In the late nineteenth century, French novelist Marcel Proust participated in an exercise which could be thought of as the Facebook of its era—he answered a questionnaire about himself in a friend’s Confession Album.
Proust’s answers have been published, in one form or another, for more than a century. Many have used the questionnaire for their own devices, the most notable being Vanity Fair’s Proust Questionnaire featuring celebrities. The Tomato gives it a culinary twist.
Illustration by Gerry Rasmussen
Six years ago Kaelin Whittaker went to cooking school, in Ireland, the famous Ballymaloe. You could say it changed her life—from education major to cooking school and café owner. She went for the love of food.
“The decision to start the Ruby Apron came quite naturally once I came back—it was like there was a need to share, to educate.”
Since then, Kaelin has become known for her sourdough classes, growing relationships with local famers and the movement towards simplicity and sustainability.
“I think I went mostly because it was on a 100-acre organic farm—it was about the ingredients as much as technique. After 12 weeks at Ballymaloe, I realized I wanted to work closely with people, to help them learn about food, to share how simple it can be and to build confidence.
“Take bread for example. The myth of bread is that it’s hard, you can’t have hot hands—all these ideas about why you can’t make bread. My goal is to get rid of the fear. You just have to see value in it and want to cook.
“When people share a photo of something they made or send me a note saying they enjoyed a class, it’s rewarding to see their success. It’s why I do what I do.
“Food brings people together. When I see eight strangers sit down to dinner together at the end of class, they start to chat, the sounds of the busy kitchen fade away. People slowing down and eating together. That’s what it’s about for me.”
Back in 2015, Kaelin named her school, the one she started when she was still working full time, after her grandmother Ruby and because she loves aprons.
The new project needed something else.
“I first heard the word awn while standing in a research plot at the University of Alberta farm. It is the stiff bristle on the flower of grains such as rye and barley. What we do in classes is all about the ingredients—organic flour, local seasonal vegetables, responsibly raised meats from local ranchers. Yet, is there anything more Alberta than a grain field?”
Awn Kitchen Café and Workshop opens in the Lansdowne Shopping Centre in June. In the meantime, visit Kaelin’s lively Instagram or awnkitchen.com.
Hometown?
Edmonton.
Years cooking?
Six, professionally.
Where would you like to live?
Rural Alberta. I would love to live on a farm, with laying hens, a couple of pigs, a dairy cow and lots and lots of veggies. And a cooking school.
Your favourite food and drink?
Craft beer and simple food—Blindman Pale Ale with a roast chicken dinner.
What would you be doing if you weren’t cooking?
Probably teaching elementary school.
What do you most appreciate in your friends?
Honesty, kindness, empathy and fun.
Your favourite qualities in a dish?
Simplicity. Where you can taste the good ingredients.
A cook?
Understanding, appreciation and respect of good food, which comes through in the final dish.
Who would be at your dream dinner table?
My grandmother Molly, who was said to be the best dinner party host. Alice Waters. Myrtle Allen of Ballymaloe House, the matriarch of Irish cuisine. I got to spend an afternoon in the kitchen with her. Darina Allen, her daughter-in-law, who founded the Ballymaloe Cookery School with her brother Rory O’Connell. Skye Gyngell, of Spring Resto in London—forward thinking and very sustainable.
Who would cook?
Rory O’Connell.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Pivot! Transparency. Lovely.
Current culinary obsession/exploration?
You could say I’m obsessed with flour. It’s such a simple ingredient and we give it no thought. And we need to give it lots of thought. I’m trying to learn more always.
Meaningful/crazy cooking experience?
Making sausage in Sicily with Christian Puglisi (Copenhagen). Breaking down the pig, the respect for it and the Sicilian bread sausage and meatballs.
Best (cooking) thing that ever happened to you?
Going to Ballymaloe in 2014 was at the right time in my life. I was interested in local and in-season cooking, sustainable cooking, Ballyamaloe broadened that and gave me tools. When I came home there was a responsibility to share good honest food, to bring people together.
Mentors?
Darina at Ballymaloe, Erin Bunting who has a cooking school in Northern Ireland and I learn a lot from the farmers I work with.
Favourite casual cheap and cheerful/afterwork food?
Soft boiled egg with buttery soldiers.
Philosophy?
I believe in simple food, seasonal food, local food. I teach attainable recipes with ingredients that are easy to get and cook every day.
What’s next?
Let’s get Awn Kitchen up and running. Then we’ll see.