By Raynee Novak

The 2023 Taste of Canada Awards have been announced, and two Vancouver-based cookbook authors won big.

J-C Poirier won Gold in the Regional/Cultural Cookbook category for his cookbook Where the River Narrows: Classic French and Nostalgic Québécois Recipes, which was written in collaboration with Vancouver-based food writer Joie Alvaro Kent. Poirier is the chef and owner of Vancouver’s St. Lawrence restaurant, which was awarded one Michelin Star by the Michelin Guide in 2022 (it was retained in 2023). The cookbook and restaurant are both an ode to Poirier’s heritage, including his formative years growing up in Quebec and early experience in renowned Montreal restaurants.

Desiree Nielsen won Gold in the Health or Special Diet Cookbooks category for her cookbook Good for Your Gut: A Plant-Based Digestive Health Guide and Nourishing Recipes for Living Well. Nielsen is a registered dietitian who focuses on plant-based nutrition and gut health. She is also the host of The Allsorts Podcast. 

Vancouver-based publisher Appetite by Random House had three winning books, while local Whitecap Books had one.

The Taste of Canada Awards have been bringing Canadians together through an enthusiasm for food and culinary writing for more than 25 years. The national not-for-profit aims to inspire readers to discover delicious recipes and diverse food stories written from a Canadian perspective.