Sittin' in the Kitchen: Recent Episodes

Marion Kane

The best conversations seem to happen in the kitchen. The kitchen is the hub of the home - a place for lively chats over coffee, tea, lunch or even dinner. Join Marion Kane: Food Sleuth as she speaks with fellow foodies, chefs and just ordinary folk who relish the chance to share recipes, ideas, tips - and most of all - a consuming passion for food and cooking. Please subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes.

Susur Lee is one of Canada's most recognizable and lauded chefs, but I knew him long before his rise to fame. I will never forget meeting Susur for the first time. In 1984 (I was the food editor of the Toronto Sun at the time). Susur and fellow chef Michael Statlander visited me at work. We headed to the cafeteria to chat, where Susur and Michael spoke passionately about their food philosophy, emphasizing organic, in-season ingredients. Believe it or not, this was a radical idea at the time! A few years later, Susur was one of a handful of hand-picked chefs who cooked for Julia Child when I brought her to Canada for the first time (pictured in the group photo below, second from the left). The Susur Lee I know is kind, compassionate, and cares deeply about his profession. Congrats, Susur on your latest achievement: becoming Toronto's FIFA Hospitality Captain! It has been wonderful to watch your career develop over the past several decades.

I interviewed Susur Lee for my podcast in 2016, and you can catch that conversation here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/susur-lee-chat-world-class-toronto/

susurlee #canadianchef #celebritychef #marionkane #foodsleuth

This podcast is short and funny! My famous foodie friend @mairlynsmith and I champion underdog vegetables – brussels sprouts and parsnips. May it remind you to expand your culinary horizons and eat your greens! Tune in here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/foodie-friend-champion-underdog/

In 2016, I interviewed one of Canada's most lauded chefs, Martin Picard, known for his big personality and famous nose-to-tail restaurant, Au Pied de Cochon. Martin and I chatted about maple syrup, foie gras, and his love of leftovers. You can tune in to the full episode here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/quebec-chef-martin-picard-food/

Anthony Bourdain's segment about Martin Picard gives us a behind the scenes peek at his duck farm and restaurant. Anthony eats an indulgent meal at Au Pied de Cochon and we get to witness the resulting bliss: https://www.facebook.com/reel/906664317520976

martinpicard #aupieddecochon #canadiancuisine #foiegras #marionkane

One of the sweetest moments of my life took place when I was reunited with my childhood nanny, Evelyn. Hired by my parents when I was an infant, Evelyn left her small rural community at age 17 to care for me in our Montreal home. Fifty years later, I reunited with my beloved nanny, who had spent her life on a farm near the tiny village of Brinston, not far from where she grew up. I have fond memories of the summers spent with Evelyn after our initial reunion. We would go on adventures at 40 km/hr on rural roads and pick raspberries at the local u-pick berry farm. Evelyn made the most gorgeous pies, which I haven't perfected, but I can make an excellent raspberry cake.

Read my reflection and listen to my podcast episode about my reunion with my nanny, Evelyn Smail, here (you'll also find my recipe for raspberry cake when you follow the link): https://www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/nanny-child-reunion-evelyn-find/

reunion #raspberries #raspberrycake #recipes #MarionKane #foodsleuth

Cooking is a wonderful destressor, and I'm not alone in that belief – my kitchen cousin, Nigella Lawson, agrees with me! I loved interviewing Nigella. We chatted like a couple of old friends, swapping ideas for recipe tweaks, sharing cooking philosophy, and musing about our careers in the world of food. Nigella is beautiful inside and out, full of her signature warmth and a great deal of humility for a cooking superstar. You can listen to my full interview with Nigella Lawson here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/chat-nigella-kitchen-cousin/

nigellalawson, #simplynigella #cooking #marionkane #foodsleuth

Big news for one of television's most popular reality TV shows! Dame Prue Leith is leaving The Great British Bake Off and will be replaced by celebrity cooking icon, Nigella Lawson. Nigella will almost certainly attract her legion of followers to the Bake Off audience, on account of her warm likeability and earnest passion for eating good food. I had the very good fortune of interviewing Nigella in 2015, and we quickly recognized each other as kindred souls, or "kitchen cousins." She was an absolute delight! You can listen to my chat with Nigella here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/chat-nigella-kitchen-cousin/

If you're on Instagram, here's a link to a clip of Nigella talking about how she feels excited and "a teeny bit frightened" about joining The Great British Bake Off. https://www.instagram.com/p/DUGOC40FK4g/?hl=en

thegreatbritishbakeoff #realitytelevision #nigellalawson #britishtv #marionkane #foodsleuth

Modena's famous Massimo Bottura approaches food and cooking with a sense of creativity that is electric. His charm and energy are irresistible, and his values of social justice and sustainability are deeply aligned with my own. I had the great pleasure of interviewing Massimo in 2017 and dove into a topic we both care about: reducing food waste. You can tune into that episode here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/massimo-bottura-mission-turn-food/

If reducing food waste and feeding the disenfranchised is something you care about too, you will love Peter Svatek's documentary 'Theater of Life,' where Massimo and 60 of the world's top chefs reclaim food headed for the dumpster and make beautiful meals for some of Italy's hungriest people: Theater of Life - NFB

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention 'Bread is Gold,' a cookbook that features recipes from Massimo and others that inspires home chefs to reclaim wasted ingredients and transform them into dishes that are both delicious and beautiful: Tasty Cookbook by Chef Massimo Bottura and Friends is Pure Gold

Image (clockwise, from top left): Caramelized bananas with balsamic drizzle, made from a recipe in 'Bread is Gold;' Massimo Bottura; yours truly in my legendary veggie dress c. 1992; promo poster from the documentary 'Theater of Life.'

sustainability #foodwaste #massimobottura #theateroflife #foodsecurity #podcast #marionkane #foodsleuth

In 2017, I interviewed Matty Matheson, the John Belushi of the culinary world. Heavily tattooed, irreverent and profoundly talented. Matty rose to fame with his hugely popular VICE TV show, Dead Set on Life. We talked about his recovery from addiction and a heart attack at age 29. Matty has since made a remarkable recovery and now balances a full career that includes a brand new 9,500-square-foot restaurant inside of Hamilton's TD Coliseum, acting and serving as executive producer in multiple television productions, authoring cookbooks, and performing in his punk band, Pig Pen. His ambition and zest for life are truly a wonder!

