Video: https://youtu.be/QCelzv70iMI
Louis Domingue's cooking game is top shelf.
There has been no shortage of stories about how NHL players are passing the time in their respective bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Domingue, the Vancouver Canucks goaltender, has come up with a unique entertainment recipe of his own.
Literally.
The 28-year-old has been baking his way into the hearts and stomachs of his teammates, providing them with some memorable culinary creations.
Banana bread, cinnamon rolls, homemade pies, assorted other goodies Domingue is undoubtedly the Canucks master chef.
He's taken to social media to share some of his mouthwatering masterpieces. One particular photo, which showed off his baking supplies, was accompanied by the caption, "bubble life baking for my boys, know your role" on his Instagram story.
"The first thought that comes to my mind is 'bored,'" said the native of Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, who came to Vancouver in a trade with New Jersey this February. "I had a lot of time on my hands. We've been playing at 8:30 [ET] most nights, so from the time we skate in the morning until the game there is a lot of time for me. What do I do with that time in between? Where we staying before, we had a full kitchen in our suite, so I thought, 'I'll just order some groceries and bake something just for fun.' I put it out on Instagram just to create a little buzz. Not too much, but just a little bit.
"We won, so I thought I'm going to do my mom's banana bread the next game. Then we won. We closed out our series, so we had to move to another hotel. As I joke, I sent a message to the hotel that said, 'I ain't coming unless I have an oven.'"
Domingue got his wish.
He also received some top-notch hospitality when he arrived.
"One of the people there told me that they could find something for me, and asked when I wanted to start cooking. I told him, 'Today!' We spoke with NHL officials to make sure it's secure and that we are strictly adhering to the COVID-19 protocols. That was very important for everyone. The first day, I cooked in our team's meal room. I gave it to the chefs and they put it in the oven for me. The next game, they had it all set up I'm talking about a spot in the kitchen that they closed off just for me. They couldn't cut across the area I was in. It was a great set-up. I baked three pies, and then I had some dough left over, so I did something my mom does when she has leftover dough. It's a cinnamon roll."
The fifth-round pick in the 2010 NHL Draft hasn't taken any personal orders from his teammate as of yet.
"Whether it's now or down the road, I'm sure I will, at some point," said Domingue. "The strength coach is not too happy with me. He thinks I'm putting weight on the players."
So far, the reviews are of the five-star variety.
Icing on the cake for a player who has long enjoyed the art of cooking and baking.
Who would Domingue choose as his sous chef?
"If you want to stick with the French cuisine, I'd take [Antoine] Roussel under my wing. He's a hard-working guy and he'd be great for the gig. To be honest, I struggle… I'm a hands-on guy. I like doing this type of thing by myself. I don't like telling people how to do things. I'm always best served by myself. Let's just say that."
Domingue learned his cooking skills from his days at home with his family.
"My mom, she cooks a lot. She was always making different things in the kitchen. When I was young, I was a very difficult eater. I was very picky. My mom would always make me a different meal every time. Come Christmastime, we would make meat pies which are very famous in Quebec and that's when I learned to make dough. I think everybody if you have the will it's not that hard to bake. It's science one cup of sugar, two-and-a-half cups of flour and when you read the recipe, it's pretty easy.
"If you were to say you were a better cook than someone else, it's when you would go to a restaurant, taste something, and try to replicate it in your own kitchen. That's when you take the next step."
It also helps when your family is open to trying cuisine from different countries and cultures.
Although there were times when he wasn't adventurous with his eating habits, Domingue had a dinner-table seat for seeing foods from all over the world on his family's plates.
Eventually, he developed an affinity for a wide range of tastes.
"I feel like my culinary experience with my family we're all interested in other cultures really helped broaden my appreciation for food. Now, I enjoy Indian food as much as I enjoy a burger, maybe even more. I also love Lebanese food too. I like a lot of different foods. We had such a variety of flavours in our meals at our house when I was growing up. I think it helped me develop a better palate."
Although he hasn't been quite so worldly in his current cooking and baking offerings, Domingue is enjoying the chance to indulge in one of his top off-ice passions, and sharing the fruits of his labour with his teammates.
He sees it as a labour of love.
"You have to want to be there in the kitchen. What I like the most about it is to be able to do it for other people. I wouldn't do it just for me. If I'm alone, I don't find interest in cooking for myself and doing the dishes after. Honestly, the satisfaction comes from when someone tastes your food and likes it. That's where I get all my reward."
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