Hall of Fame Award | 2013

Born into a family of cooks and bakers, Elizabeth Baird’s many cookbooks combine her love of food with her passion for teaching. Hailing from Stratford, Ontario, Baird studied modern languages and literature at the University of Toronto. Her foray into cookbook writing began when she was invited to write Classic Canadian Cooking: Menus for the Season, published in 1974. The cookbook highlights Baird’s exemplary writing style and her desire to educate readers about Canada’s diverse culinary heritage. With the publication of her first cookbook, Baird became a household name and went on to become long-time food editor for Canadian Living magazine. Along with publishing several other cookbooks and penning the column “Baird’s Bites” in the Toronto Sun, she was one of the hosts of the popular show Canadian Living Cooks on Food Network Canada. In 2016, 2019, and 2022, she donated her personal collection of cookbooks to Archival & Special Collections. Baird has played an important role in teaching Canadians to think about their food in new and delicious ways and for her efforts was awarded the Order of Canada in 2013.

Baird, Elizabeth. Classic Canadian Cooking: Menus for the Season. Toronto: James Lorimer & Company, 1974. Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library (TX715.6 ZZ3603).