Listen to my interview with Matty Matheson here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/chef-matty-matheson-addiction/

I also recommend you watch this heartwarming video of Matty on a kosher food tour of Montreal, accompanied by local legend Rabbi Yisroel Bernath, aka "The Hipster Rabbi." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95mkZCWiLmo

mattymatheson #montreal #kosherfood #rabbiyisroelbernath #thehipsterrabbi #vicetv #deadsetonlife #celebritychef #marionkane #foodsleuth

American chef Sean Brock's work is a love letter to Southern food. Raised in a small coal town on the Virginia-Kentucky border, Sean has dedicated his craft to studying Appalachian food and hospitality. A great friend to fellow culinary adventurer Anthony Bourdain, the two shared an unforgettable and comical meal at the iconic Waffle House, which you can check out in the Charleston episode of Parts Unknown. Today, Sean runs five restaurants in Nashville and all are dedicated to ingredients indigenous to the American South. I interviewed Sean in 2019. We chatted about his friend Tony, what sets Southern cuisine apart, sobriety and the fine art of making fried chicken. You tune conversation with Sean Brock here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/sean-brock-friend-tony-fatherhood/

Can vegetables be the star of the show at dinner? Chef Amanda Cohen thinks so! In 2008, Amanda opened 'Dirt Candy' – a vegetable-focused restaurant – in New York's Lower East Side. Since then, Dirt Candy has earned a Michelin Star and delighted diners with creativity and flavour in dishes where vegetables take centre stage. I interviewed Amanda in 2016 at the 10th annual Terroir Symposium in Toronto, where she explained her love of vegetables and her no-tipping policy.

Tune into my conversation with chef Amanda Cohen here:
http://www.marionkane.com/.../veg-edge-nyc-chef-amanda-cohen

Bruno Feldeisen understands the emotional aspects of food and cooking. When I interviewed him for my podcast in 2017, we dove deep into the meaning and feelings that go hand-in-hand with preparing food for others. Bruno had a difficult childhood that, while in many ways tragic, created a path to deeper meaning in his life and work. He is a man who cares deeply about being of service to others and is compelled to lead with kindness. I think he's brilliant.

Listen to the full podcast here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/pastry-chef-bruno-feldeisen-shares/

baking #Canadianchef #BrunoFeldeisen #cbc #TheGreatCanadianBakingShow #BeatBobbyFlay #DonutShowdown #Chopped #kindness #traumarecovery

In her decade as Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet magazine, Ruth Reichl would have sifted through 1000s of recipes. These 10 are her favourites: Ruth Reichl's Favorite Recipes from Gourmet | Epicurious

I interviewed Ruth in 2015 when she published '136 Recipes That Saved My Life.' We had a candid conversation about the magic of cooking and how she found meaning in life after Gourmet magazine shuttered its doors in 2009.https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/ruth-reichl-explains-healing-power/

Huzzah! It's peach season in Ontario. That means luscious peach pies, cobblers or the simple pleasure of eating a ripe peach over the kitchen sink. I suggest a peach sundae at the Winona Peach Festival, August 22 to 24. I had a marvellous day recording a podcast at the event in 2014. You can tune into that episode here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/sleuth-ultimate-dessert-annual/

You can learn more about of events at this year's Winona Peach Festival here: https://winonapeach.com/

Have a supply of peaches and want to try making something other than pie or cobbler? Give my recipe for peach galette – it is scrumptious and borrows a trick from chef Jacques Pepin that keeps the bottom of the pastry from getting soggy: https://www.marionkane.com/recipes/recipe-peach-galette/

peaches #peach #ontariopeaches #ontariofruit #recipe #peachgalette #peachsundae #peachpie #peachcobbler #peachdessert #winonapeachfestival #hamiltonontario #marionkane #foodsleuth

One of the highlights of my life was bringing cooking legend Julia Child to the Toronto Star Test Kitchen in 1999.

We invited some of Toronto's best chefs to cook lunch for Julia that day. In this podcast, those chefs reflect on the experience affectionately and share what it was like to meet the culinary star. The anniversary of Julia's birthday is on August 15. Julia died on August 13, 2004, just 2 days before her 92nd birthday.

Listen to the podcast herehttps://www.marionkane.com/podcast/canadian-connection-alison-fryer/

You can catch a video recorded in the Toronto Star Test Kitchen on the day Julia visited on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtH6nDnaYog&t=11s

Toronto #TorontoStarTestKitchen #Torontohistory #Torontochefs #JuliaChild

The Julia Child's birthday is just around the corner August 15 - my wonderful friend and mentor. She was every bit as warm and funny in person as you would expect her to be but don't take my word for it. Listen to my podcast episode from 2012 when I interviewed three people from Julia's innermost circle - Judith Jones, Alex Prud'homme and Bob Spitz. https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/julia-childs-cir%C2%ADcle-judith/

Cheese Souffle was one of Julia's trademark dishes. With a side tossed salad and hunk of crusty baguette, it makes a perfect light summer supper. https://www.marionkane.com/recipes/recipe-julias-cheese-souffle/

#JuliaChild #TheFrenchChef #MasteringTheArtOfFrenchCooking #CheeseSouffle #Souffle #JuliaChildRecipe #FrenchCooking #ClassicRecipes #FrenchCuisine #HomeCooking #Foodie #FromScratch #BonAppetit #InTheKitchen

The iconic Harbord Bakery celebrates its 80th anniversary this year. I've found that they can do no wrong especially my favourites – their stellar challah, caraway rye, their chewy twister bagels and superb Florentine cookies. When the bakery turned 70, I created a podcast with owner Susan Wisniewski who shares memories of growing up in the bakery and started by her parents decades ago.

You can listen to the full podcast with Susan Wisniewski here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/toronto-landmark-harbord-bakery/

There is also a recent CBC article featuring Susan that reflects on four generations of her family-run business: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/harbord-bakery-80-years-1.7563679

Toronto #Torontofood #Torontoeats #TorontoAnnex #HarbordBakery #Torontohistory #Jewishbakery

This podcast is short and funny! My famous foodie friend Mairlyn Smith and I champion underdog vegetables – brussels sprouts and parsnips. May it remind you to expand your culinary horizons and eat your greens!

Tune in here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/foodie-friend-champion-underdog/

Congratulations to Matty Matheson on 11 years of sobriety! I interviewed Matty in 2017 when he was still newly sober. His joie de vivre was apparent in our conversation and today he still broadcasts messages of love for his new lease on life. Matty's authenticity is part of his charm - he is big, gregarious, tattooed, creative, down-to-earth and principled. And I highly recommend his recipe for fluffy pancakes!

Listen to my conversation with Matty Matheson here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/chef-matty-matheson-addiction/

Find the recipe for the world's best, fluffiest pancakes here: https://www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/matty-mathesons-fluffy-pancakes/d’s Best

Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year, is approaching on October 2 to 4.The Gefilteria is the brainchild of Brooklyn NY residents Liz Alpern and Jeffrey Yoskowitz, champions of Jewish cuisine. Their specialty: gefilte fish that far surpasses the versions that have given this dish a bad name. I interviewed the authors of The Gefilte Manifesto in 2016; tune in to hear us talk about Jewish foods and a touching anecdote about the renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks' last meal:
https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/brooklyn-duo-champions-gefilte/

You can count on the month of August in Ontario to reliably bring us these things: long lines of traffic headed toward cottage country, at least one big thunderboomer of a rainstorm - and juicy, luscious Ontario peaches.

