Contributors

Written by one or more of our Canadian Food Focus staff!

Trevor Bacque owns and operates Bacque 40, a communications firm based in Western Canada. He works primarily in the food and agriculture sectors. Currently, Trevor is Canada’s executive member for the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists and previously served as president of the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation.

Madeleine Baerg is a full-time freelance writer and communications consultant who specializes in all things agriculture. She lives and loves farming from her multi-generational mixed farm in BC’s Okanagan Valley.

Amanda Bibeau is a blogger, food writer and all around Canadian food enthusiast focused on creating affordable and accessible recipes. Growing up in Manitoba housing and with limited connection to food beyond the grocery store aisles, she brings a unique perspective to Canadian food writing. Amanda is a proud Prairie girl who enjoys hiking, a good campfire and the occasional Canadian craft beer.

Chef and food expert Andrea Buckett has been in the food business for over 20 years. She has served as culinary instructor, caterer, cooking school manager, recipe developer and food writer. Currently, on her platform Andrea Buckett Cooks, she inspires the appetites of Canadians and is regularly featured as a food expert on television, radio, in print and on the web. Andrea has been featured across Canada on Breakfast Television, CTV News Channel, Global Morning and on CTV Your Morning.

Brooke Bulloch is a Registered Dietitian, business owner at Food to Fit Nutrition, media spokesperson, and mom. She’s been supporting individuals and families since 2012 to fuel their active lifestyles, manage complex health conditions, and nurture food relationships. She values simplicity and sustainability in nutrition planning, along with a curious and flexible non-diet approach to food, eating, and health.

Andrew Campbell is a farmer, award-winning communicator & passionate farm advocate. He and his family milk cows as well as grow corn, soybeans, wheat & hay in Southern Ontario’s Middlesex County. Andrew has become a familiar voice for farmers and agriculture issues, sharing the positive stories that farmers across Canada have to share with their non-farming neighbours. You can find him on social media with the handle FreshAirFarmer, or with his podcast titled ‘Food Bubble’.

Marie-Ève Caplette is a registered dietitian from Québec City. As a media dietitian, speaker, food photographer and award-winning author, she shares nutrient-packed recipes and evidence-based nutrition information. Her mission is to make balanced nutrition rhyme with simplicity and fun.

Patricia Chuey is a Canadian dietitian renowned for her work in food and nutrition communications. “Food is one spoke in the wheel of health. Simplify, nourish and enjoy great food from our world class food system while also balancing the other spokes that contribute to great health.”

Dan Clapson is a best-selling author and award-winning food and travel writer based in Calgary. The award-winning writer has contributed to a wide range of acclaimed publications including Out Magazine, The Globe & Mail, Air Canada enRoute, Eater, Xtra, Canada’s 100 Best, Calgary Herald, Food Network Canada online and many more. Clapson’s debut cookbook Prairie (co-authored by Edmonton’s Twyla Campbell) became a The Globe & Mail No. 1 Bestseller in September 2023. You’ll find him on all social platforms at @dansgoodside!

Doug Cook is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with over 23 years of experience. His practice is a mix of clinical nutrition, writing for consumers, patients and health professionals, program development and private practice. He is often consulted by media and is co-author of several books. Doug currently works at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, where he developed an appreciation for the role that food and nutrition have on brain health and mental well-being.

Shannon Crocker is a Canadian-food-loving registered dietitian and professional home economist that promotes simple food for vibrant living. An avid cook and foodie, you can often find her playing in the kitchen developing nutritious and delicious recipes.

Jane is a Registered Dietitian and respected thought leader in the food industry. She works with medium to large food & beverage companies across North America – and is a frequent guest and commentator in the media. She is the author of The Need for Seeds: How to Make Seeds an Everyday Food in Your Healthy Diet and known as the Pod to Plate food expert.

Andrea D’Ambrosio is a Registered Dietitian, food fan and provider of meal inspiration, healthy eating solutions and communicator of science-based information to educate and encourage others. She founded Dietetic Directions in 2012 with the goal of building a place where people could receive personalized, motivational nutrition education that’s science-based and rooted in creating habits that fit your lifestyle.

