Edna Award
Edna Staebler (1906-2006) was a Canadian Twentieth Century Culinary Pioneer. She was an award-winning journalist, but it was her hugely successful cookbooks (starting with Food that Really Schmecks) that made her a Canadian icon. One of the first Canadian authors to extol the virtues of local (regional) food, Edna led readers to a better understanding of the lifestyle of Old Order Mennonites with their respect for the land with its seasonal cycles, and in doing so, lifted the Waterloo Region into a culinary destination in the country.
In 1996, Cuisine Canada inaugurated a lifetime achievement award given that year to Edna Staebler and named in perpetuity The Edna. Since then, the award has been given every two years to an individual who has contributed to the promotion of regional cuisine and who exemplifies the region through his or her work. The award will now be given yearly.
Past Recipients
1996 – Edna Staebler (Ontario)
1998 – Marie Nightingale (Nova Scotia)
2000 – Judy Schultz (Alberta)
2002 – Jo Marie Powers (Ontario)
2004 – Mona Brun (British Columbia)
2006 – Scot McTaggart (Manitoba)
2008 – Anita Stewart (Ontario)
2009 – Robert Arniel (Newfoundland)
2010 – John Bishop (British Columbia)
Edna Award Call for Nominations
Nomination criteria for the Edna Award:
* Nominators are Cuisine Canada members. Nominees can be members or not.
* Nominees are deserving of recognition for an exceptional and long-standing contribution to regional cuisine. Cuisine includes food and beverage.
The contribution may be in any of the following fields, which are not exclusive and are provided as examples only:
- Agriculture or viticulture
- Processing or the creation of a value-added product (any food product, including cheese)
- Winemaking, brewing or any other fermentation process
- Journalism/authorship/print media
- Hospitality/restaurant and foodservice/accommodation
- Research
- Broadcast media including radio, television and the internet
- Public relations/marketing
- Government/non-profit/other agencies
Nominators should provide a letter describing the contributions of the nominee by August 15, 2011 to:
The Edna Award
c/o Library Admin
Room 356, McLaughlin Library
University of Guelph
50 Stone Road East
Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1
The letter should highlight details such as:
- History of the nominee's involvement in regional cuisine
- Specific examples of achievements, success or special recognition
- Any stories attributable to the nominee’s profile in the culinary community
- A personal comment on why this individual/business should win The Edna
For more information please contact us at 519-824-4120, ext 55021.
The award will be presented on Monday, November 7th, 2011 at the Cuisine Canada/University of Guelph National Culinary Book Awards ceremony at The Royal Winter Fair.
Thanks to The University of Guelph and Edna's Estate.