I highly recommend you try my recipe for Peach Galette (pictured here). Adding a layer of almonds is a trick I learned from Jacques Pepin – it keeps the crust from becoming soggy. https://www.marionkane.com/recipes/recipe-peach-galette/

For true peach enthusiasts, visit the annual Winona Peach Festival in Southern Ontario. Try the peach sundae - it'll knock your socks off! Listen to my podcast episode about my excursion to the Winona Peach Festival here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/sleuth-ultimate-dessert-annual/

peaches #peach #peachrecipes #ontario #ontariopeaches #winonapeachfestival #peachgalette #marionkane #foodsleuth

Calling all-day trippers and barbecue lovers! Ross and I took a road trip last month around Lake Ontario via Kingston and Rochester. A highlight of our five-day tour was the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que lunch in Rochester. We ordered Sweetheart Deal for Two ($41 U.S.) - the full rack of ribs and four sides. The tender, smoky ribs were succulent and divine - potato salad and baked beans were delicious. The best!

If you're stuck and home and have a hankering for delicious barbecue, listen to my podcast episode with grill expert and author, Rob Firing. Rob has some excellent tips for being your own grill guru: Rob Firing: Steak Revolution, Toronto (marionkane.com)

The new biography on the life of book editor Judith Jones is having its moment in the literary spotlight. Judith, who died in 2017 at 93, was a publishing pioneer. She rescued "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl" from the publisher's rejection pile and famously collaborated with Julia Child. In 2012, I visited Judith Jones at her Upper East Side home in NYC. Her little dog stole gum from my purse and we had marvellous conversation about Julia and her iconic cookbook “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” – a culinary tome of enduring popularity. Tune into my conversation with Judith Jones to hear us talk about how Julia introduced French cuisine to American cooks. Judith Jones, Julia Child’s Editor, Talks About her Dear Friend (marionkane.com)

You can find the synopsis and reviews of Sara B. Franklin's biography of Judith Jones, "The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America" here: The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America by Sara B. Franklin | Goodreads

Alex Prud'homme had a special bond with his great aunt, Julia Child. I found Alex an affable and warm person. Perhaps that's because we both had a special connection to Julia – I was her dear friend. In 2016, I interviewed Alex Prud'homme while he was on a book tour promoting The French Chef in America. You can listen to our conversation here (and I highly recommend it – Alex is delightful!): https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/julia-childs-act-alex-prudhomme/
There are two staples from Julia in my cooking repertoire: Potatoes Anna and Lemon Loaf Cake. You'll find both of those recipes here: https://www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/potato/alex-prudhomme-julia-childs-act/

In 1999, Julia visited to the Toronto Star test kitchen where Julia sampled from delicious dishes of Toronto’s most talented chefs. The video is here: https://youtu.be/LtH6nDnaYog?si=xnLvlSH4w3DsCUUW

Eloquent Toronto restaurateur Jen Agg is a strong woman. Her book “I Hear She's a Real Bitch” relates how the media has not always been kind, mischaracterizing Jen's feminine strength and ambition as pushy and bitchy. As a strong woman, who also had a career in a male-dominated field, I can relate.
I don't find Jen to be a bitch. When I interviewed her in 2017, I found her to be passionate, principled, caring, creative and a credit to her profession. Listen to my interview with Jen Agg here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/patriarchy-pate-jen-agg-tells/

Follow Jen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jen___agg/?hl=en

Old-school fast food is in Sean Brock's blood. The Nashville-based, James Beard award-winning chef recently opened Joyland - a burger-fries-fried chicken joint that hearkens back to the 1950s. We can see Sean's love of diner food in Charleston episode of Parts Unknown clip of him with Anthony Bourdain to the iconic Waffle House. In this funny and nostalgic video, Sean waxes poetic about the virtues of scattered, smothered chunks while Anthony declares the food is better than French Laundry.
Since this was filmed, Sean has found sobriety and we have lost our great Anthony but the charm of this interaction is timeless: https://youtu.be/bct8stbZafI?si=gkcmIcruMV8_HJ51

I interviewed Sean Brock in 2019, you can listen here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/sean-brock-friend-tony-fatherhood/

The Waldorf Salad – named after its birthplace, Manhattan's legendary Waldorf Astoria hotel – has evolved since it was first created in 1896. In my 2013 interview with the hotel's then executive chef David Garcelon, we talked about the enduring popularity of the famous salad. At the time of this interview, the Waldorf Astoria was serving 20,000 salads/year! Hear David and me chat about the evolution of the world's most famous salad here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/youre-a-waldorf-salad/

I also wrote a blog post based on my interview with David, which includes my recipe for Waldorf Salad: https://www.marionkane.com/.../chef-david-garcelon.../

For those of you who are fans of the classic British comedy show Fawlty Towers, here's a link to the hilarious and famous Waldorf Salad episode! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZoUH43nI4w

My friend pastry chef Joanne Yolles made Tarte Tatin together at least six times before we perfected the recipe. We went through a lot of apples and butter - but oh my, was it worth it! Practice makes perfect. Tune into this episode to learn the recipe the hacks we discovered after baking this ultimate apple scrumptious dessert: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/talk-tarte-tatin-joanne-yolles/
Here is the Ultimate Tarte Tatin recipe: https://www.marionkane.com/recipes/recipe-tarte-tatin/ and the story behindit https://www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/pastry-chef-joanne-yolles-core/

For more recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook Group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SittinInTheKitchen

Apples are my favourite fruit, and I particularly love the McIntosh. It's truly part of Canada's culinary heritage, originating as a wild seedling in the Ontario village of Dundela. The story of the McIntosh is compelling, with moments of triumph and tragedy. Listen further to learn about the dramatic history of the McIntosh:

https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/core-mcintosh-apple-story/

My recipe for Apple Crumble works best with tart apples. Try making it with a mix of McIntosh, Northern Spy and Cortlands: https://www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/apple-crumble-crisp-crunchy-and-delish/

For more recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook Group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SittinInTheKitchen

BBQ guru Rob Firing taught me two important lessons about grilling steak. First is to use a culotte cut of beef; for the uninitiated, the culotte is boneless, has the flavour of a flank steak but is less chewy. (Bonus: Culotte is usually reasonably priced). The second piece of advice Rob gave me was to reverse-sear. This method requires slow, low temp cooking before briefly searing the juices in. Trust when I say that reverse-searing guarantees a tender, juicy steak, every time!

