Women entrepreneurs from Quebec and abroad committed to promoting family recipes from around the world . . . that’s La Cheffe in a nutshell. This innovative project was first launched by Khadija El Bouhali, whose mission it is to celebrate women the whole world over and to showcase the unifying power cooking can have.
Try these nine delicious recipes created by nine incredible women who want to share their culture and encourage Quebecers to discover new flavours. Each recipe is intimately linked to their own personal story and to their country of origin. Signature dishes that are proudly and deliciously diverse!
Meet the 9 women behind the 9 La Cheffe dishes
Portrait of Juliette Brun
Passionate about cooking ever since she was a little girl, Juliette learned how to masterfully merge her business sense and her love for chocolate. The result? Her wildly successful chain of restaurants known as Juliette & Chocolat. The know-how passed down from her mother and grandmother is what drove her to bring her sweet dream to life.
Recipe: Coq au vin - France
Deeply rooted in her childhood memories, Chef Juliette presents her version of coq au vin, a recipe emblematic of French cuisine, and a dish she lovingly adds to her menu every month! Simmered in wine for many hours, the result is exceptional: tender, juicy, and flavourful chicken that melts in your mouth!
Portrait of Hikmath Eyitayo
For the founder of Hibisko, a natural beverage company, nothing beats home-cooked dishes made with love! As far back as she can remember, she has always loved cooking—first with her mother, then by herself when she was a student. Today, she still places a lot of importance on meals, in part for the moments of sharing and closeness they foster.
Recipe: Director General’s Chicken – Cameroon
One of Hikmath’s all-time favourite ingredients: plantain bananas. It comes as no surprise then that they appear in the list of ingredients for her DG chicken recipe—a chicken and vegetable stew that’s popular in Cameroon. The spicy tomato sauce, seasoned with a touch of fresh ginger, brings a nice level of complexity to the dish. Served on a bed of white or wild rice, this dish makes for a delicious discovery!
Portrait of Paula Beltran
This entrepreneur has always been interested in cuisine, especially healthy cuisine. She recently launched the Sopitas Canada project, a Montreal-based start-up that specializes in selling balanced meals and encouraging everyone to adopt a healthy diet and active lifestyle.
Recipe: Arroz con pollo - Colombia
A traditional Columbian dish that has a very special place in Paula’s heart. Her grandmother used to make this recipe, typically composed of rice, chicken, vegetables, and spices, for Sunday dinner. Today, Paula continues the tradition, lovingly preparing it for family and friends. For a convivial meal, serve it in a large bowl alongside homemade fries and a salad.
Portrait of Sahar Samandarian
Mother and entrepreneur, Sahar enjoys cooking for her children every day. Her love for cooking is also what led her to open a café-restaurant where she prepares popular Iranian dishes, much to the delight of her Quebec clientele.
Recipe: Lubia polo – Iran
This savoury mix of rice, minced meat, and beans is perfectly seasoned with a delicious blend of spices, including cumin, cinnamon, and turmeric. Sahar has loved this traditional Iranian dish since she was a young girl, when she would beg her mom to make it for her at least once a week! Served with a salad, this dish makes a delicious meal any day of the week.
Portrait of Khadija El Bouhali
Raised in a traditional Moroccan family, Khadija already knew all the basics of cooking by the time she was six years old. From how to make bread, to what ingredients to buy at souk, to how to prepare couscous, her mother taught her everything she knows. Today, cooking is a way for Khadija to create ties and share parts of her personality.
Recipe: Vegetable Avazine - Morocco
Popular throughout the Maghreb, this dish, of Berber origin, is made differently from one region to the next. In the village where Khadija’s parents lived, it’s enjoyed in soup form, made either with vegetables or simply with almond paste and argan oil. It is often served in a large dish during religious holidays, so that everyone can share in on the feast. Khadija’s version is vegetarian, made with small pasta, chickpeas, beans, vegetables, and a savoury blend of spices.
Portrait of Marie-France
As someone who has always been passionate about cooking, Marie-France didn’t hesitate to put her talent to good use by opening up a catering company. Inspired by the traditional Quebec cuisine she grew up on, she enjoys revisiting childhood classics and treating her friends and family to delicious, home-cooked meals!
Recipe: West Indian Pork Stew – Haiti
Pork stew has always been one of Marie-France’s all-time favourite dishes; her mother used to make it for her often! Made with pork cubes slowly simmered in chicken broth, this dish is comforting, delicious, and brings everyone to the table. Marie-France suggests serving it with a watercress salad, for a touch of freshness.
Portrait of Reina Sakao
Reina has always enjoyed cooking Japanese meals—both for the traditional flavours and the cherished memories she has of her mother passing down her know-how. For Reina, cooking is a way to express oneself and to discover others through a sharing of cultures.
Recipe: Soboro-don – Japan
This simple, nutritious, and visually pleasing dish was a childhood staple for Reina, who frequently asked her mother to make it. In Japan, it’s often found in children’s lunchboxes, loved for the bright colours and flavourful beef, spinach, and eggs. Served with rice, it’s a nutritious meal the whole family will love!
Portrait of Maria Garramone
Warm and welcoming, Maria loves having family and friends over to share a good meal. Although Italian cuisine remains her specialty, she is surrounded by people from different cultures and loves preparing dishes from all over the world.
Recipe: Florentine Ravioli - Italy
There’s nothing Maria’s nonna (grandmother) didn’t know how to make: fresh pasta, pizza, cheese, charcuteries . . . everything was made from scratch! And she would often make meat, cheese, or squash ravioli. Following in her grandmother’s footsteps, Maria enjoys making spinach ravioli topped with a delicious tomato sauce. To switch things up, top the ravioli with pesto, melted butter and parmesan, or a mix of fresh basil and parsley.
Portrait of Dorothée Rousselot
As a mother of five, Dorothée has learned to develop her creativity and talent in the kitchen. Guided by her farther, who was an avid hunter and chef, she often finds inspiration in her childhood memories, recreating various recipes passed down by him.
Recette: Mamuitun leshup – Innu
Every family get-together where Dorothée’s father’s soup is served is a success. Using the traditional recipe as a base, Dorothée adds a few Wendake ingredients to her version, making it hearty enough to stand alone as a main course. Brimming with wonderful flavours—chicken broth, turnips, carrots, onions, beans, barley, corn, and cabbage—this soup is a big bowl of happiness!