush – almost

What are some of your craziest moments?

Mike – did a show on my birthday –the producer arranged for a Marilyn Monroe impersonator to come on the show to sing Happy Birthday –we never knew if it was a man or a woman, the Producer couldn’t see so we never knew.

When you first did the show did you both get paid?

No for a year we did not get paid, that is what you have to do, it is glorified interning – volunteering was key to getting the audition.

Style: A La Carte

Attire: Casual

Time: Sunday 10am – 4pm

House Guest

332 Water Street, Vancouver

Menu: http://housexguest.com/menu/

For Reservations, don’t call them, best to email reservations@housexguest.com

Stay tuned to my next guest Interview along with the next Brunch in and around Vancouver.

By: Richard Wolak