Hall of Fame Award | 2012

The author of fourteen cookbooks, Anita Stewart spent four decades promoting, supporting, advocating for, and writing about Canadian food. Born in Toronto, Stewart attended Wilfrid Laurier University and then pursued a master's degree in gastronomy from the University of Adelaide in Australia. Among her many achievements, she was instrumental in founding Cuisine Canada (now Taste Canada) and Food Day Canada, and became the first Food Laureate at the University of Guelph. Stewart was a pioneer in the field of Canadian cookbook writing, using her travels across Canada as inspiration. Published in 1995, Northern Bounty: A Celebration of Canadian Cuisine highlights the importance of food in the building of communities. Her mantra was to amplify the voices of Canadian food producers, researchers, and writers. In 2011 she was awarded the Order of Canada for her numerous contributions to Canadian cuisine. In 2015, 2018, and 2020, she donated her personal library of correspondence, manuscripts, and other materials to Archival & Special Collections (XM1 MS A119). Throughout her career, Stewart encouraged Canadians to experience their rich and diverse food culture, and spearheaded the movement to celebrate home-grown foodstuffs.

Stewart, Anita and Jo Marie Powers. Northern Bounty: A Celebration of Canadian Cuisine. Toronto: Random House of Canada, 1995. Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library (UA s066b36).