Spring is in the air and that means there will be lots of great food events popping up! One series of events I’m pretty excited for is the upcoming Inspired to Taste Canada.
Throughout May, Hudson’s Bay will be hosting some very talented cookbook authors – Matt Basile, Mairlyn Smith and the duo of Derek Dammann and Chris Johns. Each evening will feature cooking demonstrations, sampling, book signings and an opportunity to meet the authors, plus a chance win some fabulous prizes! The events are FREE to attend, but space is limited so you’ll need to register in advance.
CLICK HERE to RSVP to the Inspired to Taste Canada events!
I hope to make it out to all three evenings (I’m a fan of all the authors and have all of their cookbooks) but I’ll definitely be in attendance this Thursday to watch Matt Basile in action. Having already met Matt several times and tried his food (at his pop-ups, food truck and restaurant), I know the evening will be filled with lots of fun, great tastes and laughter.
(all events run from 5:30pm-7:30m)
Thursday, May 12, 2016 – featuring Matt Basile, author of ‘Street Food Diaries’
Thursday, May 19, 2016 – featuring Mairlyn Smith, author of ‘Homegrown’
Thursday, May 26, 2016 – featuring Derek Dammann & Chris Johns, authors of ‘True North’
I’ll be sharing snaps and tweets from the events, so if you can’t attend, you can follow all the action at #HBxTasteCanada! If you do make it out to the event and spot me – please come up and say hi!
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
MATT BASILE, Chef
Matt is creator of the Toronto-based street food brand, Fidel Gastro Street Food Co. What started off as a sandwich pop-up shop has evolved into a super-popular food truck and two successful restaurants. Matt hosted two seasons of “Rebel Without a Kitchen,” an internationally-aired TV series and his first cookbook, Street Food Diaries, was published in October 2015 by Penguin Publishing.
Website: fidelgastros.com
MAIRLYN SMITH, Professional home economist
Mairlyn is the only professional home economist that’s also a Second City alumnus. She’s a frequent healthy eating and cooking guest expert on Cityline and regularly appears on CityTV’s ‘Breakfast Television’. Mairlyn’s philosophy is that “it has to taste fabulous first”. Her latest book, ‘Homegrown: Celebrating the Canadian Foods We Grow, Raise and Produce’ was published in earlier this year in February 2016 by Whitecap Books.
Website: mairlynsmith.com
DEREK DAMMANN, Chef
After studying cooking in Nanaimo, BC, Derek worked at Zambri’s, an Italian restaurant in Victoria, before making his way to the UK to work with world-renowned chef, Jamie Oliver. There, Derek helped develop the concept behind Fifteen, Oliver’s British cocktail bar and restaurant, and later, he became the corporate chef of Sweet Candy, Oliver’s private production company. After returning to Canada and settling in Montreal, Derek opened DNA, a nose-to-tail restaurant. He partnered with Oliver once again to open Maison Publique, a hugely popular gastro pub.
Website: maisonpublique.com
CHRIS JOHNS, Food writer
One of Canada’s most respected food writers, Chris spent his early years in the Northwest Territories before moving south and eventually finding his way to Toronto. Chris has written extensively for en Route, The Globe and Mail, Wallpaper, Toronto Life and various international publications and his work has appeared in the Best Food Writing compilation.
Website: chrisjohns.tumblr.com
Derek and Chris’ cookbook, ‘True North’, was published in November 2015 by HarperCollins
ABOUT THE TASTE CANADA
This year, Taste Canada celebrates 19 years as the only awards in Canada that recognizes this nation’s abundance of outstanding culinary writers. Taste Canada´s mission is to be the authoritative culinary writing award in Canada by showcasing and recognizing the best. Their vision is to promote Canadian-authored culinary writing so it is recognized as world class.
