Q & A
IF YOU ASK a group of culinary professionals to define “Canadian food,” chances are you’ll get as many different responses as there are national lakes. One thing that most will agree on, however, is that Canada’s domestic cuisine has grown up and come into its own. In 2014, Derek Dammann, owner and chef at Montreal’s DNA and Maison Publique restaurants, and food writer Chris Johns set out across the country with photographer Farah Khan to uncover the best regional recipes and culinary ideas. The result is the comprehensive and stunning True North: Canadian Cooking from Coast to Coast (HarperCollins). If the lively storytelling and recipes aren’t enough, the book includes a foreword from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver – who originally provided Dammann with the financial backing to open Maison Publique – praising the book for its dedication to produce, provenance, and farming.