Listen to my podcast episode with Rob Firing here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/grill-rob-firing-barbecues-steak/

For more instruction on the reverse-sear method of cooking steak, read my blog post here: https://www.marionkane.com/toronto/grill-cookbook-author-rob-firing/

For more recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook Group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573678999552442

Should peaches be crunchy or soft? What is the best peach dessert? Are peaches an aphrodisiac? Find out these things and more when you listen to my podcast episode about the Winona Peach Festival which takes place this weekend August 25-27.

https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/sleuth-ultimate-dessert-annual/

Visit the Winona Peach Festival website for more information: http://winonapeach.com/

I have an outstanding recipe for Peach Galette. It uses a trick I learned from chef Jacques Pepin - layering ground almonds to prevent a soggy bottom crust. https://www.marionkane.com/recipes/recipe-peach-galette/
Love to cook? For recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook Group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573678999552442

Today is the birthday of my mentor and friend Julia Child. In 2014, I interviewed Julia's long-time assistant Stephanie Hersh. She confessed to me that she told a fib to get her job! She also shared a story about a time Julia made her break the law. Stephanie affectionately thinks about Julia every day: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/stephanie-hersh-talks-beloved/

After Julia passed, Stephanie Hersh sent me the most warm, beautiful reflection on our dear friend. You can read Stephanie's touching email here: https://www.marionkane.com/julia-child-100/raise-a-toast/

For recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook Group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573678999552442

Newly elected mayor of Toronto Olivia Chow has long been an advocate for social reform. In 2015, I visited Olivia in her downtown home just weeks before she announced her NDP candidacy in the federal election. We chatted about our mutual passion for food and cooking, in particular our wish for a Canadian national program offering nutritious food for all schoolchildren. Like her late husband, Jack Layton, she had a message of hope.

In 2018, I went to Miami and interviewed the delightful food journalist Carlos Frias. Carlos spoke lovingly of his father, who was saved from hard labour in a Cuban prison camp by his ability to cook. It is clear from this interview how much Carlos's father influenced his love of food. Carlos and I also talk about our shared love of yucca, recommends Miami’s Palacio de los Jugos and how to make mojo. I should be in Miami now – fun in the sun! You can listen to the full interview here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/carlos-frias-insider-tips-cuban/ Carlos recently made the jump from print journalist to radio host. You can listen to him Monday-Thursday at 1 p.m. on WLRN 91.3 FM, South Florida's NPR affiliate.
Here's Carlos' recipe for Picadillo. It is a sweet and simple meat dish – a kind of Cuban version of mince'n'tatties: https://www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/miami-herald-food-editor-carlos/

More more recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573678999552442

Confession: I love fish & chips! Growing up in London, I joined the Girl Guides because weekly meetings were followed by a trip to The Regent, a fish & chips shop around the corner. I wasn’t interested in slip knots or lighting a bonfire. I went there for the chips. In 2015, I sat down with food journalist Daniel Young - aka @youngandfoodish - a fish & chips expert, to discuss the merits of this tasty dish in London U.K.: www.marionkane.com/podcast/fish-chips-hot-school-haute/

If you're in Toronto and have a hankering for fish & chips, I recommend Len Duckworth’s (on Danforth) and Fresco’s (in Kensington Market). Both are excellent.

Join me in my Facebook Group, Sittin' in the Kitchen, for recipes and more food-related content: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SittinInTheKitchen

Thinking outside the box is Len Senater's special talent. Ten years ago, Len set out to create a space where cooks, chefs and communities could collaborate. The Depanneur became a hub for food creativity in Toronto, attracting a loyal following to its many pop-up dining events. I had a memorable meal there, made by the brilliant Greg Couillard, one of Toronto's most talented chefs. Len also came up with a brilliant idea of how to use The Depanneur to empower Syrian refugees in a project-turned-non-profit known as Newcomer Kitchen. I sat down with Len in my Kensington Market kitchen to chat about his experiences and endless fascination with food.

For recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573678999552442

Len Senater often shares stories of his adventures on sabbatical. You can follow Len and his adventures here: https://www.facebook.com/lsenater

Smoked meat and bagels. Both of these foods were made popular in Montreal's Mile End neighbourhood which, at one time, was mainly home to Jewish immigrants. It is also where my father grew up. On a recent trip to dad's old stomping grounds, I spoke to two general managers of Mile End's culinary institutions: Schwartz's Deli and St-Viateur Bagel. We chatted about the history of their businesses and the enduring popularity of their food. Both destinations were favourites of Anthony Bourdain and Leonard Cohen. Listen to the podcast here:

In my accompanying blog post, I pay a loving tribute to my parents and their Montreal roots: www.marionkane.com/montreal/roots-city-montreal/

For recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SittinInTheKitchen

Smoked meat and bagels. Both of these foods were made popular in Montreal's Mile End neighbourhood which, at one time, was mainly home to Jewish immigrants. It is also where my father grew up. On a recent trip to dad's old stomping grounds, I spoke to two general managers of Mile End's culinary institutions: Schwartz's Deli and St-Viateur Bagel. We chatted about the history of their businesses and the enduring popularity of their food. Both destinations were favourites of Anthony Bourdain and Leonard Cohen. Listen to the podcast here:

In my accompanying blog post, I pay a loving tribute to my parents and their Montreal roots: www.marionkane.com/montreal/roots-city-montreal/

For recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SittinInTheKitchen

On a 2014 trip to a food writers’ convention in Memphis, I learned that virtually every topic related to Southern food is a matter of debate. Does sugar belong in cornbread? Should we pronounce it pe-cahn or p-can? Fortunately, my friend and expert on Southern culture Kathleen Purvis was on hand to settle these and other matters of culinary debate. Tune in to hear me pepper Kathleen, currently a freelance food journalist, with questions about Southern food – she is a real gem! www.marionkane.com/podcast/food-writer-kathleen-purvis-shares/

For recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573678999552442

There are some people in this world who have a light that shines so bright, it illuminates everyone around them. My friend Wendy Bray is one such person. Wendy, Senior Fund development Manager at the Red Door Family Shelter in Toronto, has an enduring positive outlook on life - something we both learned from a mutual friend who survived Auschwitz. Listen to my recent podcast interview with Wendy and you'll be reminded that even in the darkest times there is room for hope.

Donate to support her work at reddoorshelter.ca.

NYC's iconic Katz's Deli - yes, that deli from the movie When Harry Met Sally - has served their famous pastrami to hungry customers since 1888. Katz's is New York's oldest deli and has survived two pandemics: the flu of 1918 and now, Covid. In 2015, I had a conversation with the deli's delightfully funny owner Fred Austin shortly before he retired.

