The intersection of food with culture and history is understood through the study of “foodways”. Customs of food preparation, production, preservation and presentation are all facets of how we understand regional foodways, and these often inherited traditions reveal much about the creative life of a person and place.  Hosted by the AGO’s Chef Renee Bellefeuillle, Foodways is a new conversation series that brings together chefs to explore  the intersection of culinary practices, memory and art. 

Launching in January of 2022, Foodways: Caribbean Flavours brings together three chefs with ties to the Caribbean and its Diaspora to reflect on their own foodways, inspired by the AGO’s current exhibition of art from the Caribbean and its Diaspora Fragments of Epic Memory. This conversation series will conclude with an in-person dinner at a later date, created by the participating chefs.  

Chef La-toya fell in love with cooking at a young age. She graduated from George Brown’s Culinary Arts program and continued to train at a number of top restaurants and hotels throughout Toronto, Europe and Mexico. Born in Canada of Jamaican descent, she grew up cooking and eating “island foods,” After gaining years of experience, La-toya’s creativity started to flourish fusing her cooking style of traditional Caribbean ingredients together with Mediterranean flavours. This created some new flavors, with some familiarity of home-style, soulful goodness. Within months of experimentation, determination and hardwork, La-toya tapped into her entrepreneurial spirit and Twist Catering came to fruition. 

Chef La-toya’s drive for excellence and her knowledge of food combined with her innovative spirit has led to many ‘firsts’ for Twist Catering over the years. Twist was the first female black owned business hospitality partner for TIFF and Chef La-toya was the first food expert on the Marilyn Denis Show in Toronto, as well personal chef to the Toronto Raptors. La-toya’s creativity, entertaining personality, and her ability to engage audiences to relate to her makes her comfortable in all aspects.