Across Canada, all day long, on Saturday August 4th, 2018, Canada’s food community: chefs, home cooks, farmers, fishers, writers, ranchers…anyone who loves Canadian ingredients are coming together to declare Food Day Canada/Journée des terroirs, as Canada’s Local Food Day by enjoying Canadian-grown and made food. This will mark the 15th anniversary of the largest national culinary celebration in Canada, Food Day Canada/ Journée des terroirs (always celebrated on the August long weekend).

Culinary author and food activist, Anita Stewart is the founder of Food Day Canada/ Journée des terroirs. The passionate and very accomplished woman holds the Order of Canada along with many other designations. It all began in 2003, when sanctions were put in place on Canadian beef exports by Canada’s largest trading partners that impacted the Canadian agricultural community negatively. The World’s Longest Barbeque, a massive, Canada-wide event was held to bring awareness to the tariffs and to show support and celebrate the agricultural community. The World’s Longest BBQ was a huge success and according to one spokesperson for Canada Beef, this event “saved the industry”. The event evolved into Food Day Canada/ Journée des terroirs, an annual mid-summer coast to coast event where Canada’s rich culinary heritage, delicious northern bounty and the best managed food system on the planet is celebrated.

The Pointe Restaurant’s Executive Chef, Warren Barr commits to serving local Canadian products every day and has participated in Food Day Canada/ Journée des terroirs annually as Chef of The Pointe Restaurant and prior to this as Chef at Inn at Bay Fortune. In 2016, Chef Barr was the first ever to be awarded the "North Star Award for Continuous Culinary Excellence" by Anita Stewart for his commitment to serving Canadian food. In May 2017, Chef Warren Barr was invited to cook at the acclaimed James Beard House alongside other Canadian talent for "The Flavours of Canada" event to bring attention to Canadian cuisine.

New challenges with tariffs are upon us once again. “As Dr. Owen Roberts, the President of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists states: “Our food system is under fire. No matter how the politics plays out nationally or globally, this is a time for fierce loyalty and coordinated action.” As the Food Day Canada team stated, “rather than lament, we challenge all Canadians to have a party and honour our own ingredients, with one simple goal, culinary sovereignty.”

For the 15th Anniversary of Food Day Canada/ Journée des terroirs, Canadian Relais & Chateaux Chefs: Chef Warren Barr of the Wickaninnish Inn (BC), Chef Francis Wolf of Manoir Hovey (QUE), Chef Jason Bangerter of Langdon Hall (ON) and Chef Lukas Gurtner of Sonora Resort (BC) are collaborating on a Canadian-inspired cross country tasting menu to be served in their respective restaurants – a true cross-Canada experience.