Renée Suen

A charity cookbook for InspireHealth with the purpose of raising money to enhance the lives of those living with cancer. The storytelling cookbook features 21 of Canada's greatest chefs, journalists, nutritionists and healthcare providers.

Toronto Life’s team of anonymous restaurant reviewers went on a city-wide eating spree to produce this list, visiting just-opened hot spots and revisiting old favourites. Hundreds of meals were consumed, and vigorous debates ensued before we narrowed the list down to the final 100; the depth, variety and quality of Toronto’s kitchens and dining rooms made that task especially hard. The final list represents a cross-section of the city’s dining DNA, with high-end fine dining and pedigreed splu...

For me it was the hongbao or lai see (red envelope) and the crisp, lucky money carefully stuffed inside. Growing up in Vancouver and Calgary, there were certain customs that my immigrant family followed during Lunar New Year, and the giving — or in my case, receiving — of hongbao was my (and practically every Chinese kid's) favourite custom.

However, once I moved to Toronto for university, my steady stream of hongbao suddenly came to a halt. The fact that I was unmarried — a qualifier for the...

Almost all dog owners extoll the virtues of pet ownership. Dogs adore us, and they are both loyal and fun. And unlike our human friends and co-workers, they never lie to us. Even more, our recent research on pet ownership suggests that dogs may also help us live longer. But is this because being around dogs is good for our health? Or is it true for less interesting reasons? Perhaps people who are unhealthy in the first place generally avoid adopting pets. That would make dog ownership look li...

Anyone who's tried to make working out at home their new norm in these unprecedented times knows that access to exercise equipment has been one of the major challenges in trying to match their former routines. As a fitness instructor at Goodlife Fitness, up until its temporary closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, and a condo dweller, I fit into the camp of people who didn't have a lot of gear at home.
Fortunately, some of my colleagues and professionals from the fitness world are quickly ...

Walk down any grocery aisle and you'll see shelves stocked with dairy milk substitutes, or mylks, ranging from soy and almond varieties to newer options like pea, cashew and macadamia.
Be it for health, dietary intolerances or restrictions, ethical or environmental reasons, or simply due to flavour preference, more and more people are choosing plant-based milk alternatives over cow's milk. And it seems they've even made a dent in the dairy industry. According to a report from Statistics Canad...

HONG KONG-The obsession began five years ago on a pilgrimage to revisit the flavours I missed most from my childhood in the city.
From the sweet smell of roasting chestnuts being dry-fried in a wok with blistering soot-stained pebbles to the curiously named “sugar onion cakes,” a beloved Qing Dynasty confection and after-school snack for many who grew up in the ’80s, these snacks were a constant on street corners.
Then there was the elusive gai dan jai (a.k.a., eggettes) grandpa who had been ...

From tangy pineapple cakes to tea-infused cuisine, here are seven Taiwanese specialties to keep you fuelled beyond the city’s night markets.
Make the trip to scenic Maokong – Taipei’s former largest tea-growing region – to partake in a traditional tea service at this popular 24-hour teahouse. Learn to perfectly brew one of 20 locally grown teas in dainty Yixing clay teapots with a self-guided tutorial. Feast on a range of tea-infused dishes, from mountain-grown shanshu (a type of fern native ...

It's largely accepted that a dish is only as good as its ingredients.
Canada is blessed with a bounty of foodstuff, the quality of which such renowned chefs as Jonathan Waxman and David Chang have gushed over. So it's surprising to find that accessibility to quality ingredients – specifically fresh seafood – isn't equal for all.
Under existing regulations, many Canadians are prohibited from obtaining seafood directly from fish harvesters. It sounds preposterous but...

The best time to visit Atlantic Canada depends on what you want to see or do, but be prepared for all weather conditions no matter the season. Spring can be rainy and cool, and while summer is mostly warm and pleasant, it can sometimes go from clear and sunny to rainstorms in minutes. September and October bring cooler temperatures, fewer crowds, and fall colors, but winter requires some grit—if you’re planning on driving, be prepared with good snow tires, antifreeze windshield washer, and a ...

Bras d’Or Lake Biosphere Reserve is full of sheltered coves and secluded beaches.
Atlantic Canada’s most populous province, Nova Scotia is often considered the economic and cultural hub of the region. Its name is Latin for “New Scotland,” reflecting the origins of some its earliest settlers, yet the province is more deeply shaped by its rich nautical heritage and former role as the immigration gateway to Canada.
Visitors to this seafaring destination have much to see and do, from hunting for ...

It started with a pink fruity mocktail. “I wasn’t drinking and asked for a non-alcoholic option, and was offered a poor and sweet drink,” says Ben Branson, who set off on a two-year path trying to solve his dilemma.
Already dabbling in home distilling, the design agency owner worked with historians, distillers, botanists and farmers to create Seedlip, the world’s first distilled nonalcoholic spirit. The England-based company’s motto sums up the result, this is “what to drink when you’re not d...

Grown and processed with minimal chemical or technological involvement, low-intervention wines are a sought-after tipple du jour in Quebec. Their popularity has grown over the past five years, largely in the city of Montreal, where they dominate wine lists at bars such as Cul-Sec or Bar Loïc, and are offered at top restaurants including Montréal Plaza and Le Mousso.

Also known as natural wines, they’re seen by supporters as a true expression of their distinct terroir, the environmental factor...

1. Go to a Dive Bar in Austin
Austin is packed with live music venues, with options to suit all styles. But a visit to one of the city’s dive bars is a must, and few stand up to The White Horse.
Who: A multi-generational crowd of hipsters, ranchers, students, bikers and rockabillies.
What: A bona fide honky-tonk bar that embodies East Austin’s charms: cheap beer, nightly live music, a buzzing patio and plenty of whisky, all in a no-frills space.
Why: Go for the house special, a US$6 Two-Step ...

Canada has the world’s longest land border and coastline and is composed of five distinct geographic regions. Yet like most traveling Canadians, I’m guilty of spending much of my vacation time abroad. However, a weak Canadian dollar has me looking within the country for new experiences, and is attracting other travelers, too. Here are five of Canada's less well-known treasures.
1. Osoyoos, British Columbia
Until recently, few people were familiar with this small town in southern Okanagan Vall...