Sittin' in the Kitchen

I interview Judith Jones, Julia Child's longtime editor and good friend, at her Upper East Side apartment in 2012.

Chef Martin Picard is famous for his nose-to-tail restaurant Au Pied de Cochon. Since 2009, he has divided his time between that Montreal eatery and his equally popular sugar shack 50 km away in the lush countryside. When I visited, he generously shared his thoughts on traditional Quebec cuisine, foie gras, maple syrup, cooking with leftovers and his 'last supper'.

I chat with Susan Wisniewski whose family has owned and operated the glorious, vintage Harbord Bakery in downtown Toronto for 70 years.

Activist chef Joshna Maharaj uses her creativity, spirituality and passion for fresh, vibrant local food to overhaul institutional kitchens. In her important book "Take Back the Tray," Joshna shares her disdain for bland, processed food believing that it sends the message "I don't care about you" when served to hospital patients, students on campus and other captive consumers.

I'm looking forward to watch award-winning pastry chef Bruno Feldeisen and judge on Season 4 of CBC's Great Canadian Baking Show premiering February 14th. Bruno feels that being a chef is an emotional journey. His personal history has been marked by a difficult childhood and struggles with anxiety. In my podcast conversation with Bruno, you'll hear him speak honestly and courageously about his tri...

He's the godfather of New World Cuisine. Anthony Bourdain called him "the big dog of Florida cooking." He's chef Norman Van Aken, an American culinary legend, former hippie and genuinely nice person. I interviewed Norman for my podcast, discussing his humble beginnings as a short-order cook, the diverse influences of South Florida cuisine and that time he famously declined to cook for Trump at Mar...

Haven Toronto's executive director Lauro Monteiro is a man of steely determination. He has a strong desire to make things better for Toronto's vulnerable, homeless men ages 55+. I asked Lauro "What gives you hope?" as he works daily on the frontlines of the city's homeless crisis. His reply: “I see the good in people every single day. I see tragedy. I see sad circumstances but, mixed in with that,...

In 2017, I interviewed indomitable chef Matty Matheson. This was shortly before his best-selling tome "Matty Matheson: A Cookbook" was released. Matty's new burger joint in Toronto's boho Queen West neighbourhood "Matty's Patty's Burger Club" serves his signature cheese-slathered burgers, originally made popular at the now closed Parts & Labour restaurant. These days, you can watch Matty's uncenso...

I had an instant, warm rapport with Nigella Lawson when I interviewed her in 2015, so much so that she deemed us "kitchen cousins." Nigella and I talked about the healing power of food and our shared impromptu style of cooking. Her new book (available in North America in Spring 2021) and BBC program with the same title "Cook, Eat, Repeat" beautifully reflect the comforting pleasure of cooking.

With cooler temperatures and holidays ahead comes the urge to bake! In my podcast interview with baker 'par excellence' Anna Olson we discuss how to treat over burns, pan dimensions, why unsalted butter is better and baking tips and tricks.

Funny and endearing, Food Network host John Catucci is a kindred adventurer and eater. His show “You Gotta Eat Here” is my morning meditation. His new show “Big Food Bucket List” highlights John’s favourite restaurant dishes. In our lively podcast chat, he talks about his beginnings as a performer, his dad's Bolognese sauce and his adventures in travel and eating.

John Ota and his wife don't like their kitchen in downtown Toronto. His search for the perfect kitchen took him across North America to 13 famous kitchens including Julia Child's, the Pilgrims', Elvis Presley's and Louis Armstrong's, among others. He describes them in his brilliant book "The Kitchen: A Journey Through History in Search of the Perfect Design."

This podcast is dear to my heart – it’s about my Toronto home: Kensington Market. As a podcaster, I notice what I call “good talkers” in my daily life. Carlos Pereira is a character and a good talker. I’ve known him for about 40 years – since I moved into my beloved downtown neighbourhood. Kensington Market is a unique, colourful mix of old houses and small shops where waves of immigrants have lon...

Haven is just that: it's a downtown drop-in open 365 days/year offering hot meals and a warm welcome to marginalized men ages 50+. Lauro Monteiro, Haven Toronto's Executive Director, has a steely determination and a compassionate heart. I visited Haven to chat with Lauro and discovered how he cultivates hope and humanity amid Toronto's cruel housing crisis. But first Scott, a panhandler briefly sh...

Toronto street nurse Cathy Crowe is an author, filmmaker, activist and a distinguished visiting practitioner in the Department of Politics at Ryerson University. Cathy has been on the front lines of Toronto’s housing emergency for decades. Her new memoir A Knapsack Full of Dreams recounts her lifelong commitment to social justice. She has led a fascinating life and I feel lucky to call her a frien...

We laugh, we cry. We talk peace, love and fibre. Mairlyn Smith's latest book, her eighth, is a love letter to your colon and a love letter to her late parents. I chat with my dear friend Mairlyn at her Toronto home. She explains her crusade to increase our daily fibre intake and outlines how to do it.

Florida chef Norman Van Aken had humble beginnings in the small town of Diamond Lake, Illinois. He remains humble in spite of his successful restaurants, cookbooks and his memoir, "No Experience Necessary." The renowned godfather of New World Cuisine, he co-owns two restaurants in South Florida. He's a reader, a thinker and a great talker. I interviewed him in Miami.

Andrew Coppolino is a chatty, affable food journalist based in Kitchener-Waterloo. His new book, FARM TO TABLE, is the brainchild of the Stratford Chefs School which celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. The book features profiles of producers like Ruth Klahsen of Monforte Dairy and Anthony John of Soiled Reputation along with their recipes. Andrew has a passion for the synergy between those...

In the kitchen at Sistering, they're cooking up a storm on a tight budget and they've been doing it for almost 40 years. The cooks at this drop-in and shelter never know how many mouths they'll have to feed. Homelessness in Toronto is a real crisis - and things are getting worse. Without enough affordable housing, people are forced to sleep outside or in overcrowded shelters. Sistering is struggli...

Anthony Rose and I both love old fashioned Jewish food. Anthony is a popular chef and restaurateur with a cluster of hip eateries on a gritty strip of Dupont Street in downtown Toronto. Rose and Sons, the original one, is a deli style diner featuring a mean pastrami sandwich, chicken soup with matzo balls and chopped liver. We met at his French-style bistro, Bar Begonia, to chat about his mini emp...

I met Gabriella, a fledgling food writer, at the James Beard Awards dinner in 2004. We caught up again in New York this year and chatted about our Jewish roots in Riga, Latvia, our affinity for Montreal and our mutual love of prunes.

It was a sunny day in Rob Firing's Toronto garden where he grilled a ribeye with service berries and garlic scapes on his humble barbecue - delicious! Meanwhile, he gave me a tutorial on his favourite topic: steak. His new book "Steak Revolution" explores the more unusual cuts of beef including my new favourite - culotte. His book introduced me to the best way to cook it - the reverse-sear method.

Chef Joshna Maharaj is driven by a passion for social change. She rejects the processed, dreary and bland food served in most institutions. She was chef at The Stop Community Food Centre in Toronto where she worked to re-imagine the traditional soup kitchen. Joshna has also revitalized campus food and the fare in hospitals. She is a compelling talker who expresses her spiritual beliefs eloquently....