Ontario’s newcomer cultures and food identities create vibrant culinary tourism
Culinary or food tourism is not a static form of tourism. It doesn’t take place in exhibition halls or amusement rides; it happens through connections and lived experiences.
People are key to these experiences.
In Canada we have a bounty of peoples, cultures, histories, and foods; some traditional and some more recent, but all ever evolving and adapting to the country’s rich landscapes and seasons.
With the largest population in Canada, Ontario is great jumping point from where to explore newcomer contributions to cultural traditions and food identities that enrich Canada’s culinary tourism landscape!
Ontario is home to close to 40% of Canada’s population and home to 11 of Canada’s top 20 cities with the fastest population growth. Across the province, about one quarter of all Ontarians speak a non-Indigenous or official language as their original language, with more than 200 different languages spoken. With this linguistic diversity, we can draw parallels to the culinary diversity present in the province. Food and cooking draw from language, and much like languages adapt and change, so too do culinary traditions.
Below is a small and random selection of the cultural richness in Ontario as contributed by immigrants and newcomers. The programs, spaces and stories highlight the variety of cultures and culinary traditions accessible to both locals and visitors across the province.
The Dishing Up Toronto Program is organized by the Toronto Ward Museum, a community-based museum, as a platform for newcomers to share their stories through food. Started in 2017, the program has evolved to include neighbourhood tours, online workshops, and dialogue and learning with Toronto’s newcomer communities.
The Finnish community across Northern Ontario is primarily concentrated in Thunder Bay, the city with the highest population of Finnish people outside of Finland. Finnish culture comes alive in a visit to a Finnish sauna followed by some Finnish pancakes, characterized by their thinness and crispy edges.
Shawarmas in Ottawa have come to be a staple of the city’s “diet”. The national capital has more shawarma shops than anywhere else in the country. This is partly due to the increase of Lebanese immigrants to the city after the start of the Lebanese civil war. The rolled pita bread containing a variety of toppings and signature sauces has grown into a culinary landmark of Canada’s landmark city!
Italian culinary culture is placed front and centre with the “Nonna’s shopping list” program in Windsor’s Little Italy. A resource for locals and visitors to experience Italian heritage along Via Italia. The Windsor area is home to a large community of Italian-Canadians whose culinary traditions have helped shape the products grown in the region, from grapes to tomatoes, and some of the region’s signature dishes.
Festivals and events are important ways in which newcomer communities celebrate their cultural traditions and invite others to celebrate and learn.
Caribana and TD Salsa in Toronto are key summer events for the Caribbean and Latino communities. Aside from the celebration, festivals are great spots to scope out food and try new dishes. Many locally owned restaurants and caterers serve up cultural dishes. As we slowly return to pre-covid conditions, outdoor celebrations will be prime opportunities to explore different foods that may come from other parts of the world but are prepared and served by newcomers here in Canada.
Stories of migration are not always
easy to engage with.
It’s important to remember though, that exploring cultures through food and drink experiences is one of the best ways for Canadians and visitors to Canada to engage with them. It builds understanding of the contributions of immigrants and newcomers to the changing face of Canada, which is important for our communities.
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