At The Table with Brian Markinson
đź•’ 4.5 min read
You for sure know actor Brian Markinson.
In the nineties, he was on every top show - Murphy Brown, L.A. Law, China Beach, Law & Order, The X-Files, Star Trek (The Next Generation, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine), Party of Five, to name a select few - and appeared in countless films, including Woody Allen’s Sweet and Lowdown opposite Sean Penn, and Shooter with Mark Wahlberg.
Continuing to grace small and big screens in the aughts, he was everywhere: Stargate SG-1, Dark Angel, Judging Amy, The Twilight Zone, Angels in America, Touching Evil, Da Vinci’s Inquest and Da Vinci’s City Hall, Psych, NCIS, Flashpoint, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Sanctuary, and Supernatural, for starters.
In more recent years, his resume has grown to include critically-acclaimed series such as The Killing, Fargo, Mad Men, Rogue, Continuum, and The Magicians. Currently co-starring in APTN’s critically acclaimed crime drama Tribal alongside Jessica Matten, he’ll soon appear with Hilary Swank and Josh Charles in Away on Netflix .
Ironically, the New York-born thespian - graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (Class of ’83) - didn’t step in front of the camera until he was 30.
Speaking on the phone from in North Vancouver, his home for roughly two decades with wife Nancy Kerr and their two sons, the convivial actor - and honorary Canadian - shares his love of Toronto. “It’s a real cultural hub,” he says. “I’ve taken jobs in Toronto just so I can eat there.”
The serious foodie speaks at length about his love of food - Toronto restaurants in particular - extolling the Peking duck at Lai Wah Heen, Tutti Matti’s Pinci Bugiardo (sausage ragu). and “anything at Joso’s.”
Film and television sets are largely shut down due to COVID-19 right now, but once production resumes you might catch sight of him around town. Probably with some serious takeout in hand.
Occupation
Actor
Place of Residence
North Vancouver, British Columbia
Last thing you ate
Baked salmon and lemon risotto.
Left to your own devices to make something at home, what would it likely be?
Barbecue baby back ribs.
When staying at a hotel, what are you raiding from the mini fridge
Wine and mixed nuts.
Guilty pleasure
Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia - Non-Dairy.
Drink of choice
Single malt scotch.
Favourite meal of the day and why
Dinner. It is when my family - especially now - can sit down together and debrief on the day.
Favourite cookbooks to use
The Silver Palate cookbooks. Old school!
Favourite cookbooks just to look at
Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi and Momofuku: A Cookbook by David Chang and Peter Meehan.
Three items always in your fridge
Hummus, Wente Vineyards Chardonnay, and Pecorino Romano.
Top 3 Toronto restaurants
Joso’s, Tutti Matti, Lai Wah Heen, and JaBistro.
Go-to food and drink order at a restaurant
Catch of the day and an oaky Chardonnay.
Would you rather: Go to farmers’ market/nearest pub/food truck?
Pub.
Describe your kitchen
Sorely in need of more counter space... A major overhaul is on our to-do list! We love our Wolf range!
Describe your cooking style
I am the grill king at our house - fish or meat. My wife Nancy loves to take old standbys and jazz on them. No one bakes, sadly.
Ideal food day: from the time you wake up until bed, what are you having?
I love to make bull’s-eye eggs (aka eggs-in-the-hole) and peameal bacon for the family in the morning. On to the panini press for lunch - grilled sandwiches. My wife’s eggplant parmigiana with a side of spaghetti aglio e olio for dinner, with a big Italian red!
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