Read the podcast transcript here: https://www.marionkane.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Katzs-Deli-Transcript.pdf

For recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook group Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SittinInTheKitchen

I teamed up with my trusty recipe tester chef Lesleigh Landry to perfect home-cooked chicken wings. My criteria for superior wings: they must be salty, spicy, crunchy and crispy. Lesleigh and I taste-tested 7 recipes - baked & fried. Find the winning versions plus my special recipe for Blue Cheese Dip here: www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/lesleigh-landry-loves-work-recipe/

Julia Child loved her visits to Toronto. On her first visit to our fair city in 1991, she was wowed by a lunch cooked by some of Canada’s top chefs. I'll always remember the touching moment when she walked into the kitchen to thank the chefs who had cooked for her. Listen to my podcast and you'll hear from Toronto’s finest chefs, the former Cookbook Store manager and an elite ice cream maker recall their love and respect for Julia.

JULIA and JUDITH: Next Tuesday, the Canadian Food Network premieres The Julia Child Challenge (it has begun in the U.S. this week) - a show where home cooks enter culinary challenges, each competing to win a paid three-month cooking course at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Julia was my friend and mentor until her death in 2004. She changed my life forever. Another friend of the beloved TV cooking star was Judith Jones - Julia's long-time editor. From the moment the manuscript for Mastering the Art of French Cooking dropped onto her desk, Judith's life was never the same. I travelled to New York to interview Judith Jones about five years before her death. In this episode of Sittin' in the Kitchen from 2012, you'll hear Judith talk about how a down-to-earth American woman became the world's first TV celebrity chef. https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/judith-jones-julia-childs-longtime/

'The Julia Child Challenge' airs on March 14th in the U.S. and March 22nd in Canada on The Food Network. You can read more about the show here: https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/shows/the-julia-child-challenge

Want to hear more about Julia from the people who knew her best? Listen to my podcast series from 2012 celebrating Julia's 100th birthday here: https://www.marionkane.com/julia-child-100/intro/

For recipe suggestions of all kinds, join my Facebook group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SittinInTheKitchen

The Waldorf Salad – named after its birthplace, Manhattan's legendary Waldorf Astoria hotel – has evolved since it was first created in 1896. In my 2013 interview with the hotel's then executive chef David Garcelon, we talked about the enduring popularity of the famous salad. At the time of this interview, the Waldorf Astoria was serving 20,000 salads/year!

A few steps away from my home in Toronto's Kensington Market is the Pow Wow Café where they make the most delicious #indiantacos. The restaurant, owned by the talented and energetic #Ojibway / #Jewish chef Shawn Adler, has turned to catering for homeless shelters in the wake of Covid. The Pow Wow Café isn't offering take-away or dine-in until further notice but Shawn has hinted that pop-ups at the restaurant are likely to happen during the spring/summer months. Shawn’s second restaurant, The Flying Chestnut Kitchen in Eugenia, Ontario, currently offers take-away on Friday and Saturday nights.

Rosemary Kelly is my long-time friend. Her Facebook name is: rosieonthemove. Her LinkedIn profile is: Independent Health, Wellness and Fitness Professional. Rosemary is an intrepid traveller. She cooks. And she’s treated cancer patients with massage. She is a free spirit. Rosemary told me her story at the kitchen table in her cozy apartment in downtown Toronto. I began asking how long we’ve known each other.

17% of food produced globally each year is wasted. In 2020, 811 million people around the world went hungry. When I interviewed chef Massimo Bottura in 2017, we talked about his consuming passion to end hunger. Massimo believes we can restore dignity to society's most vulnerable people with a sense of community and food. Massimo was warm and friendly. We had an instant connection over our shared interest in decreasing food waste and he was delighted with this photo of me dressed in cabbage leaves that accompanied my article in the Toronto Star in 1992: How to be a Green Cuisine Queen! We chatted about the success of his brainchild Refettorio Ambrosiano at the 2015 Milan Expo. Refettorio Ambrosiano was created as a hub to feed the city's homeless and refugees with food that would have otherwise been discarded. You can find my lively conversation with Massimo Bottura here: https://www.marionkane.com/uncategorized/cookbook-bread-gold-chef-massimo/

I can highly recommend Massimo Bottura's book, Bread is Gold. I tried six recipes from the book and all worked brilliantly. You can read my thoughts on Bread is Gold – and find a recipe for caramelized bananas – in my blog post here: https://www.marionkane.com/uncategorized/cookbook-bread-gold-chef-massimo/

From its beginning as a wild seedling to the tragic death of its first-generation tree, Canada's own McIntosh apple has a dramatic history of success and near ruin. Listen to my podcast in which I visit Dundela, Ontario – the birthplace of the McIntosh apple - and sleuth the colourful story of our nation's favourite apple.

Try my recipe for Apple Crumble: https://www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/apples-of-my-eye/

The Gefilte Manifesto' authors Liz Alpern and Jeffery Yoskowitz have done much to redeem the maligned reputation of gefilte fish. In honour of next Monday night’s Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year – I'm revisiting my 2017 podcast when we talked about our love of this Jewish food delicacy.

Every June, right around Father's Day, thousands of people descend on the small town of Midland, Ontario, to eat thousands of butter tarts. The oldest documented butter tart recipe comes from the Barrie Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook published in 1900. There is a hot debate about the butter tart’s origins but this much is clear - butter tarts are a truly Canadian confection. Covid has deferred Midland's next butter tart festival until June 11, 2022. Meanwhile, please listen to my podcast from the very first Midland butter tart festival in 2013. It was a rollicking event where I sleuthed out the secrets to baking the best butter tarts. I interviewed contestants, organizers, the town's mayor, artist and butter tart judge Charles Pachter and the festival's ambassador – a drag queen who was dubbed "Queen of Tarts."

This week, I'm taking a look back to my first ever podcast (recorded in 2011) when I sleuthed the incredible legacy of food scientist Dr. Robert C. Baker.

Dr. Baker completely transformed how people consume chicken. Prior to his work, Americans largely farmed chickens for egg production and ate an average of just 15 lb of chicken per year. After his work at Cornell University developing 40+ poultry innovations, American chicken consumption skyrocketed to 90 lb/year! It was Dr. Baker, not McDonald's, who is credited with the invention of the chicken nugget nor did he profit from or seek accolades for his innovation.

One of Dr. Baker's proudest achievements was inventing the recipe for barbecued Cornell Chicken. This tasty dish was served at the New York State Fair's Chicken Coop run by the Baker family for 70 years. Sadly, The Chicken Coop recently closed for good, marking the end of an era.

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 trials, trauma and triumphs.

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-a-Largo.

