Food & Drink
Discovery
A journey into the past – through menus
Food historian Nathalie Cooke sees menus as more than simply guides for ordering burgers or burritos. They offer invaluable clues about the dining cultures of past eras. She explores a wide range of menus from different time periods in her new book Tastes and Traditions: A Journey through Menu History.
On Campus
Building a culture of sustainability
McGill’s Sustainability Projects Fund has supported more than 400 sustainability-related projects at McGill. The largest fund of its kind in Canada, it has played a pivotal role in McGill becoming one of the world’s leading universities for sustainability.
Society
Weathering the storm
When Peter Oliver, BCom’71, co-founded Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality, he helped elevate Toronto’s dining scene. Now his son Andrew Oliver, BCom’06, is taking O&B to new heights (literally and figuratively), but first he had to contend with a disastrous pandemic.
Discovery
Exploring queer and feminist food culture
In her research on feminist restaurants and queer cuisine, Alex Ketchum, MA’13, PhD’18, an assistant professor at McGill’s Institute for Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies, examines underexplored areas of culinary history and food culture.
Culture
Bringing a Montreal icon back to life
The ninth-floor restaurant at the Eaton's store on Sainte-Catherine Street was renowned for its Art Deco style and officially recognized as a historic monument by the Quebec government. Georges Drolet, an architect with expertise in heritage buildings, played a leading role in the downtown landmark's rebirth.
People
She’s a key ingredient in Top Chef’s huge success
When Gail Simmons began working as a judge on Top Chef, she had no way of knowing that she was about to become part of an enduring cultural phenomenon.
People
Having a Grüvi time without alcohol
At a time when health experts are urging people to dramatically cut down on their alcohol consumption, Anika Sawni, BA&Sc’19, the co-founder of Grüvi, is inviting consumers to give her company's award-winning non-alcoholic beers, wines and sangria a try.
Society
Why the future of farming might be … bugs?
In 2013, five McGill MBA students won the $1 million Hult Prize with a unique idea for addressing world hunger – insect protein. A decade later, that victory has led to a pair of businesses that want us to think about crickets and palm larvae in a whole new way.
Health
Exploring nutrition through a high-tech lens
McGill’s Clinical Nutrition Research Unit, a key part of the School of Human Nutrition at Macdonald Campus, has a new home and vastly improved infrastructure for cutting-edge studies. The CNRU is pursuing a wide variety of projects with one common ingredient – the instrumental role that nutrition plays in keeping us healthy.
People
It’s not just the family business, it’s a Montreal landmark
Mordecai Richler wrote about it. Anthony Bourdain called it a “national treasure.” As the co-owner of Wilensky’s Light Lunch, Sharon Wilensky, BA’82, DipEd’87, isn’t just looking after the family restaurant, she is co-managing an iconic Montreal institution.
People
Cumin, coriander and a sense of community
PhD student and community organizer Leonora Indira King, MSc’17, is the driving force behind the Parc-Ex Curry Collective, an initiative that provides non-status immigrant women with an empowering opportunity to benefit from their culinary skills.
People
An expert navigator for the world of wine
The discipline he learned as a McGill graduate student has served Hugo Duchesne, MA’02, well in his role as one of Quebec’s most highly regarded sommeliers. He shares his thoughts on recent wine trends, his favourite wine and cheese pairings, and the stress associated with international competitions.