What Do You Eat?

Dr. David Turpin, University of Alberta President
by Shawna Derksen

Dr. David Turpin, University of Alberta President photo by Curtis Comeau Photography
Dr. David Turpin, University of Alberta President
photo by Curtis Comeau Photography

What Do You Eat asks Edmontonians who are in the news for reasons other than food or culinary achievement what they eat. Because we know everybody wants to know—it’s the food equivalent of peeking in the medicine cabinet.

U of A’s 13th president is responsible for the well- being of 40,000 students and 15,000 employees as well as general operations of the $1.5-billion- dollar budget. On his own time Dr. Turpin likes cooking, spending time outside, and getting out and exploring Alberta.

Q: What are your eating habits?
I tend to be a three-meal-a-day person, but that’s evolved over time. I remember as an under-graduate student I’d never eat breakfast. I’d just get up, head to the lab, and work, work, work. Mid-day I’d start to get really hungry, so I’d start my three meals with lunch as the first one, then it was dinner, then I’d eat again at midnight or whatever (laughs). It’s a little more structured now.

Q: What will your next meal be?
A very quick sandwich lunch and tonight my wife and I are going to have some wonderful leftovers.

Q: What do you always have in your fridge or pantry?
Wow, that’s a huge list—I don’t know where to start. There would always be eggs and milk, there would be garlic, ginger, parsley, cilantro. We have a huge spice drawer that isn’t even big enough to hold half our spices. You’d always find fresh chilies and things like tamarind paste.

Q: What is your signature dish?
It’s absolutely impossible to choose a favourite dish. We consider ourselves so fortunate because we love everything. Sometimes we’ll be cooking Thai or Indian or French, or we’ll do braised meats, or fresh fish. Something unique that we’ve come up with is barbeque cauliflower with fenugreek sauce. It goes wonderfully with Indian food, it goes nicely with a steak, you can make it mild, you can make it hot, you can do whatever you want with it, but it really pops the flavour of the cauliflower. You get that wonderful char and there’s a delightful sort of Indian feel to it. Fenugreek is a lovely seasoning for something like that.

Q: What does food mean to you?
It’s a way to connect with people. You share a very personal experience. Sustenance is easy, but the beautiful thing about what’s happening in terms of the food experience in Canada is there’s this beautiful global fusion.

Q: Where do you shop now that you’re in Edmonton?
We’re really enjoying the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market.

Q: How often do you eat out and/or order take out?
I eat out every week.

Q: What is your favourite restaurant?
It would be unfair to say at this point because there are so many good ones and we’re still exploring.

Q: Do you take lunch to work, buy lunch, or go out for lunch?
All of the above.

Q: What is your comfort food (the one go-to food from your childhood you eat when you don’t feel well)?
I wouldn’t eat any foods from my childhood when I don’t feel well… unless my mother made me.

Shawna Dirksen is an Edmonton-based freelance writer who welcomes November’s wintery embrace with elaborate crock-pot dinners, chicken noodle soup and lots of red wine. By December, she’s taking life one Ferrero Rocher at a time.