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, are some incredible examples of the human spirit. That gives me hope that one day our systems, our politicians, our public policy makers will finally get this right and we will not live in a community where we have 10,000 people who are struggling every night just to have a place to sleep.”

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 uncensored antics on his YouTube shows "Matty and Benny Eat Out America" and "Home Style Cookery with Matty Matheson." In my interview with Matty, we talk about his addiction and recovery from drugs and alcohol, his heart attack at age 29, his pithy opinions about Trump and his surprisingly delicious Cheeto-topped Mac & Cheese.

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 long shopped and made their homes. Carlos started working at House of Spice as a teenager in 1977; he bought it in 2012. I talked with Carlos at the famous and popular store in the heart of the market where things are changing. Please listen to the end of the podcast when he says nice things about life - and about me.

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 shares his story.

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 friend. We met at Cathy’s co-op apartment in downtown Toronto. Please listen until the end – it’s a powerful moment.

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 who grow and prepare our food. He hopes the book will be a sustainable model for other communities.

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 struggling to provide assistance and dignity to women in cruel circumstances but, as you'll hear, the facility faces its own challenges.

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 empire and his cookbook: The Last Shmaltz.

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. She says, “The intersection of food stuff and god stuff is my happy place.”

Award-winning journalist and Miami Herald food editor Carlos Frias reconnected with his ancestral homeland in his memoir, “Take Me with You: A Secret Search for Family in a Forbidden Cuba”. His restaurant recommendations included Miami’s Palacio de los Jugos and Empanada Harry’s – both fabulous finds. He shared his lively stories with me at the Herald newsroom on the outskirts of Miami.

Marlene Benedicto has been in a wheelchair since she was three years old. She lives with her boyfriend in downtown Toronto and has a day job. Since 2011, she has been writing a blog called 'Tasting Toronto on Wheels'. In it, she writes restaurant reviews, reports on food events and shares recipes. I chatted with her in the kitchen of her apartment.

On the second Tuesday of every month, homeless people and their advocates gather at the Church of the Holy Trinity in downtown Toronto. They read out names and honour those who have lost their lives on the streets of the city. Merylie Houston has been cooking lunch for the event for 15 years. The day before, I visited her at home as she prepared mac 'n' cheese for 100. During the communal meal, I spoke to several people who shared their stories.

Famous chef Massimo Bottura has received accolades and awards for his restaurants in Modena Italy and for his latest mission: recycling food waste. He and other top chefs, with their helpers, started feeding the homeless and refugees at Milan Expo in 2015 using only discarded food. This groundbreaking effort is documented in the stunning film 'Theater of Life'. Since then, his project has been duplicated in other countries. Massimo's most recent success is the brilliant cookbook 'Bread is Gold' which features recipes that use what he calls "ordinary ingredients".

Vancouver-based pastry chef Bruno Feldeisen has won major awards and has worked with top chefs in Paris, San Francisco and New York. He has appeared on TV shows like Beat Bobby Flay, Donut Showdown and Chopped. He is a judge on The Great Canadian Baking Show on CBC TV. Don't miss his inspiring story about redemption from childhood trauma.

Chef Lynn Crawford and I have been friends for decades. Our common bond is a love of humour and a passion for food and cooking. We talk about her path to celebrity, her TV career and our joint project raising funds for a new kitchen at the Sistering shelter in Toronto.

Rebecca Coleman’s cookbook Aquafabulous! will appeal to vegans and people who don’t eat eggs. She uses the eggwhite substitute to make meringues, macarons, and mousse. Aquafaba (the liquid from canned beans) is also featured in recipes for hummus, pulled jackfruit, breakfast cookies, and shepherd’s pie.

Chef Jagger Gordon has declared war on food waste. His multi-faceted non-profit Feed it Forward recycles food that would otherwise be wasted by the food industry. He has an organic farm, serves meals at Nathan Phillips Square and dishes out soup, sandwiches and salad at his pay-what-you-can soup bar in downtown Toronto. He's a big guy with big ideas and big plans.

I talked with chef Hugh Acheson on his visit to Canada to present at this year's Terroir Symposium. His topic: representing Canada on the world stage. Well-known for his appearances on 'Top Chef', he has strong opinions on sexism in the food industry, on being Canadian and on teaching school children to cook.

I talked with chef Hugh Acheson on his visit to Canada to present at this year's Terroir Symposium. His topic: representing Canada on the world stage. Well-known for his appearances on 'Top Chef', he has strong opinions on sexism in the food industry, on being Canadian and on teaching school children to cook.

Restaurateur Jen Agg named her memoir "I Hear She's a Real Bitch". We chatted about her mixed reputation at one of her restaurants, Grey Gardens, in Toronto's Kensington Market. Hear her thoughts on being a successful woman in a food industry rife with sexism, misogyny and the bro culture.

I met chef Matty Matheson for this conversation at Parts & Labour in Toronto. He consults on menus when he's in town between Vice TV shoots that take him around the world. His show, Dead Set on Life, has made him a rising star. His TV antics and his recipe for fluffy pancakes have made me a fan.

Street nurse Roxanne Danielson and health promoter Kristen Ireland of the Inner City Family Health Team in downtown Toronto lead cooking workshops for men who are or have been homeless. I attended one of these uplifting, lively sessions at the 519 Community Centre and stayed for a delicious lunch of paella. It was a communal effort and a heartwarming time for all.

Jill, a restaurant server with an acting career, loves her job. It gives her a chance to observe the human condition, have fun and make good money. There are times, however, when guests behave badly and cause frustration all around. This is the real behind-the-scenes story from the front of house.

Chef Michael Lomonaco opened his steakhouse, Porter House Bar and Grill, in 2006. He was executive chef at Windows on the World on September 11, 2001 and survived by pure chance. He dedicates his work every day to the colleagues and friends he lost on that fateful day. Hear him talk about this and his love of cooking.

Mark Kenny, food procurement manager at the University of Guelph, is on a mission to put delicious, nutritious food on thousands of students’ plates. He works with local suppliers and uses the talents of chefs on campus. In addition, he coordinates group purchasing for colleges and universities across the country, thereby extending his mission nationwide.

4 million copies later, Best of Bridge cookbooks are a slice of Canadiana. Eight bridge-playing women friends in Calgary cooked up this idea in 1975. Now, three young ladies are carrying on the tradition with Best of Bridge The Family Slow Cooker. Julie, Elizabeth and I chatted about Classy Chicken, Christmas Morning Wife Saver and Hamburger Soup.

Shawn Adler's father is Jewish; his mother is Ojibway. His new restaurant in Toronto's Kensington Market features Indian tacos: fried bannock crowned with a selection of toppings. He's an upbeat, energetic young man with fingers in many pies.

