Talk about skeletons in the closet, cookbook writing is only the latest in a long sordid list of creative endeavours for Winnipeg firefighter Jeff Derraugh. After graduating from the University of Manitoba in 1981 - sure it took him 4 years to complete a 3 year program, but not to worry it was only a B.A. not some culinary degree - Jeff began writing and voicing skits for morning radio. Soon landing his own show on Winnipeg’s 92 CITI-FM, he hosted various time slots over the following seven years including the coveted morning show position. But, just as with firefighting, the further Jeff climbed the ladder in radio, the closer he got to the fire.

     Once the axe fell, Jeff moved along, taking the gig of Senior Writer at Western Canada Lotteries. Get this, some whacked out ‘so-called expert’ panel actually saw fit to award Jeff’s team a North American Batchy Award for a radio commercial that he wrote and produced. Go figure?

     In 1990, Jeff switched to the related field of firefighting - fire stations have radios too! - but unwilling to completely let go, he kept his hand in radio as a freelance voice-over performer. The big goof even moonlighted for three seasons as the writer/host of the nationally syndicated radio program The Comedy Show.

     As a firefighter, Jeff volunteered his writing and character-voice 'so-called skills’ to fellow firefighter Shane Ferguson’s non-profit www.stayingalive.ca website. A collaboration with Manlab and Mitch Dorge (Crash Test Dummies) lead to the creation of an interactive fire-safety game for children, ‘Mrs. About-Fire’s Great Escape.’ As of this writing some 150,000 CD’s have been distributed free of charge to families, schools, fire halls and other organizations around the globe. Yes Martha, that’s a good thing!

     Although he certainly doesn’t pretend to be a professionally trained chef, Jeff will admit to learning his craft under the tutelage of the most unheralded chefs out there – firefighters. After 20 plus years of slugging away in the fire hall kitchen, he can’t contain himself any longer and is keen to share recipes and insights into firehouse life with you.

Jeff is married, and according to the last commissioned audit had 5 children and 2 grandchildren.