10 Canadian Cooks Worth Following on Social Media
They say you eat with your eyes first, right?
After nearly a year of (mostly) cooking at home for ourselves, we could all use a little bit of kitchen inspo these days. At least, in my house, I’ve been rotating between the same basic stir fry dishes. Luckily, there are tons of food bloggers, Instagrammers, and TikTokers out there, sharing their recipes and inspiration online. Giving these accounts a follow got me trying new recipes, introduced me to new dishes and reinvigorated my enthusiasm for cooking.
Here are 10 Canadian food accounts that will help you get you out of your cooking rut.
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If you love Asian food takeout
Follow: @tiffy.cooks, Vancouver
If you’re an Asian food takeout fanatic (guilty as charged), Tiffy Cooks has you covered. Her recipe videos brings takeout classics to life. Though her videos mostly live on her TikTok account, Tiffy Cooks also shares photos of the finished dishes, ingredient lists and written instructions on her Instagram. Some of her recent video series include 21 days of 20-minute dinner series and a 21 days of street food recipe series. If you’re new to Asian cooking, Tiffy Cooks also has a blog where she shares tips, tricks and pantry staples you’ll need.
Check out 30 pantry staples with the longest shelf life.
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If you want to learn about Indigenous food and cooking methods
Follow: @cheftawnyabrant, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, Ontario
Aside from serving up Haudenosaunee fusion cuisine at Yawékon Foods (like this Bison bone broth pho), Chef Tawnya Brant aims to share her Indigenous food knowledge and revive traditional foods. Brant’s Instagram gives insights into the dishes she’s developing for Yawékon. And, over on her YouTube channel, Brant explores how food, culture and history intersect by sharing traditional recipes and cooking methods. For example, Brant recently shared a video about the types of fish that were commonly found in the Fort Erie area in 1812, accompanied by a whitefish recipe and a demonstration of smoking and pan-frying techniques.
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If you’re looking for some quick meal inspo
Follow: @allisondaycooks, Dundas, Ontario
Allison Day is a recipe developer, food stylist, and cookbook author whose Instagram feed is filled with vibrant images of healthy recipes, perfect for any home chef to tackle. Day’s recipes, which are also featured on her blog, are great for WFH lunches—they’re healthy, filling and so easy to get on the table.
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If you want to explore food and culture through a Black lens
Follow: @blackfoodie.co
Founded by Eden Hagos, a Toronto-based food writer, Black Foodie was started with the goal of exploring food through a Black lens. With over 95,000 followers, the Black Foodie Instagram features Black recipes, dining experiences and chefs from around the world. The account also routinely holds Instagram story takeovers, hosted by different chefs and foodies touring their favourite local joints and demonstrating recipes.
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If you’re trying to get gourmet at home
Follow: @katherinewants, Barrie, Ontario
Chef Randy Feltis (of the Barrie Farmhouse) and his finacé Katherine Grace Moore are a charming duo who do just what their bio says: Katherine wants, Randy cooks (though, to be fair, Katherine cooks too). Their feed is filled with videos, all starting with an emphatic bite from Moore before Feltis launches into the recipe. Over footage of chopping, dicing, searing and frying, Feltis’ delightful voice-over explains exactly how to achieve restaurant-quality food in a home kitchen. One recent highlight: their week-long series of mouth-watering salads, including a feta-forward Greek salad, which I daydream about regularly.
Don’t miss this seven-day meal plan of one-pot meals.
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If you want cooking and takeout inspo
Follow: @taraobrady, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Tara O’Brady is the author of the cookbook Seven Spoons Cookbook and a judge on Iron Chef Canada whose account features mouth-watering pics of O’Brady’s home cooking and recent takeout faves. O’Brady also writes a newsletter with recipes like these espresso praline sand dollar cookies.
These easy dessert recipes start with cake mix!
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If you want to make Nigerian food
Follow: @9jafoodie, Saskatchewan
If you’re a fan of Nigerian food, 9jafoodie is the account for you. Run by Ronke Edoho, a certified Nutrition and Clinical Weight Loss specialist, the account shares gorgeous images of both in-progress and finished dishes. “My recipes are rooted in tradition and often presented with a little modern flare,” Edoho writes on her blog, where her recipes can be found. Edoho also shares video recipes on IGTV, complete with ingredients, measurements and demonstration of technique.
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If you’re a baked goods fanatic
Follow: @cococakeland, Vancouver
For home bakers (both semi-professional and aspiring), Lyndsay Sung’s account is a must-follow. Sung’s Instagram shows off her colourful and creative cake decorations, from a delicately frosted cactus cake to a mesmerizing meringue flower cake. Her blog also features excellent cake decorating tutorials, so that you too can achieve confection perfection.
Here are 20 easy cake recipes you can make when your cupboards are bare!
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If you’re trying to eat more locally
Follow: @aimeebourque, Halifax
Aimée Wimbush-Bourque, the author of The Simple Bites Kitchen, is a fan of eating seasonally and locally. Her Instagram account is full of colourful and healthy dishes that make the most of what’s in season. Aside from recipes, Wimbush-Bourque also shares images of her Nova Scotian farmer’s market hauls and provides insight into what delicious meals she’s planning with the ingredients.
Here’s what every farmers’ market vendor wants you to know.
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If you need to clear out your pantry
Follow: @vijayaselvaraju, Toronto
Vijaya Selvaraju is a certified cooking pro: she’s the cooking expert on The Marilyn Denis Show and Your Morning. Her Instagram is filled with photos and videos showing her takes on various Indian dishes (like these amazing looking Hakka chicken pakoras). Selvaraju also has a great series on her account called Pantry Cook Alongs, where she demonstrates how to use up what she’s got in her pantry—perfect for lockdown cooking.
Next, check out 25 mouthwatering meals you can make in 30 minutes—or less!
