Raised in Nova Scotia, Chef Joel Gray developed a lifelong passion for hospitality. He always finds joy in welcoming and providing a warm experience for others.

After a few years working in "traditional" restaurants, he and his now-wife Hannah Harradine started their first pop-up series called Sumac & Salt in 2019. They also acquired the property where the restaurant is currently located in the same year. Eventually, they decided to literally open their home for diners and so, Down Home Restaurant was born.

It is not merely a restaurant but also a farm project that provides Chef Gray with a big portion of his ingredients.

His love of the kitchen and gardening shows when visitors are first welcomed in the farm. Here, they share a few bites and while being introduced to the surroundings and the wonderful products from which they came from.

They prioritize sourcing from local suppliers whenever ingredients can’t be produced on their own property, while continually working to minimize waste wherever possible.

As proof of their hard work and laudable ethos, the restaurant has been named as a Michelin recommendation as well as a certified FeastON member.

In this episode, Chef Gray talked about vegetables' varying flavours at different times, chef traumas, the transactional nature of the hospitality industry and more.

Don't miss these Stoveside Stories - and bon appetit!

As a member of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation at Cape Croker Reserve, Chef Zach Keeshig was born in Wiarton and raised in Owen Sound, Ontario.

He started in the restaurant world at 17, then continued studying at the Georgian College for Culinary Arts. After that, he went on to work in various restaurants across Ontario with many of the top Chefs in Canada including Eigensinn Farm, Restaurant Pearl Morissette and Langdon Hall.

In 2020, he started a pop-up restaurant at the weekend farmers' market in Owen Sound. It fused Ojibwa cuisine with modern culinary techniques and ingredients.

And in November 2024, he opened Naagan, a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Owen Sound that continued his journey of exploring and presenting Indigenous cuisine through a fine-dining lens.

In this episode, Chef Keeshig talked about his idea of Indigenous cuisine, the roles that colonialism and tradition play in food, and more.

Don't miss these Stoveside Stories - and bon appetit!

Born and raised in La Marche region of Italy, Chef Roberti began his career in pastry making, and later worked in kitchens of prestigious establishments in Italy and abroad.

For six-years in Australia, he worked as the Executive Chef and consultant for several important Melbourne restaurants including Caffe e Cucina. Ultimately, he opened his own Italian restaurant. In 2017, he was named for the first time amongst the Chefs of the Year - Australia and placed top six in 2019.

He joined the pizza oven maker Moretti Forni and the MorettiLAB in 2022 as Corporate Chef, in charge of cooking consultancy, as well as sharing the importance of heat as an ingredient for all those who wish to learn more about this subject.

As part of his role, he travels the world to explain how to make the best pizza with consistency and precision in different locales.

In this episode, Chef Roberti talked about the different style of pizza, what makes their product stand out, the weirdest pizza he has seen traveling the world, and more.

Don't miss these Stoveside Stories - and bon appetit!