What if the most meaningful journeys in life aren't about finding a new place, but about creating a place where others feel they belong?

Barbara-jo McIntosh is a cookbook author, culinary entrepreneur, bookseller, and one of Canada's most respected voices in food and hospitality. After building an extraordinary career in Vancouver's culinary world, including founding the beloved Barbara-jo's Books to Cooks, she began a new chapter in rural France, where she now welcomes guests into her beautiful home, La Maison des Mots, in the medieval village of La Charité-sur-Loire.

In this episode, Barbara-jo shares the experiences that shaped her lifelong passion for hospitality, the courage to reinvent herself throughout her career, and why she believes it's never too late to begin again. Together, we also explore French culture, entertaining traditions, and the simple pleasures that make life around the table so meaningful.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why hospitality is about making people feel genuinely welcome rather than creating the perfect experience.
• How Barbara-jo built an extraordinary career by following curiosity, embracing change, and continually reinventing herself.
• The French traditions around food, entertaining, and everyday living that continue to inspire her life in La Charité-sur-Loire.

Helpful Links:

• Podcast Companion Page (recipe, reflections, resources and prompts for your own everyday life)
• Barbara-jo's website: Maison des Mots
• Barbara-jo's Substack: Diner Chez Moi
• Barbara-jo on Instagram

SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW

If you love this podcast and want to give me your support, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. This goes a long way in helping me get in front of other culinary adventurers like you.

Just open up the Apple Podcasts app and go to “In My Kitchen with Paula”. Or, in this episode, click on the 3 dots in the right corner and click on “Go To Show”. At the bottom of the show page, you can rate and review.

SAY HELLO

In My Kitchen creates connections one dish, one story, one journey at a time, by exploring culture through food. We do this through unique culinary workshops, speaking engagements, and of course, this podcast.

I'd love to hear from you! Connect with me in one of three ways:

• Visit www.exploreinmykitchen.com to join our IMK Community of culinary adventurers. More recipes, stories and fabulous podcast episodes.
• DM me on Instagram at @inmykitchenpaula
• Email me at paula@inmykitchen.ca

In this episode of In My Kitchen with Paula, I sit down with Palestinian chef, storyteller, and founder of Sacred Cuisine, Izzeldin Abdul Aziz Bukhari.

Speaking from the Old City of Jerusalem, Izzeldin shares the story of his family’s migration from Bukhara, Uzbekistan to Jerusalem in 1616, his Sufi roots, and how food became both a form of meditation and a powerful vehicle for preserving Palestinian culture and identity.

You’ll Hear About

• How food carries history, grief, connection, and hope across generations
• Memories of grandmother’s kitchens in Gaza and the role food plays in family connection
• The history and symbolism behind the Palestinian dish Rummaniyeh
• What it means to build and operate a culinary business as a Palestinian living under occupation
• Food as an act of cultural preservation and resistance

This is an unforgettable conversation about heritage, hospitality, identity, and the sacred role food plays in bringing people together.

HELPFUL LINKS

Sacred Cuisine: www.sacred-cuisine.com
Izzeldin’s email: thesacredcuisine@gmail.com
Sacred Cuisine on Instagram: instagram.com/SacredCuisine
Izzeldin’s Rummaniyeh Recipe: Find it at exploreinmykitchen.com

SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW

If you love this podcast and want to give me your support, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. This goes a long way in helping me get in front of other culinary adventurers like you.

Just open up the Apple Podcasts app and go to “In My Kitchen with Paula”. Or, in this episode, click on the 3 dots in the right corner and click on “Go To Show”. At the bottom of the show page, you can rate and review.

SAY HELLO

In My Kitchen creates connections one dish, one story, one journey at a time, by exploring culture through food. We do this through unique culinary workshops, speaking engagements, and of course, this podcast.

I'd love to hear from you! Connect with me in one of three ways:

• Visit www.exploreinmykitchen.com to join our IMK Community of culinary adventurers. More recipes, stories and fabulous podcast episodes.
• DM me on Instagram at @inmykitchenpaula
• Email me at paula@inmykitchen.ca

What if the most memorable part of visiting Peru isn’t Machu Picchu… ?

In this episode, I sit down with Ericka La Madrid, founder of Delectable Peru Food Tours, a proud Peruvian who grew up surrounded by big family tables, Andean flavours, and the kind of culinary traditions that carry stories across generations. Today, she helps travellers experience Peru through its kitchens, markets, and regional dishes.

Erica, is generously offering a 5% discount on when you book a tour with her, just mention the podcast episode and that you are following Delectable Food Tours and In My Kitchen on Instagram

You’ll hear about:

🍽️ Why the family table is central to Peruvian culture and how memories and meals are inseparable
🌊 How Peru’s three regions: Coast, Andes, and Amazon shape its iconic dishes
🍋 The magic of ceviche (plus why it’s not as simple as it looks!)
🏡 What it’s really like to cook with locals in Lima, from tamale masters to home-kitchen chefs
✈️ Travel tips, cultural etiquette, and how to experience Peru safely and meaningfully
🥔 Fun fact: Peru has over 3,000 varieties of potatoes — and Erica tells us why it matters

This episode will inspire you to travel with curiosity, savour new experiences slowly, and embrace the stories behind every dish.

HELPFUL LINKS

🧑🏽‍💻 Delectable Peru Food Tours: https://delectableperu.com
📸 Erica’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delectableperu_food_tours
📧 Book a tour / contact Erica: info@delectableperu.com or text/call: ( 703) 725-0616
🍋 Erica’s Ceviche Recipe: Find it at exploreinmykitchen.com

SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW

If you love this podcast and want to give me your support, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. This goes a long way in helping me get in front of other culinary adventurers like you.

Just open up the Apple Podcasts app and go to “In My Kitchen with Paula”. Or, in this episode, click on the 3 dots in the right corner and click on “Go To Show”. At the bottom of the show page, you can rate and review.

SAY HELLO

In My Kitchen creates connections one dish, one story, one journey at a time, by exploring culture through food. We do this through unique culinary workshops, speaking engagements, and of course, this podcast.

I'd love to hear from you! Connect with me in one of three ways:

• Visit www.exploreinmykitchen.com to join our IMK Community of culinary adventurers. More recipes, stories and fabulous podcast episodes.
• DM me on Instagram at @inmykitchenpaula
• Email me at paula@inmykitchen.ca