Q&A with Married Chefs Erica and Josh Karbelnik, Hosts of Bring on the Karbs!

From high school sweethearts to competing on Top Chef Canada, and now, co-hosts of their own Gusto TV show Bring on the Karbs, Erica and Josh Karbelnik have built a culinary career together. The married duo ignites their passion for food and fun energy to Bring on the Karbs, where they go head-to-head in friendly challenges. We sat down with them to talk about their cooking journey, behind-the-scenes moments, and kitchen dynamics.

How did you meet?
Erica: We met in high school!
Josh: We’ve been together for 18 years, married for eight, and have known each other for about 20 years.

What inspired you to pursue a career in television?
Josh: We always applied for competitions to push ourselves in the industry. Chopped Canada was our first big break—we both got on separate episodes, filmed a day apart, and we both won!
Erica: And then Top Chef Canada came along, and we became the first couple in Food Network history to compete against each other. It’s been an incredible ride since then.

What do you consider the most rewarding aspect of your career?
Josh: Getting to do what we love together. When Erica and I worked in restaurants, we always pitched each other to our managers, but we kept hearing, “couples don’t work together in the kitchen.” Now, here we are, proving them all wrong!
Erica: Seeing our daughter watch Bring on the Karbs. She gets so excited to see Mommy and Daddy on TV—she even recognizes our uniforms and knows when we’re heading to set.

Any standout moments from Bring on the Karbs that you laugh about now?
Josh: When Erica got a penalty and had to shake a cocktail (it was this Butter Washed Yuzu Sour). She was so mad!
Erica: I don’t drink cocktails, I don’t make them, and then I had to make one on the spot! And no one specified how much whiskey to add, so I went with four ounces…

Do you have any unspoken signals when cooking together?
Erica: Oh, 100%. We call it telepathy.
Josh: Erica will give me a look and I instantly know what she’s thinking. Our family hates it because we’ll be having entire conversations without speaking.

What’s the biggest kitchen disagreement you’ve had? How did you resolve it?
Erica: Customizing menus for clients! Two chefs trying to collaborate can be tricky. He’ll have an idea, and I’ll tweak it, and then he’ll resist the change.
Josh: We always compromise, though. We talk it out, sketch it, and somehow it works out perfectly in the end.

If you had to describe each other’s cooking in three words, what would they be?
Erica: Spicy, flavorful, rich.
Josh: Fiery, fennel-y, bold.

What’s one dish your partner makes that you could never live without?
Erica: His Indian food, hands down. And his roast chicken—it’s the only roast chicken I’ll devour completely.
Josh: Her eggplant parmesan. I could eat the whole tray in a sitting.

If you could host a dinner party with any two people, who would they be?
Josh: Marcus Samuelsson (Chef at Red Rooster), he’s been a huge inspiration throughout my career, and I know he appreciates bold, flavorful food. My second pick? My grandfather. He passed before I started this journey, but we were close. Having him at the table would mean a lot.
Erica: There are so many great chefs that I would love to cook for, but I think Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg sitting at my table would be hilarious.

Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re excited about?
Erica: Filming season 3 of Bring on the Karbs! I can’t wait to see what twists the producers throw our way. Our previous season is just hilarious—the challenges, the penalties, all of it.
Josh: I’m excited to see Erica sweat during the challenges!

From their playful banter to their undeniable chemistry in and out of the kitchen, Erica and Josh Karbelnik make cooking together look effortless. Catch them in action on Bring on the Karbs for a deliciously fun ride!