The hot ticket tonight is for a seat at Mildred’s Temple Kitchen. To mark International Women’s Day, Toronto’s finest women chefs, known as Kitchen Sisters, are coming together to prepare a succulent feast with proceeds going towards Sistering.

Sistering has been serving hot meals to homeless, marginalized and low-income women in Toronto since 1981. Recently, they have experienced a 40% increase in the number of women seeking food and assistance. In order to meet the increasing demand, Sistering must expand its kitchen and storage facilities.

In the weeks leading up to this event (WE ARE SO EXCITED) we have profiled different chefs involved. Meet Suzanne Baby, Executive chef at Gallery Grill , known by foodies around the city for having one of Toronto’s best lunches. Suzanne’s commitment to cooking is seen in over a decade of history with the U of T gem, and now with Kitchen Sisters.

SDTC: Salty or sweet?
Suzanne: Both!

Was there a specific moment in your life that made you realize you wanted to become a chef?
Not one moment, but a gradual realization.

What’s your best advice for a woman who is just starting out in this industry?
Aim for the top and don’t let others biases stop you from what you want to accomplish.

Sistering is all about helping out those in need. What is a simple act of kindness that you value when it comes to day-to-day life in the city?
Common manners.

If you had to eat one dish for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
I wouldn’t choose

What excites you most in the kitchen?
Creating a new recipe that I love.

You can teach or take a cooking course, anywhere in the world. Where do you go?
Into the kitchen of a grandma who cooks like her ancestors, and with heart.

~ Vanessa Brazeau