Today in Toronto, Canadian celebrity chefs gathered at Restaurant Makeover's Brad Long's restaurant, Veritas, for the sake of, well, food. On this particular occasion the mélange of the gastro-glitterati, including the Food Network's Chef Michael Smith (Chef at Home, Chef at Large, Chef Abroad), Chef Susur Lee (Lee's Madeline's), and of course Chef Brad Long, were not behind the stove, but unveiling what they can achieve when they find themselves behind the lens.










In honour of Thanksgiving, Canon Canada commissioned star chefs from all across Canada to participate in its annual "Other side of the Lens" program. Each chef was given a digital camera, a theme - "food for thought" – and asked to dig deep and snap fruitfully. The result of this artful exchange was a $25,000 donation from Canon Canada to the Canadian Food Banks and a chance for the chefs, as Chef Michael Smith cleverly states, "to work in the visual arts in addition to the edible arts." Despite, Smith's ingratiating claim that "he's just a cook not an Annie Leibovitz type," his careful attention to detail and sensitive eye in his BC fishing village photos would belie the sentiment, however heartfelt it was. And admittedly, Smith was not the only chef to deliver beautifully vibrant mise en…scenes.


From coast to coast chefs like Toronto's Mark McEwan, Winnipeg's Lorna Murdoch and Vancouver's Anthony Sedlak took the time to not only to frame out charming, food-inspired images, but also to put a frame around – by way of drawing awareness to – many impoverished Canadians' need for food. – E.H

The photos are viewable @ Canon Canada's Website.