Her parents were career oriented, so María Amalia and her siblings grew up under the watchful eye of “Nana”.  She was the maid, nurse, housekeeper and second mom, all rolled into one.  Her wonderful sense of humour often masked her strictness, and her appetite for life matched her appetite at the dinner table!  Nana had no formal education, but she had - and still does - a deep knowledge of food, and knew the traditional way of preparing it, thus making it very authentic and most of all, delicious!

María Amalia has memories of a very early childhood where she would stand - barefoot on the cold tiled kitchen floor - to watch Nana prepare her favourite treat:  Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding).  She would observe while Nana boiled rice and water in a deep pot, later adding milk, sugar and cinnamon sticks.  After it was done, Nana would give her but a spoonful of the warm arroz, and then it would be chilled to make a reappearance at the lunch table.

María Amalia learned to cook from friends and relatives, while sharing those wonderful social culinary experiences that families make possible.  One such experience was sitting around the kitchen table with Nana, her sisters, and some close friends making Tamales filled with beans, chicken in green tomatillo sauce or shredded pork in red chile sauce.  Tamales are normally prepared ahead of time to be ready for the Christmas holidays or piñata parties, traditionally for birthdays or the wonderful “posadas”, which welcome the arrival of Christmas

From Nana, María Amalia learned how to prepare some of her favourite dishes, such as Enchiladas Suizas (chicken rolled up in a tortilla, served with green tomatillo sauce and sour cream), Chiles Rellenos (beef-stuffed peppers, covered in an egg batter), Frijoles Rancheros (ranch style beans) and so much more…

María Amalia left Mexico years ago, but her learning didn't stop there. She's an avid cook and food explorer. She has taken a numerous courses in various food styles, such as Indian, Thai, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, French, Venezuelan and Caribbean, among others.

In 2003, after funding The Cultural Kitchen, she traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico, where she took classes from Susana Trilling, author of "The Seasons of my Heart" cookbook, and Iliana de la Vega, then chef/owner of El Naranjo Restaurant, and now an instructor of the Culinary Institute of America.

In 2005, she was invited to attend the first Tri-National Seminar on Mexican Gastronomy, in Mexico City, where she immersed herself in what truly makes Mexican Cooking an identitiy factor for the Mexican. From there, she went to tour Hacienda La Rojeña, in Tequila, Jalisco, to learn the process of making Tequila.

In 2008, María visited Yucatán, where she learned about Mayan cuisine, and early in 2009, she attended the 4th International Seminar on Mexican Gastronomy and Culture, held in Puebla, México. Along with 54 fellow chefs, she re-visited the traditional cuisine of Puebla while learning new trends on Mexican gastronomy.

In January 2008, María started her partnership with fellow food and wine enthusiast Antonio Mauriello, sommelier and owner of DiVino Wine Studio. María became the Executive Chef at the restaurant, where she managed the kitchen as well as the cooking school portion of the business.

In the summer of 2009, María traveled Sicily for two weeks, taking cooking lessons from the locals in Modica and the Etna area. That was doubly interesting because the classes were in Sicilian! There she learned the secrets of Sicilian cookery as well as the history and tradition of that beautiful island.

In January 2010 María attended the Puglia Wine&Land 2010 tour. This was a whirlwind tour of the province, showcasing the best of Puglian wines, food and hospitality. María met Pietro Zito, a Chef dedicated to preserve the ancient flavours of Puglia, never forgetting the link between land and table; as well as Chef Antonio de Rosa, another avid ambassador of Puglian food and wine, but with a view of following tradition while adding new ways of presenting dishes.

María Amalia has taught numerous workshops in different venues in Ottawa, and has had a regular position with the Ottawa-Carleton School Board, as a Continuing Education teacher of Mexican Cooking for the past 13 years.

For María Amalia, teaching to cook the food of her beloved Mexico is the same as sharing her culture, and that's what she likes best. She loves showing her students what it's like to cook her food the way it's really done at home, while teaching them chef's techniques.

To read more about María's trips, visit the Travel page on the website.

Thuy Nguyen - Asian Cookery

Thuy was born in the heart of North Viet Nam in the center of Hai Phong City, and was raised by her father, mother and grandmother. Her family passion centered on the foods and flavours of the city. With the bustling activity in the city, it was an interesting way to sample the different cultures and styles of cooking.

Neighbouring countries such as Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, China, Malaysia, and cities like Hong Kong and Singapore were often sources of knowledge and information. Traders came to Hai Phong to sell their wares and buy local produce. Travelers came to sample the food and drink the city had to offer.  This exchange of cultural, social and culinary mores and tastes enabled Thuy to expand her ever growing knowledge, to learn which herbs and spices complimented each other, and which method of cooking best enhanced the raw material.

Her grandmother, who ran a busy food stall, was Thuy’s biggest influence. She helped in the cooking and serving of many dishes such as beef noodles, crystal vermicelli rolls, beef grilled in vine leaves, pork satay, pork meatballs, Vietnamese ham, green papaya salad, fishcake noodles, stuffed mushroom soup, egg roll, summer roll, etc.

She expanded her knowledge by learning, testing dishes and visiting other family friends to exchange recipes and ways to use ingredients and cook enticing recipes. She gives great honour to her grandmother, father and mother for the continual encouragement and help in her younger years, from which she has developed not only a hobby, but a passion as well. She also developed the skills and techniques for using clay pots, woks, pans, bamboo steamers, charcoal grills, mortar and pestles, chopsticks, spatulas, cleavers, etc.

With her husband, owner of Chows Restaurant in Aylmer, she has added a new series of Chinese and Western dishes to her collection.  Thuy now teaches cooking at two schools where she takes great pride in spreading her extensive knowledge of the foods she prepares and displays. She still continues to look for new and better ways of expanding her skills to the delight of her tasters.  She invites you to join her and experience the taste and flavours passed down through many generations.

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Robin Clasper - Sommelier