Thank you!

Thanks for visiting us, liking our posts and all the positive comments and feedback over the years. I started this blog in November 2009 with some friends in attempt to learn all I could about cooking quality restaurant-quality food at home. In this journey, we were able to:

• meet many talented, influential chefs and restaurant owners in Canada and all over the world
• learn countless tips and tricks from people who are passionate about food
• spent time in small and large kitchens, even a moving kitchen on the Rocky Mountaineer train
• cover Canadian and International cuisines and culture showcased at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics
• discovered important issues about sustainable food practices, how much better shopping and eating local is, and standards such as Oceanwise
• connect with busy young professionals all over the world to inspire them to learn how to cook, discover new local restaurants
• and most importantly, we had a ton of fun doing it!

Managing Editor: Thu Nguyen

Over the years, I’ve become very passionate about food, traveling, meeting new people and constantly learning. This passion has taken me to spend time all over southeast Asia: Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand; China, Japan, Korea; France and Spain; Australia; Peru to eat in homes, huts, hole in the walls, food stands and high end restaurants. I’ve lived in Toronto, Vancouver, San Diego and San Francisco Bay Area and have/continue to explore a ridiculous amount of restaurants, supermarkets and kitchens. Lately, I’ve become more and more interested in cooking at home, throwing dinner parties, cooking with friends and family. There’s nothing more fulfilling to me than to see a room full of smiles and appreciation for good food and good company.

The YouCook experience has really opened up my eyes to the extent of how food connects people. It really affects all aspects of history, culture, life, economics, environment, relationships, friendships, education, entertainment…and the list goes on. It has truly been priceless to meet chefs, learn first hand about their story, their passions, their learnings and try to share them with the world. It has been very fulfilling to hear friends get inspired to cook and to be able to introduce family and friends to new foods, cooking techniques and culture.

We started out as 3 girls who LOVE food and thankful to have various photographers, writers, advocates to have helped grow it to where it is today. Special thanks to Catherine, Elaine, Melody, Irene, Kevin for the amazing start to YouCook with cooking, writing, interviewing, photographing. I am thankful to everyone that has spread the blog, took a chance to bring us into your restaurant, and the positive feedback and encouragement I’ve received in the past 2 years to keep it up.

I am eager to hear from anybody else that wants to join our team and share the same passion about food.

YouCook will continue to try to foster new conversation topics and delicious food back into your home.