PHOTO BY ANDREW LEONG
SECRETS & LIVES BY KATE LAUTENS
Who are you, Bill Jones? The chef and owner of Deerholme Farm. I’m probably best known for my wild food and mushroom activities, but I am a passionate supporter of our entire local food system. I am also the author of 12 cookbooks.
What excites you about local food? It’s the ultimate ingredient. Wild food takes it up another notch. It is packed with nutrients and contains the thrill of learning about varieties, the thrill of the hunt and the lurking danger of the unknown.
Who is your mentor? James Barber, the late Urban Peasant. He had a love of life and food that was infectious. I had the pleasure of getting to know him well and my life is richer for it.
What is one of your most significant childhood memories? I grew up in Nova Scotia and my dad was a great cook. I remember most fondly the lobster feasts we had in the backyard. New potatoes, cobs of corn, fresh lobster and lots of butter!
If you were to die and could come back as any person or thing, who or what would you choose? In my youth, I spent a lot of time hiking in the Rocky Mountains. I was always awed and excited to see grizzlies — majestic, powerful and just a little threatening. Plus, catching jumping salmon in a river looks like fun.
What talent would you most like to have? I wish I had the patience to spend more time practising guitar. My guitar hero is Neil Young and I would be thrilled to play an acoustic guitar like Neil. 54
BILL JONES, 54 with
CHEF AND AUTHOR
What quality do you value most in your friends? Honesty. We all have moments that must be forgiven, overlooked or occasionally discouraged. Only your good friends can tell you the truth when you might not want it.
If you could cook for anyone, living or dead, who would it be and what would you make? One of my earliest heroes was Euell Gibbons, author and wild foods specialist. I would make Euell a dinner from the forests and seashore of Vancouver Island, influenced by the amazing First Nations culture of the region. If I could have
company, I would bring Albert Einstein, Joe Strummer, the Dalai Lama and Salvador Dali, just to make sure the conversation was lively and a little eccentric.
What are you most looking forward to this year? Publishing a new cookbook this spring, the Deerholme Foraging Book (Touchwood Editions). I hope my curiosity and lust for sharing food knowledge comes through.
What food would you die without? Variety is the spice of life — but if I had only one choice, it would be garlic. This interview has been condensed and edited.