When Jo Marie Powers retired from the School of Hospitality and Tourism, University of Guelph, in 1998, as a volunteer activity she began the Canadian Culinary Book Awards. In the beginning this was a way of collecting cookbooks for the University’s culinary collection (now numbering more than 12,000 titles) and letting Canadians know who our super-star authors and publishers were. Soon it became such a fun activity that it became her primary retirement activity.
Last fall, Jo Marie turned the awards over to Fiona Lucas and a team of four headed …

Karen Baxter, Brazilian born, from German immigrants, has now settled in Fergus, Ontario, where she lives with her husband and daughter. She has started her career in Business Administration, later completing her MBA at the University of Guelph with a specialization in Hotel and Food Management. Karen works as a Project Manager with Cuisine Canada and the Culinary Book awards presented at the Royal Winter Fair every Fall.
What’s your weakness? Dessert or mains?
Did you say weakness? I would consider an undeniable desire a strength. Definitely mains. With meat, stews, …

Julia Aitken has been a food writer and editor for more than 30 years. Her latest book is 125 Best Entertaining Recipes (Robert Rose). Julia lives in Toronto with her husband.
What’s your weakness? Dessert or mains?
Mains… Unless the dessert is the finest quality homemade ice cream.
Who or what got you interested in food?
My mother. Despite having no formal culinary training she was a great cook and adventurous as all get out. She was forever bringing home bargains (conger eel and lambs’ testicles are two I remember) that she’d never cooked …

Julie Van Rosendaal is food writer, author, stylist and journalist. The food and nutrition columnist for CBC Radio One’s the Calgary Eyeopener, Julie contributes to the online cooking series, Good Bite,  co-hosts It’s Just Food on Viva Network and keeps readers updated on Dinner with Julie. She’s also the mastermind behind Blog Aid, a collaborative cookbook to raise funds for Haiti.
What’s your weakness? Dessert or mains?
Ice cream. I can’t not finish the container. Also anything topped with melty cheese.
Who or what got you interested in food?
My appetite got me interested. …

Micheline Mongrain-Dontigny is a teacher, cookbook author, food historian and lecturer. She is also the author of the bilingual web site Les Éditions La Bonne Recette, a French-language blog Cuisiner avec Micheline Mongrain Dontigny and the coordinator of the Canadian Culinary Cookbook Awards.
What’s your weakness? Dessert or mains?
Really fresh fish and seafood, couscous, and traditional dishes of Italy, France, England, Canada and Quebec.
As for desserts I like sugar pie and fruit desserts such as kuchen. But the best memory for dessert is the Britany Kouing Aman — absolutely delicious. I’ve never …

Jeff is a Canadian chef who has developed his talents at a number of the world’s top restaurants; including The Fat Duck, Lumiere, Araxi, AGO and Chez Panisse.  He is a graduate of UWO, the Stratford Chefs School and is a Canadian Slow Food pioneer. He is currently the Executive Chef at the  Ancaster Old Mill & Spencer’s at the Waterfront in Ontario.
What’s your weakness? Dessert or mains?
Ice Cream is my weakness…vanilla with caramel sauce
Who or what got you interested in food?
My father cooked at home, so I started cooking
What …

Dawn Thomas is the co-founder of Rouxbe. Rouxbe is the web’s first-ever Online Video Cooking School complete with practice video recipes, cooking exercises, culinary quizzes, progress reporting and personal chef support. We teach home cooks in over 180 countries how to become better cooks. Dawn leads the production team and is also the narrative voice that brings Rouxbe’s videos to life.
What’s your weakness? Dessert or mains?
I would have to say mains. I actually look forward to winter as I love things like braised meats and hearty stews. I also love …

Dana McCauley is a food trend expert who uses her insights to write cookbooks, magazine articles and recipes for food companies. She is the former food editor for Homemaker’s Magazine, Gardening Life and Style at Home. She blogs daily at homemakers.com.
What’s your weakness? Dessert or mains?
How tragic is it that I must admit that my weakness is, in fact, weakness. I love desserts but I also love savouries. I find I get in a groove and can’t move on until I’ve had my fill of banana bread, curried lentils or …

Judith Lane is a Vancouver-based wine, food, and travel writer who contributes regularly to the Georgia Straight, Taste, BC Restaurant News, Flavours, Vines, and gremolata.com who will go almost anywhere for a good story and a glass of wine. She’s also an in-demand judge for wine, food, and cocktail competitions, including the several at the annual Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.
What’s your weakness? Dessert or mains?
Mains. Anything savoury. Right now spatchcocked lemon chicken is a favourite as is mérquen rubbed grilled chicken.
Who or what got you interested in food?
An aunt …

Stefan Zauner started his culinary journey by attending the Schloss Hofen Culinary Arts School in Lochau, Austria. Upon graduation he began his career working in world-class facilities in Austria, Switzerland, and Bermuda.
In 1989, after moving to Canada, Stefan began working at the award winning Post Hotel Relais & Chateaux in Lake Louise, Alberta.
The majority of the past decade Stefan has been working in Toronto’s finest hotels including the Sutton Place Hotel, The Westin Harbour Castle Hotel and Conference Center and The Delta Chelsea Hotel.
In the spring of 2006, Stefan moved …