This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
After 10 years of hard work, Marianne Lefebvre, nutritionist specializing in international nutrition, presents her very first book, In the kitchens of the worlda true celebration of Quebec culinary diversity.
The author describes her book as being a “culinary collective of beautiful people from elsewhere who share a bit of their culture. » The nutritionist offers around fifty recipes featuring a wide range of flavors specific to each region, from Morocco to Mexico, including the Philippines. Through Marianne Lefebvre’s work, the reader is transported on a cultural journey, discovering the culinary habits and customs of her precious collaborators.
In addition to making us salivate with each recipe, she also wants to give a voice and a place to people of diverse origins in Quebec recipe books: “Here, people from diverse backgrounds are very little represented in culinary works,” adds -she. I wanted to help give them a greater place in these, in my own way. »
Quebecers from around fifteen different origins agreed to share, through the pages of the book, dishes typical of their country, but also their personal history. The touching testimonies found in the book, like the story of Mario Briones, open our eyes to the trials that immigrants face when they settle in Quebec.
And during difficult times, riddled with a host of administrative and legal pitfalls, cuisine remains an anchor for all cultures. “They often lose several points of reference when they arrive here, especially if it is not by choice,” says Marianne Lefebvre. But one thing they can bring is their knowledge and culinary culture. Food therefore takes on a major importance in their integration into their new living environment. »
Because even if we don’t all know the same recipes, everyone eats… Hence Marianne Lefebvre’s interest in building intercultural relationships around the table.
Food to build connections
It was during her numerous travels around the world that she developed a unique perspective on it, on people and on the way in which food manages to create bridges between cultures. “Food is an excellent vector for improving living together, and the book is a further step in that direction,” she continues.
This reflection was also one of the catalysts in the conception of the book. “Elsewhere in the world, it’s more common to invite people to your house, even if you don’t know them very well, whether for tea, coffee or to eat,” she says. Whereas here, it’s different. One day, I invited a lady of Haitian origin to come and eat at my house. She has been in Quebec for 27 years and it was the first time that a Quebecer invited her home. »
According to Marianne Lefebvre, the simple act of preparing or sharing a meal becomes an opportunity to open up to the world and take an interest in others. “If we ate more recipes from different cultures, we would undoubtedly have fewer preconceived ideas about them,” she insists. Result: this work is a real celebration of human diversity and the culinary riches that we share. In the kitchens of the world highlights the whole social aspect of cooking and nutrition, an indisputable determinant of overall health.
Beyond the book itself and in order to give rise to more culinary festivities, the author regularly organizes thematic dinners to discover the different regions of the world. This type of event already seems to be catching on among its readers. “Several parents tell me that they have made meals like this using the recipes in my book with their children aged 4 to 17,” she shares. Obviously, cooking brings people together, entertains and comforts, regardless of our origins. We might as well share them together.
Marianne Lefebvre will be present at the Montreal Book Fair on Friday, November 24 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, November 25 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
In the kitchens of the world
Marianne Lefebvre, Éditions QuébecAmérique, Montreal, 2023, 224 pages
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