Penny Eaton is a farm girl turned communications specialist who works to help answer consumer questions about farming and food production. Originally from a farm near Rosetown, Saskatchewan she is a University of Saskatchewan alumna and has worked in the agriculture industry for almost 25 years. She’s a proud Riders fan and probably takes Halloween a little too seriously.

Sabrina Falone is a classically trained chef and Digital Marketing Expert, with a creative and uncomplicated approach to food. With more than 15 years of food marketing and content creation experience, Sabrina has been the go-to food guru for hundreds of food brands across North America. Best known for her attention to detail and big-picture thinking, Sabrina has applied these qualities to build a boutique agency that does marketing differently.

Freelance writer and editor Trudy Kelly Forsythe grew up on a 100-acre mixed hobby farm in New Brunswick. She is a partner in Cultivating Communications, a full-service communications company serving the agriculture industry. She loves working with people who are passionate about agriculture and helping them share their stories with media, consumers and the general public.

Dara Gurau is a registered dietitian, food fanatic and mom to three future foodies. Dara is passionate about helping individuals develop a positive relationship with food and their bodies and inspiring others to fall in love with food and eat what they enjoy. Dara runs a private practice in Toronto specializing in helping people build a happy and healthful relationship with food, family nutrition and feeding kids.

Stephanie Gordon is a journalist with an insatiable curiosity for Canadian agriculture. She worked for agriculture trade magazines, reporting on everything from wheat to weather, before trading in her boots for the rapidly advancing world of ‘controlled environment agriculture’ as a marketer. Stephanie’s favourite stories are unlikely ones – stories about manure digesters, farm drainage, and farmer-focused tales of innovation on the field or in far off places.

Carol is mom to three awesome kids. She’s a Toronto-based food and nutrition communications consultant and says she pretty much spends all day reading, writing, cooking or eating food—this is probably why her dog is always by her side! Carol is excited to share insights from her 20-year journey combining her interests in agriculture, food and nutrition.

As the most established Registered Dietitian practice in Canada, we have pioneered the industry since 2000. Our team has over 100 years of collective experience. As university-trained Registered Dietitians, we are held to the highest level of ethical standards of practice. Clients count on us for credible science-based advice wrapped with genuine care and concern for well-being. We take a no-nonsense approach to eating well with practical tips for real people with busy schedules.

Julie-Anne is a rancher and beekeeper from Moose Jaw, SK. She is proud to be a 3rd generation farmer with her husband and 3 children as well as a consultant in the livestock industry though her company Bar Over 3H Livestock. The Howes raise 300 cows and a have a small scale apiary (bee farm) and are happy to share the buzz about bees and bovines on their farm.

Michelle Jaelin is the Nutrition Artist, a registered dietitian who uses her art education and skills to present nutrition science in an understandable way. She’s a media dietitian, writer at NutritionArtist.com and food content developer who creates content on embracing cultural cuisine and authenticity. Michelle’s mission is to inspire others to cook often, eat mindfully and embrace different food cultures.

Valerie Johnson is a Registered Dietitian and professional nutrition writer. She specializes in the art of crafting clear, creative nutrition communications based on sound science. Valerie excels at making sense of the often complex, ever-evolving evidence related to food, nutrition, and health. As a trusted nutrition communications expert, she’s served a wide range of agri-food organizations, food companies, and health authorities.

Linda is a Saskatchewan farm girl at heart. Her love of food and nutrition led her to a degree in nutrition and she has previously worked as a Registered Dietitian. She has worked extensively in nutrition and health promotion. Linda has a special interest in helping clients and communities manage their diabetes so they can continue to experience the joy of eating good food.

Renée Kohlman is a chef, food writer and award-winning cookbook author from Saskatoon, Sask. She loves everything about food: preparing it, eating it, and writing about it. One day she hopes to have a dishwasher in her kitchen.

Sylvia Kong is a home economist, food stylist, recipe developer and cookbook author.
She is passionate about cooking and eating and is always trying out new recipes. Sylvia lives in Calgary with her family.

Myrna Stark Leader is an award-winning writer, photographer and accredited professional communicator who has worked in the agriculture space for over 20 years because it speaks to her purpose – sharing important stories. Prairie-raised with extended family who still farm, she now calls the unceded land of Kelowna home. Myrna is a director on the BC and Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation boards.

