Remember when splurging at a fancy restaurant meant ordering a massive porterhouse steak for two — when bigger equalled better, and diner’s enjoyment could be measured in grams of animal protein? Cut to today, and the food scene has seriously changed: We’re more aware of how our lifestyles impact the environment — including thinking about what and how we eat. And many chefs are on board, doing some very cool, enlightened cooking that challenges us all to eat more mindfully. In this episode of Dishcourse, we speak to three chefs, each with a very different outlook on plant-based diets, but what they do share is a deep respect for ingredients and a desire to cook and eat more sustainably.

Featuring:

Felicia De Rose, Chef, Planta Burger and The Chase Fish and Oyster

Miriam Echeverria, Chef, Tribe Five Dinners and Greta Solomon's

Michael Hunter, Chef and Owner, Antler

Credits:

Host – Angelyn Francis

Executive Producer - Sonja Draskovic

Producer(s) – Nick Rose, Pam Austin

Creative Lead(s) – Ryan Paterson, Elaine Song

Writer – Andrew Caie

Editing, Mixing and Composing: Chris Perry

Syrian cuisine is a hearty, healthy and ingredient-driven collision of ancient spices and techniques. Here in Canada, it’s also become a tool to heal the emotional and economic trauma of war. We speak to founders and staff from Newcomer Kitchen and Les Filles Fattoush, two organizations that are using Syrian food as a way forward for refugees. It’s an episode full of emotion, hope and the healing power of cooking, storytelling and singing together in the kitchen with friends.

Featuring:

Cara Benjamin-Pace, Co-founder and Executive Director, Newcomer Kitchen

Rahaf Alakbani, Co-founder, Newcomer Kitchen

Adelle Tarzibachi, Co-founder, Les Filles Fattoush

Wiam Aljourny, Cook, Les Filles Fattoush

Credits:

Host – Angelyn Francis

Executive Producer - Sonja Draskovic

Producer(s) – Nick Rose, Pam Austin

Creative Lead(s) – Ryan Paterson, Elaine Song

Writer – Andrew Caie

Editing, Mixing and Composing: Chris Perry

Few joys can match the taste of a freshly shucked P.E.I. oyster, wild B.C. salmon tartare or a buttery shrimp roll made with tiny Quebec shrimp. But every time we feast on a seafood tower, we’re causing significant damage and disruption to underwater ecosystems and leaving plastic — lots of plastic — in our wake. In this episode of Dishcourse, we delve into the sustainable seafood industry in Canada and how to make better decisions as consumers. We talk with chefs who’ve dedicated their professional lives to promoting Canada’s finest and a scientist who’s committed to protecting marine life from the trash we throw into the oceans.

Featuring:

Ned Bell, Executive Chef, Ocean Wise

Peter Ross, Vice-President of Research, Ocean Wise; Associate Professor, University of Victoria

Jordan Gooch, Chef de Cuisine, Honest Weight

Credits:

Host – Angelyn Francis

Executive Producer - Sonja Draskovic

Producer(s) – Nick Rose, Pam Austin

Creative Lead(s) – Ryan Paterson, Elaine Song

Writer – Andrew Caie

Editing, Mixing and Composing: Chris Perry