TORONTO — Inspired Cooking, written by 21 of Canada’s best chefs — including Michael Smith, Rob Gentile, Vikram Vij and Connie DeSousa — is now available to order.
The cookbook, which focuses primarily on nutrition, has already been hailed as “the best cookbook of its kind” and “the best edited cookbook of the year” by The Best of Food & Wine radio show. Funding for the book came from InspireHealth — a not-for-profit organization approved by the B.C. Ministry of Health for supporting cancer care for Canadians. All proceeds from the cookbook’s sale will be used to fund InspireHealth’s services.
Adrian Brijbassi, the cookbook’s editor and co-founder of Vacay.ca, was inspired to create a nutrition-based cookbook shortly after his wife Julia Pelish passed away from cancer last March. “The stories in the cookbook are deeply relevant,” Brijbassi says. “Inspired Cooking shows nutritional education is vital to everyone — even chefs.”
In addition to recipes from 21 Canadian chefs, the book also profiles cancer survivors.
“As a medical doctor working with cancer patients and their families, I witness every day how eating well with attention to our individuality benefits us in multiple ways,” says Janice Wright, MD, CCFP and CEO of InspireHealth. “I have seen improvements in people’s digestion, energy levels, weight, mood, stamina, sleep, stress levels and overall well-being after they adopt healthier eating habits.”
Featured chefs include:
- Jeremy Charles — Raymonds and Merchant Tavern, St. John’s
- Michael Smith — Inn at Bay Fortune, Bay Fortune, P.E.I.
- Chris Aerni — Rossmount Inn, St. Andrews, N.B.
- Patrice Demers — Patrice Pâtissier, Montreal
- Antonio Park — Park and Lavendaria, Montreal
- Jason Bangerter — Langdon Hall, Cambridge, Ont.
- Victor Barry — Piano Piano, Toronto
- Rob Gentile — Buca, Toronto
- Roger Mooking — Twist, Toronto
- Dale MacKay — Ayden Kitchen and Bar, Saskatoon, Sask.
- Connie DeSousa and John Jackson — Charcut and Charbar, Calgary
- Roy Oh — Anju, Calgary
- James Walt — Araxi, Whistler, B.C.
- Angus An — Maenam, Vancouver
- Ned Bell — Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver
- Andrea Carlson — Burdock & Co., Vancouver
- Stefan Hartmann — Bauhaus, Vancouver
- Jackie Kai Ellis — Beaucoup Bakery, Vancouver
- Vikram Vij (Vij’s), Vancouver
- Warren Barr — Pointe Restaurant at the Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino, B.C.
Inspired Cooking is available for purchase online at inspiredcooking.ca and at select retailers.