Brooklyn NY residents Liz Alpern and Jeffrey Yoskowitz are the co-authors of The Gefilte Manifesto. They also operate The Gefilteria: an online service that sells their own brand of gefilte fish. Their mission is to redeem, reclaim and redo this much-maligned Jewish holiday food. And they succeed!

My conversation with Julia Child's great-nephew Alex Prud'homme focuses on her rise to stardom as TV's first celebrity chef. His new book 'The French Chef in America' picks up where their previous book 'My Life in France' left off.

Anna Olson is a pastry chef and a star on Food Network Canada. She has a new cookbook: 'Bake with Anna Olson'. We discuss how to treat oven burns, ingredient temperatures, pan dimensions and baking tips and tricks.

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'.

Chef Claudio Aprile has been cooking for decades and his culinary journey has taken him from a Brampton doughnut shop to Michelin starred restaurants in the UK and Spain. He is a dignified presence as a judge on MasterChef Canada and a consummate gentleman.

He was a star chef with a young family but, one night in 2012, he disappeared without a trace for two weeks. Now he’s back with a hot new restaurant and a cautionary tale. Jonathan Gushue was the chef at Langdon Hall in Cambridge Ontario, named one of the 100 best restaurants in the world. Before that, he was one of the youngest chefs in North America to earn the coveted five-diamond rating at Truffles in Toronto. Today Gushue is co-owner of The Berlin, a new treasure in Kitchener. That’s where we met to discuss his struggle with addiction and his ongoing path of discovery.

I spoke with Amanda Cohen, owner of hugely popular NYC vegetable restaurant Dirt Candy, at the 10th annual Terroir Symposium in Toronto. She explained her love of vegetables and her no-tipping policy.

I first met Susur Lee more than 30 years ago when he and chef Michael Stadtlander were newcomers to Canada. His idealistic philosophy about food struck me as ahead of its time; as it turns out, he was. Now the high-profile owner of five successful Toronto restaurants, his Asian fusion food is refined, elegant and delicious.

Helen Antonopoulos owns and operates a Toronto food truck called Food Cabbie with her husband Spiro. Her version of the famous Greek egg dish called Strapatsada caught the attention of celebrity chef Nigella Lawson who used a rendition of the recipe in her book: Simply Nigella. It made the perfect lunch when Helen cooked it for me in my kitchen.

John Catucci and his fork travel far and wide boosting the popularity of local eateries on Food Network's "You Gotta Eat Here". He's funny, endearing and - what can I say? - you gotta listen!

I highlight a few of my favourite places to eat in the culinary melting pot of South Beach Miami: Haitian food at Tap Tap, in particular goat tidbits; a Kobe burger at the Delano Hotel; pigs' feet stew at Puerto Sagua and people watching at the News Cafe.

Lidia Bastianich came to the USA at age 12 with her family as a refugee from the former Yugoslavia. Her heritage is Italian and so is her cooking. I chatted with her at Felidia, the flagship restaurant she opened 35 years ago. Lidia's Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine is her 10th and most recent cookbook. Don't miss her description of cooking for the pope.

Tim Everett, prepared foods team leader at the Yonge and Sheppard Whole Foods Market in Toronto, explains their popular hot and cold food bars. I enthuse about this - my favourite way of eating. Although self-serve food may have a bad rap, I point out the virtues of choosing what, how much, when and where I eat.

Nigella Lawson has bounced back better than ever after much-publicized personal troubles. She was recently on tour to promote her 10th cookbook and accompanying BBC TV show, both called Simply Nigella. I spoke with her in Toronto. It turned out we have a bond in our shared passion for food and cooking. In particular we both take a casual approach to recipes allowing for experimentation and even failure.

Cooking, eating, and sharing food can be deeply therapeutic. Ruth Reichl takes that to heart in her new book My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life. She is a renowned restaurant critic, author, and editor. She was editor-in-chief at Gourmet Magazine for a decade until it was abruptly closed in 2009. Her latest book was born out of the crushing day when she lost her job along with a part of her identity. I spoke with Ruth about her book and our shared path as food journalists in Toronto.

Roger Mooking is a Juno award winning hip-hop artist - and when he turns his talents to food, the results are no less entertaining. He is a star of Food Network and Food Network Canada who appears on Man Fire Food, Heat Seekers, and Chopped: Canada. He co-created Everyday Exotic and penned a cookbook by the same name. Between writing, TV, opening restaurants, and recording music - he is a very busy man.

Peter Neal and his brother Chris started their food company making croutons by hand in their mother's Aurora, Ontario kitchen. Now they distribute salsas, chips, salad dressings and more around the world. I had fun tasting Neal Brothers kettle chips at All the Best Fine Foods in Toronto.

In the summer of 2010, Globe and Mail feature writer Ian Brown drove across Canada eating whatever came his way. That included poutine, chicken wings, breakfast and lunch at a nudist colony and a prairie feast of Mennonite sausage and meat.

I visit Gelato Fresco's factory in Toronto. Owner Hart Melvin specializes in ice cream desserts for restaurants including The Keg's Billy Miner Pie. He got into the ice cream business 30 years ago to make people happy.

Fred Austin, an owner of Katz's Delicatessen on New York's Lower East Side, kibbitzes with me amid the lunchtime hubbub of this huge vintage landmark. The place is famous for its oversized pastrami sandwiches and for being a survivor in this gentrified neighbourhood that was once a hub of Jewish culture.

I visited Olivia Chow at her home in downtown Toronto just a few weeks before she announced her NDP candidacy in the federal election. We chatted about our mutual passion for food and cooking, in particular our wish for a Canadian national program offering nutritious food for all school children. Like her late husband, Jack Layton, she has a message of hope.

I visit the village of Dundela, Ontario, in the St. Lawrence valley where John McIntosh discovered the McIntosh apple in 1811. He and his son cultivated Canada's most famous apple and its popularity grew. I speak with Nancy McIntosh, John's great-great-granddaughter, who grew up in the Dundela farmhouse. She and I are determined to celebrate the McIntosh apple by making Dundela a tourist attraction.

I attend the third annual Best Butter Tart Festival in Midland Ontario and discover the tart's latest incarnation. The deep-fried butter tart is nothing short of sublime. I chat with fest founder Barb Rowlandson and inventor Cathy Moreau about how it came to be. Nobu Adilman, a judge in the butter tart competition, also offers his take on this all Canadian dessert.

Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff are partners in life and in business. They started their Big Gay Ice Cream enterprise with a food truck in New York. Now they operate several ice cream shops and have a snazzy book called Big Gay Ice Cream.

I chat with Francis Lam at the Terroir Symposium in Toronto about his childhood food memories, his appearances as a judge of TV food show ‘Top Chef Masters’ and his unusual, delicious rendition of ratatouille.