Jake is a third-generation farmer from Weyburn, Saskatchewan. He and his wife have three young sons. Passionate about advocating for the agricultural industry, Jake writes regularly in his popular blog, A Year in the Life of a Farmer, and has been a featured speaker at several events.
Jake is vice-chair of the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission and chair of the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition. He is also a member of Bayer’s Global Farmers Who SUSTAIN Advisory Council and a member of the Global Farmer Network. Jake is optimistic about the future of the agricultural industry.

Jenni Lessard is a chef, recipe developer and culinary consultant based in the Qu’Appelle Valley of Saskatchewan on Treaty Four Territory. She’s a citizen of the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan and a member of the Indigenous Culinary of Associated Nations. Jenni grew up in the boreal forest of Northern Saskatchewan and can still be found year round on the land, harvesting plants and berries. Jenni had a restaurant in Birch Hills, Saskatchewan for almost a decade before moving to Saskatoon to start a local foods-themed catering business. Her true pleasure is feeding people simple, nourishing and economical meals.

Dorothy Long is a home economist with a passion for telling the stories of Canadian farmers and foods. Owner of BlueSkyIdeas.ca, she works to promote all the wonderful foods grown and raised in Canada.

Crystal and Tara Luxmore are real-life sisters, beer sommeliers and journalists. As an Advanced Cicerone® (Crystal) and Certified Cicerone® (Tara) they run a Toronto-based consultancy. They are three-time North American Guild of Beer Writer award winners. Their beer stories have appeared in the Globe & Mail, Toronto Life, Beer Advocate, ELLE Canada and Chatelaine. They often appear as media experts on TV and radio, including CBC radio, Global TV and ABC TV. They manage beer menus for major event venues, host corporate tastings, and create branded content as beer influencers.

Erin MacGregor is a registered dietitian and passionate food and science communicator. Erin has become an advocate for honest and transparent communication about the Canadian food system. She has built a reputation for creating on-trend food and nutrition content that is both relatable and meticulously researched for any audience. Erin is most passionate about writing and speaking on topics including misinformation in the media, agriculture, biotechnology, and food marketing, with the goal of helping Canadians understand where their food comes, so they can make food choices based on facts, not fear.

Jennifer MacKenzie is a Professional Home Economist who wears many aprons as a freelance food writer, recipe developer and editor, and media spokesperson with a little event planning added to the mix. She is the author/co-author of nine cookbooks, including The Complete Book of Pickling, Second Edition (Robert Rose) and Awards Committees Chair of the Taste Canada Awards.

Sue is a multiple award winning dietitian and daughter of a Chinese chef – so she has a natural passion for enjoying delicious, wholesome food with friends and family! As the Founder and CEO of Nutrition Solutions Inc., a global nutrition communications consulting agency, Sue inspires audiences to eat well and live well through her media appearances, nutrition videos and engaging presentations.

The Magpie Group is a team of creative professionals who share a passion for communicating agricultural science-based information to industry stakeholders, as well as translating that information into language that creates common ground with non-farming audiences. Partners Jean and Kim have extensive and diverse backgrounds in marketing, communications, management and operations.

Chef Anthony McCarthy received his culinary training in Banbury, England. He served as Executive Chef at the Toronto Club and private chef to NASCAR Champion Jeff Gordon. Anthony was Executive Chef at the Saskatoon Club for 14 years and later consulted on a brand-new dining concept at Stoked Kitchen & Bar. He is now an instructor of Culinary Arts at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Saskatoon, sharing his passion for excellence in the culinary field with the chefs of tomorrow.

Matt works with his family on their sixth-generation grain farm near Lake Erie’s northern shore. He’s also a journalist and communications professional specializing in science, agriculture, social issues and all things critical thinking. Matt tries to bring a wider perspective – and a little dry wit – to his work, while emphasizing scientific rigour and the practicality of asking big questions.

Leeann Minogue is a writer, editor, and playwright in southeast Saskatchewan. Along with her husband and son, Leeann is part of a family grain farm that grows canola, lentils, peas, wheat and durum. She loves reading, traveling, and having a flexible schedule so she can fit everything in.

Clinton is a grain farmer in Saskatchewan. He also is the Executive Director of Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan and passionate about telling people about farming.

Gabby is a food writer, culinary historian and recipe developer. Based in St. John’s, NL she is the city’s restaurant critic for The Telegram and writes a syndicated food trends column for the Saltwire Network of newspapers. Gabby travels to eat, is always planning her next meal, and is currently writing a book about the history of restaurants in Canada.

