Shop. Cook. Dine. Celebrate. Canadian.

Influenced heavily by his mother and grandmother, Jeff started his career in kitchens in small town Canada. Valuing education, the importance of local food and community, he is a Red Seal certified chef and sommelier; holds a B.Comm in Hospitality and an M.B.A. His career in culinary & hospitality education has brought him throughout North America to South America, Europe and the Middle East. Jeff currently resides in Waterloo County surrounded by rolling farms and forests. When not teaching, researching, writing, or in the kitchen, he volunteers with various organizations including Food Day Canada. 

With 30 years of professional field experience, Mark is respected by his peers as one of Canada’s top Salmon Fishing Guides. He is also a chef at the Campbell River General Hospital and long term care facility. Mark possesses considerable experience in the harvest and culinary preparation of wild game, pacific seafood and countless species of fish. He also has a deep passion and some expertise in Japanese culinary preparation, inspired by his wife and daughter’s Japanese-Canadian heritage. “I believe that world-class food isn’t as much about the chef, so much as it is about ingredients. I’m lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest of Canada, in a region that provides natural delicacies, pretty much year round.”

Paul is the Head Chef of the Victoria Cool Aid Society whose culinary career was inspired by his late Mother Anita, who was a cookbook author, culinary activist, and recipient of the Order of Canada. A graduate of the Stratford Chefs School and armed with over twenty years of culinary experience and his Red Seal certification, Paul and his team prepare, deliver and serve nearly 1000 meals a day to members of Victoria’s most vulnerable populations. His career has taken him to remote gulf islands in BC, a fly-in fishing lodge in Northern Ontario, a boutique hotel near Parliament hill in Ottawa and now into Social Services and Healthcare on Vancouver Island. Paul’s food philosophy has always been “fresh, local and seasonal” with an emphasis on working with local farms and producers. Paul is also an advocate for food rescue, reducing food waste and the long term sustainability of our food supply chain. He is grateful to live on Vancouver Island with his three sons and to be part of the diverse and bountiful food, beverage, and farming community that this area has to offer, along with its growth and preservation.

Christine is passionate about food ! Whether it's talking about tastes, trends, sustainability, rescued food, circular economy and more ~ you will find her leading and looking to the future of food.

Michael Allemeier has been cooking for 40 years. His food always revolves around seasonal and regional ingredients. Michael always believes the shorter the distance from producer to stove is always the best choice! He is one of five Canadian Chefs that have earned the CMC (Certified Master Chef) designation.

Dorothy is a passionate advocate of Canadian food and farming. She holds degrees in home economics and education from the University of Saskatchewan, leveraging her background to promote greater consumer understanding of Canadian food and farming. For over 25 years, Dorothy has organized farm tours for food influencers, such as dietitians, journalists, chefs, and food writers. Dorothy believes that food is a powerful connector and the most intimate way that consumers come to understand agriculture. In 2023, Dorothy was inducted into the Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame. Anita Stewart served as a significant mentor for Dorothy and she has been a steadfast supporter of #FoodDayCanada from its inception.

Dr. Whale is an entrepreneur and subject-matter expert inagri-food. He holds a Ph.D. in Immunology at the Veterinary and Infectious Disease Organization. His involvement in the agri-food sector includes being a business development lead at Saskatoon Colostrum Company, the Industry Liaison at the University of Guelph, and the President of Ontario Agri-food Technologies (OAFT). Tyler has worked closely with many ag-innovation companies that have contributed to more than $1B in economic impact, hundreds of jobs, and sales initiated in over 40 countries of new Canadian technologies.  He advises on several boards and with private companies, all with the lens of better coordination and collaboration.Dr. Whale is passionate about innovation and developing collaborative relationships.

