On today’s show I have two really fun interviews, both connected to a great story involving a vegan food producer in Vancouver, a food industry lawyer in Toronto, and a complaint to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Just what is “cheese”? The answer is not nearly as simple as you might think, but my guests and I have a lot of fun talking it through. Detailed show notes are at the Cheftimony website.

Today’s episode is a snack-sized portion of Cheftimony. Join me for five minutes, and I’ll tell you about what’s on tap for the show in the coming weeks. In short: vegans! I’ll be posting episodes to discuss a saga in Canadian food labeling that I’ve taken to calling Cheesegate. Soon on the podcast, a vegan chef and a food lawyer dive into just what can be called “cheese” and how the whole food industry is changing. Detailed show notes are at the Cheftimony website.

The first episode of Season 2 took me to a delightful bake shop on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. The two owners of Lone Wolf Bakery welcomed me into the heart of their kitchen where our food talk covered chef life, community building, artisanal pastry, and heavily-crusted sourdough bread (not for the weak of tooth!). Detailed show notes are at the Cheftimony website.

From Vancouver to Las Vegas and from New York to London, Season 1 of Cheftimony was a whole lot of fun. Looking ahead at the new season, I plan to bring you more talks with more chefs and of course a few more lawyers. One particular goal for Season 2 is to spend more time cooking in restaurant kitchens and reporting to you on those experiences. Another is to incorporate more of your ideas into the show. So please do get in touch if there is a chef or a lawyer you’d like to hear on the show! Detailed show notes are at the Cheftimony website.

Picasso Restaurant in the Bellagio Resort and Casino in Las Vegas has amazing food, an amazing kitchen and, of course, amazing art on the walls – original Picassos! It’s also where I first cooked as a stagiaire in Vegas. In Episode 011, I talk with Matthew Fleisher, the Executive Pastry Chef at Picasso, about everything from his work as a diamond courier before becoming a chef to where he eats in Las Vegas (and Matt’s answer may surprise you!). After my talk with Matt, I meet up with my friend and fellow podcaster Scott Roeben of the Vital Vegas blog and podcast. Scott is my go-to source for Vegas scoop, and we have a great chat about all things Vegas, with a focus on food, drink, and, just maybe, a little gambling. Detailed show notes are at the Cheftimony website.

The best part of producing the Cheftimony podcast is meeting people I simply wouldn’t meet otherwise. On Episode 010, I have an across-the-ocean talk with one such amazing person, Seetal Savla of the London food blog SavlaFaire. Seetal is a blogger and restaurant reviewer with the writing talent to take us inside her favourite restaurants and right to the table when she interviews chefs. Join us as we compare notes on the Vancouver and London food scenes. Detailed show notes are at the Cheftimony website.

One of the chefs I met during my early days as a stagiaire at Bishop’s Restaurant in Vancouver was Thompson Tran. Thompson is a very interesting fellow. In recent years, he and his wife have started a food business, left Vancouver and set up shop just outside of Toronto. Now, Thompson keeps multiple plates spinning through his company Wooden Boat Food. On Episode 009, Thompson and I talk about entrepreneurship, work/life balance and the horror of single-use plastics. And that’s all in addition to our talk about Thompson’s grammy nomination…! Detailed show notes are at the Cheftimony website.

Whatever you’re into, New York’s got it. And when that whatever is food, you’re particularly lucky. Join me in the big city for my talk with Jenny Dorsey, a fascinating chef who’s pushing the boundaries of traditional culinary work to incorporate her vision as an artist into her dishes. Chef Jenny uses food, art and technology to express exactly what matters to her. Detailed show notes are at the Cheftimony website.

How can you, the customer, improve your experience at a restaurant? One of the best ways I know is to become a regular at the places you love. In Episode 007, I speak to four regulars at the Vancouver restaurant closest to my heart, Chef Andrea Carlson’s Burdock & Co. This episode is also my chance to say Happy 10th Anniversary to Chef as we mark a decade of cooking and laughing together. Detailed show notes are at the Cheftimony website.

There’s a problem in the culinary world: the industry demands so much and it pays too little. On Episode 006, I talk with two wonderful chefs I worked with at Burdock & Co. in Vancouver, Greg Sugiyama and Will Beere. They’ve both left cooking behind, Will to be a mechanic and Greg to work in software. I’m happy they’ve both found fulfilling new careers, but I can’t deny that I’m disappointed the culinary world couldn’t keep them. Detailed show notes are at the Cheftimony website.