Emily Richards is a professional home economist, chef and mom who has a passion for teaching people to cook and have fun in the kitchen. She is a cookbook author with 6 books to her credit including topics from Italian cuisine to glycemic index diets.

Jodi Robson is a proud member of the Okanese First Nation and is of Cree and Nakoda heritage. Thanks to her successful run as a finalist on the Great Canadian Baking Show, Jodi has grown a loyal following as an Instagram influencer. She loves to share her passion for food, family, the outdoors, and her Indigenous culture. Jodi lives in Regina with her partner and two children, where they enjoy rock ‘n roll, the Roughriders and a kitchen filled with the sweet aromas of home baking.

Peter Sandercock is a former commercial greenhouse grower who now manages a small greenhouse where he grows vegetables, herbs and flowers for his family and friends. His love of growing, gardening experience and soil science degree make him a go-to resource for gardening questions.

Lilian Schaer is a professional agricultural journalist, corporate writer and communications specialist with over two decades of experience in the Canadian agri-food industry. She makes the complex world of agriculture easy to understand, helping organizations and businesses across the farming, agri-food and agri-innovation space with writing and communications projects. Lilian’s writing has been recognized with a variety of awards, including by the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation, where she was named Communicator of the Year in 2021.

Rosie Schwartz is a consulting dietitian and an award-winning nutrition writer and author. Both in her private nutrition counseling practice and her extensive work with the media, translating the science of nutrition into healthy and delicious fare has been her focus. Her quest is to help Canadians become enlightened eaters by focusing on what they should eat, not what they should cut out.

John F.T. Scott is an economist specializing in the food distribution and retail sector. He is the former CEO of Canada’s largest retail grocery association, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers. He currently analyzes strategies and speaks on Canada’s food industry. He is renowned for weaving the preferences of the evolving consumer into the dynamics of the industry.

Delaney Seiferling is a writer and communications consultant who has worked in Western Canadian agriculture for more than a decade, with a background in journalism, communications and marketing. She loves telling the stories of the colourful and vast Canadian agriculture industry. She also loves Saskatchewan, farmers and locally grown food.

Jess and Nita are Registered Dietitians, friends, and moms. Together they operate Happy Healthy Eaters where their mission is to help parents feed their babies and toddlers confidently. Hailing from the prairies, they have a strong appreciation for agriculture and love featuring Canadian grown foods in their recipe development.

Mairlyn Smith is the only Professional Home Economist in Canada who’s also an alumnus of the Second City Comedy Troupe, making her the self-proclaimed funniest P.H.Ec. in the entire world. A popular media personality, MC and keynote speaker Mairlyn is also a Regular Guest Expert on the award winning national daytime television show Cityline as well as a regular on Toronto’s Breakfast TV. Mairlyn’s forte is her ability to mix learning with laughter. She’s the author of seven award winning cookbooks.

Gina Sunderland is the Food & Consumer Relations Specialist dietitian at Manitoba Chicken Producers. As a passionate advocate for Canadian agriculture she believes in the importance of bridging the gap between the public’s understanding of where nutritious food comes from, how it’s produced and how it gets onto family tables.

Claire Tansey is an author, teacher and food expert. She started her food career cooking in fine dining restaurants, then transitioned to recipe development and writing. In 2010 she was named Food Director for Chatelaine, Canada’s most iconic women’s brand, and became a regular guest expert on Cityline. She now inspires home cooks on Cityline, CBC Radio and at Claire Tansey’s Kitchen.

Andrea Villneff is a Nutrition and Food Educator, Chef, Professional Home Economist and a strong advocate for food literacy. Andrea created the Cooking 101 program to teach kids in schools how to cook with fresh, local foods. She owns Lime and Lemon Media Inc., a company that specializes in creating delicious recipes, food photography and dynamic recipe videos.

Lucia Weiler is a registered dietitian and home economist. She loves food and is a pro at translating the science of nutrition into easy to understand, practical advice for Canadians. As the founder of consulting agencies Weiler Nutrition Communications Inc. and Nutrition for NON-Nutritionists, Lucia works with others to promote great food for health and wellness and help shape the future of nutrition.