Maggie McCormick is the communications manager for the PEI Federation of Agriculture, amplifying the voices of Island farmers. Within her role she helps lead the Farm & Food Care PEI program, which celebrates Island grown food and builds trust between Islanders and their farmers. Previously, Maggie led communications for the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph, and had contributed to communications for Food from Thought and the Ontario Agricultural College Dean’s Office. Maggie earned a degree in International Development with a rural and agricultural emphasis from the University of Guelph, before studying Corporate Communications and Public Relations at Fanshawe College. She is currently completing an MSc in Capacity Development and Extension on climate change communication with PEI beef farmers. Maggie grew up on a small beef farm in Southwestern Ontario before relocating to Prince Edward Island with her husband and son to join the family’s dairy operation.

Tim Croft has been a creative director for over 25 years in the advertising, marketing and events industry. Tim has enjoyed an illustrious career as a designer and strategist having worked on a countless number of top-tiered clients and global campaigns. In 2020, Tim made a shift from the bustling world of advertising, embarking on a new chapter as the proud owner of a farm in the town of Elora. With a grand vision, Tim and his wife have build a flourishing tourism hub including a luxury glamping resort, tending to 8 acres of flowers and produce, a farm market store and restoring their unique fieldstone barn into a versatile event space – ready to host weddings, corporate events, farm-to-table dinners, and more. In his spare time, Tim enjoys reading and cooking with a passion for quality farm fresh food and equally exceptional wine.

Crystal Mackay is a recognized trailblazer in connecting people with their food and the people who produce it. Her previous leadership roles with Farm & Food Care, the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity and Food Day Canada gave her the opportunity to connect with Canadians and the entire food system. She created Loft32 in 2019 with the vision to elevate people, businesses and the conversations on food and farming with training, speakers and strategy. Crystal loves a good travel adventure and spends her free time playing hockey or cheering on her children.

Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Keith holds a Bachelor of Education in Music from the University of Stellenbosch, a Diploma in Opera Performance form Trinity College, London, a Licentiate in Vocal Teaching from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto and an MBA in Hospitality from the University of Guelph. Keith’s career started out as a high school teacher, where he taught music for 14 years. It is during this time that his passion for cooking, inspired by his Norwegian chef grandfather, that he trained as a chef completing his courses at the South African Chef’s Academy. Following that he owned and operated The Tent Restaurant in Cape Town for 5 years. On arriving in Canada in 1995, he worked first as restaurant manager and then Food and Beverage outlets manager at le Royal Merien King Edward Hotel in Toronto. In 2002, he took up the position as Chair of the George Brown Chef School where he steered the school through 2 expansions and an 80% enrolment growth. In 2012 he became the Dean of Hospitality and Culinary Arts at Red River College in Winnipeg, has been at Conestoga College since 2014 currently serving as the Dean of the School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts and the Institute for Food Processing Technology.

Yulianna is passionate about connecting people with food through engaging digital content. Originally from Kazakhstan, she grew up surrounded by food, from growing vegetables with her grandmother to creating elaborate meals from fresh, local ingredients. This deep connection to the culinary world continues to fuel her passion for educating others about food. Yulianna's experience working in the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food has allowed her to be involved in various programs and initiatives. She particularly enjoyed her time as a Marketing Specialist with the Buy BC team, where she promoted local producers, processors, and farmers throughout British Columbia. Yulianna's strength lies in her ability to create captivating videos and stories that not only showcase food but also educate viewers about its origins and significance. Whether it's visiting farmers' markets, attending food events, or exploring local farms, Yulianna is constantly seeking new ways to share her love of food and inspire others to explore the culinary world.

Julie Van Rosendaal is the Calgary-based author of twelve best-selling cookbooks. She has been the food columnist on the Calgary Eyeopener on CBC Radio One for over 16 years, she’s a food journalist, writing primarily for the Globe and Mail, but also for other publications across Canada. Julie teaches, speaks and cooks at culinary schools and events across the country, and has a very engaged audience on her social media channels and website, Dinner with Julie. Julie is a great asset on the Food Day Canada social media team.

Rebecca Gordon is a restaurant researcher, food event creator and connector. In her work as the Culinary Projects lead for the Arell Food Institute at the University of Guelph, she supports great organizations like Food Day Canada, University of Guelph Sustainable Restaurant Project and the Anita Stewart Memorial Food Lab. She loves food projects that bring people together to create positive impact on communities.