A popular West Coast chef who thrives on the edge is bringing her vibrantly positive energy to Top Chef Canada. 

香蕉视频直播淚 think they were looking for something unique and different,香蕉视频直播� Chef Lisa Ahier said. 香蕉视频直播淚 have a very colourful past. I香蕉视频直播檝e never seemed to like to walk the straight line. I香蕉视频直播檓 always teetering to the edge.香蕉视频直播� 

Top Chef Canada is set to air its 11th season and Vancouver Island's Ahier is officially the oldest chef to ever compete on the show at 63. 

香蕉视频直播淚 haven香蕉视频直播檛 ever seen somebody go on Top Chef Canada that香蕉视频直播檚 my age, so it was a way to represent and show up for the senior demographic, have an adventure and who knows? I had just as good a chance to win as anybody,香蕉视频直播� she said. 

She said she was initially reluctant to apply for a spot on the show, but was encouraged by friends and family to give it a shot. 

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 kind of a stranger to competition. I香蕉视频直播檓 more of a gal who likes to share with my neighbour rather than compete with my neighbour. So, it香蕉视频直播檚 not something I really ever set my sights on personally, but a lot of folks egged me on, gave me encouragement and said, 香蕉视频直播榃hy wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 you?,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭hen my kids said, 香蕉视频直播榃hy wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 you mom?香蕉视频直播� And I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 come up with a good reason, so I thought why not? We香蕉视频直播檝e got one life to live.香蕉视频直播� 

After putting her name forward, she was shocked when she was told she had been selected as one of the new season香蕉视频直播檚 10 contestants. 

香蕉视频直播淗onestly, you could have knocked me over with a feather. I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 believe it. I knew that I had the stamina, but would this network or production company feel like I could hang on, get through and compete like a 30 year old?,香蕉视频直播� she said. 

香蕉视频直播淚 was really in shock. It was a big shock, but then I thought, 香蕉视频直播極h my God. I香蕉视频直播檓 so excited.香蕉视频直播� Fear never came into it香蕉视频直播�I was just really excited for a new challenge.香蕉视频直播� 

Ahier has lived on Vancouver Island's West Coast for about 25 years, first in Ucluelet and then Tofino, and experienced love at first sight when she arrived. 

香蕉视频直播淭his is home and I knew it the first time I was driving on Sutton Pass. I knew I香蕉视频直播檇 come home for the first time in my life. I香蕉视频直播檝e lived so many times during my life and done so many different things in my career and this is the only place I香蕉视频直播檝e ever felt home. They香蕉视频直播檙e going to have to take me out of here kicking and screaming. I love it. I don香蕉视频直播檛 even travel very much because why would I leave paradise?香蕉视频直播� she said. 

香蕉视频直播淭here is just so much to love about the West Coast: the communities, the natural environment, obviously the abundance of beautiful food. This community gets it. We香蕉视频直播檙e not a fast food community. We香蕉视频直播檙e a community full of gardeners, fishermen, foragers; what香蕉视频直播檚 not to love? It香蕉视频直播檚 captured my heart and my soul. I really, really love this West Coast community and everything that the members of the community have done for the last 24 years to embrace me. I feel like I have been here for my entire life.香蕉视频直播� 

Top Chef Canada香蕉视频直播檚 11th season will kick off on Oct. 14 at 10 p.m. on Food Network Canada. 

香蕉视频直播淣ow it is time to usher in a new era, with 10 new skilled, creative, and boundary-pushing chefs ready to compete for the title of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 Top Chef,香蕉视频直播� read a media release announcing the new season. 

香蕉视频直播淭he chefs will be put to the test, facing off in grueling challenges where they must put their best plate forward or be sent packing. Viewers we be delighted to see that this season pays homage to Canada香蕉视频直播檚 diverse heritage and culinary scene. In the end, only one chef will emerge victorious, earning the grand prize and the coveted title of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 Top Chef.香蕉视频直播� 

The season has already been filmed and Ahier declined to disclose any spoilers, but said her main goal throughout the competition was to be genuine and remain steadfast to her character. 

香蕉视频直播淥ne thing that was really important to me, and is in my every-single-day-life, is to stay completely 100 per cent true to who you are, what you do and at no time waver from that,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 wanted to make sure that I stayed humble because I think I am kind of a humble human, that I stayed positive, I love positive energy, that I didn香蕉视频直播檛 try to self-sabotage and that I was really looking out for myself and my well-being.香蕉视频直播� 

She added that going through the experience was life-changing. 

香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 think I was ever ugly with anybody, I try not to be in life, and I think I came away from the experience really proud of myself for having the courage. Regardless of how I started and how I finished, I had the courage to get into the arena, not be in the cheap seats saying, 香蕉视频直播業 could香蕉视频直播檝e. I would have. If I did.香蕉视频直播� I got in and I tried,香蕉视频直播� she said. 

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 always going to be a winner and there香蕉视频直播檚 always going to be a loser. That香蕉视频直播檚 life and, experiencing life, you香蕉视频直播檝e got to show up to be either one or the other and sometimes you fall in between, but they香蕉视频直播檙e all experiences. I really wanted to have this experience and I did and it actually meant 1,000 times more to me than I expected it to.香蕉视频直播� 

She hopes her participation on the show encourages viewers to pursue their dreams. 

香蕉视频直播淚 wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 trade the experience for anything in the world. If I can just be the encouragement or set a little bit of an example for those people that are at home wishing they could change their careers, wishing they had the courage to go out there and take that fencing class, or show up to the yoga that they don香蕉视频直播檛 think they香蕉视频直播檙e flexible enough for, or whatever it is or how small or how big it is,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淪how up for your life, do the best you can and be 100 per cent true to yourself and your life will become fuller and fuller.香蕉视频直播� 

Ahier had previously and she said she has never shied away from cameras. 

香蕉视频直播淚 never see a camera. I never have. I香蕉视频直播檓 so engaged in what I香蕉视频直播檓 doing. The host talking to me, the person asking the questions, whatever it is, I truly, truly forget the camera is there. I have the absolute opposite of stage fright,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭he cameras are non-existent to me. I香蕉视频直播檓 just trying to have the best time that I can in the situation that I香蕉视频直播檝e been put in and fear isn香蕉视频直播檛 part of that process for me. I embrace it.香蕉视频直播� 

She added though that watching herself on screen afterwards is a different story. 

香蕉视频直播淲hen I look at myself on film, I香蕉视频直播檓 a bit mortified. But, while I香蕉视频直播檓 doing it, I香蕉视频直播檓 happy as a lark and I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 care less,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淔ilm me all day long, but don香蕉视频直播檛 make me watch.香蕉视频直播� 

She plans to overcome that reluctance over Thanksgiving as she香蕉视频直播檒l be watching the season opener with her son in the Okanagan with her mother and daughter joining them online. 

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 going to be with my family, my kids and my mother, watching the show,香蕉视频直播� she said .