I chat with Daniel Young of the award-winning website youngandfoodish.com about his passion for fish and chips. Formerly a restaurant critic in New York, he now lives in London where we met at Camden Town's upscale eatery 'Hook'.

I first met Vikram Vij two decades ago and visited his hugely popular Vancouver restaurant Vij's in January 2015. We met a few weeks later at CBC in downtown Toronto and chatted about his mini-empire comprising two restaurants, cookbooks, a line of Indian food products and gigs on television.

I interview Michael Schwartz in the lobby of The Raleigh South Beach. He explains why he moved to Miami from Philadelphia 20 years ago and how he has been at the helm of a food and beverage empire that includes a lovely restaurant at this hotel. Esther Williams performed her famous swimming scenes in the hotel's stunning pool.

Dr. Vera Tarman is medical director of Renascent Treatment Centre in Toronto and a confessed food addict. In her book, Food Junkies, she outlines her controversial approach to food addiction. Tarman advocates abstinence from trigger foods such as sugar, fat, salt, flour and caffeine.

A chef and her husband leave the city of Toronto to restore a vintage farmhouse near the village of Creemore in southern Ontario. Their focus is locally-grown seasonal food carefully prepared at the lovely bed and breakfast Mad Maple.

I helped organize three gala fundraisers for which a team of Toronto's top female chefs donated their time and food. The money raised helped renovate and equip Sistering's wonderful new kitchen. We celebrated with a kitchen party.

I chat with Danny Zimmerman about how his father Zoltan was one of the first Jewish merchants in downtown Toronto's Kensington Market. Decades later, in early 2015, they are handing the torch to Potsothy "Pots" Sallapa and a new group of food vendors.

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

Chef Alida Solomon owns a busy Italian restaurant in downtown Toronto. Its name, Tutti Matti, means "everybody's crazy" and she admits she must be to have chosen this adrenaline-charged career.

I go to the source when sleuthing the hot topic of Southern food. Charlotte Observer food editor Kathleen Purvis relishes the chance to give her take on grits, cornbread and, of course, barbecue.

I chat by phone with Julia Child's longtime personal assistant Stephanie Hersh from her home in New Zealand in 2012.

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

I'm in Memphis talking with Tony Geraci, Executive Director of Memphis City Schools Nutrition Services, about his amazing work feeding school children.

Greg Couillard began his career as a chef in Toronto in the early '70s. With a reputation as an unpredictable bad boy he's back at age 61 from his home in Mexico with plans to open a restaurant.

A peach sundae is the big attraction at the midsummer Winona Peach Festival in southern Ontario.

I chat with Ryan Brooks at Brooks' House of Bar-B-Q - the hugely popular restaurant in Oneonta, New York. They have been dishing out their delicious version of Cornell barbecued chicken for more than 50 years.

I chew the fat with owner Chris Corrigan at his vintage tavern turned eatery, the Lancaster Smokehouse, about the best way to barbecue ribs and his experience judging competitions in the southern US. His large restaurant in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada is always packed due to the delicious food.

After a delicious lunch at Rochelle Canteen, the East London restaurant co-owned by British chef Margot Henderson, I chew the fat with her in the kitchen of the flat she shares with her celebrity chef husband Fergus and their three children.

Two underdog vegetables, Brussels sprouts and parsnips, get a bad rap mostly because they have been victims of overcooking. My friend Mairlyn Smith and I rush to their defence with recipes and cooking tips that bring out the best in these wrongly-maligned foods.

Kerstin Rodgers aka Ms Marmite Lover - queen of London's underground restaurants - chats with me in her kitchen in Kilburn, North London. Topics du jour: the Aga oven, homemade Marmite and women's relationship with food.

Toronto pastry chef Joanne Yolles and Marion Kane Food Sleuth® discuss apple desserts in general and that delicious French confection Tarte Tatin in particular.

In mid-June, 2013, I sleuthed the inaugural butter tart festival in Midland, Ontario, and chatted with the contest judges including artist Charlie Pachter, Midland’s mayor and police chief and the fest’s honourary Queen of Tarts. The winning tart, out of 80 entries, was baked by Nancy Dillen of Barrie.

"Where Chefs Eat" is a collection of 2500 places - from high-end restaurants to hot dog stands - recommended by 450 chefs from around the world. Its editor is British restaurant writer Joe Warwick.

In this podcast, I’m talking cookbooks: Why they’re so popular, why we hold them so dear and why I was so devastated when many cherished volumes from my 1,000-plus cookbook library went missing. I tell that story and speak with two people who know plenty about this subject: retired librarian Alison Sutherland and manager of The Cookbook Store in Toronto, Alison Fryer.

French-born celebrity chef Marc Thuet starred in a reality TV series called Conviction Kitchen, wrote a cookbook and was at the helm of many successful restaurants. He now owns Petite Thuet bakeries in downtown Toronto. But for years, this tattooed chef with the spiky blonde hair had a secret that ruled his life - and nearly destroyed it. His drug addiction is something he says will always be waiting in the wings.

In the early 1980s, British chef Michael Quinn was at the height of his game. A celebrity in his own right, Michael oversaw the kitchen at London's Ritz Hotel and was internationally renowned. But a few years later, everything vanished. Michael's struggle with alcoholism eventually cost him his job, his home and his family. Now sober for many years, he is dedicated to raising awareness about addiction and helping others in the hospitality industry via the organization he founded called ArkGlobal. I spoke to him by telephone.

John Higgins is a Scottish chef who, despite his rapid rise to fame, has both feet firmly planted on the ground. Now, as director of George Brown College's Chef School in Toronto, John helps prepare young students for the fine balance that's crucial to health and success in the high-pressure hospitality industry.

I chatted with executive chef David Garcelon as he prepared a Waldorf Salad on the 18th floor of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in midtown Manhattan. With clips from Cole Porter’s famous song: 'You’re the top' and the hilarious bit from Fawlty Towers about the renowned salad.

There's a battle going on for the soul of Kensington Market in downtown Toronto. The closing of landmark butcher European Meats caused a stir this April (2012). Many old-timers felt it was a sign of gentrification. I investigate the issue in this personal story about a place I love and call my home. Hear from old-time merchants and the new wave of food entrepreneurs coming to the market, along with comments from city councillor Adam Vaughan.

Tanya Steel is editor-in-chief of the grande dame of online food sites: epicurious.com. It has a huge database culled from magazines Gourmet and Bon Appetit along with recipes from chefs and home cooks around the world. Now 17 years old, it was the first site I consulted for recipes and is still my favourite. She is also the author of The Epicurious Cookbook. I talked with her on the Toronto leg of her promotional book tour in late 2012.

Marion Kane, Food Sleuth interviews Dr. Robert Baker, the man who invented the chicken nugget