Author and Q&Q contibutor Shaun Smith points out what he’s calling a “very Canadian problem” with a new cookbook coming from Phaidon Press this fall. Called COCO, the book will feature recipes from 100 emerging culinary stars chosen by 10 of the world’s leading chefs, including Gordon Ramsay and Mario Batali. The problem is that not one is from Canada. From Smith’s blog:
I have tremendous respect for all of these curators. The reason for this gap is not entirely clear. They managed to find five deserving Australians, so surely they could have found at least one Canuck.
I am told by Phaidon that there may still be one opening left. That is, they’ve confirmed only 99 chefs and there is space for one more chef.
I’ve been floating names at Phaidon – Jonathan Gushue, Jérémie Bastien, Theo Yeaman, Patrice Demers, Mark Cutrara, Michael Steh (to name just a few) – with the hopes that they will clue into the fact that their book, as it stands, has a big hole in it and may not be particularly well received in Canada.
Smith is encouraging other Canadian foodies to help push Phaidon into choosing a Canadian chef for the remaining open spot.
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I think if Phaidon released the book in Canada under the title “An Anti-Canadian Cookbook.” it would do extremely well. Keeping Canadians out of books altogether can be a solid publishing strategy. Books with “No Canadian-content” labels on them would be a new mark of distinction everywhere.
Memo to: Phaidon,
From: Dan Brown
a.k.a. Simon Kernick