Emily Richards Teaches from the Heart

I’ve taken a few of Emily’s cooking classes over the years, and every time I leave with more than just a recipe. She’s that rare kind of teacher who makes you feel at home in the kitchen, calm, encouraging, and full of real-life tips. We caught up to talk about cooking with feeling, the joy of flour and eggs, and what it means to keep passing down what you know.

My well-loved, signed copy of Per La Famiglia, stains, scribbles, and all!

1. You have such a grounded, welcoming way of teaching, what first sparked your love of food, and how did you grow into this role of teacher, author, and guide in the kitchen?

   Firstly thank you Christine for that kind statement. I have always been a visual learner and hands on learning always helped me as a child and still as an adult. I had gentle teachers in the kitchen, my Nonna, my mother, aunts and culinary mentors. I followed their lead and learned so much from them I felt that others would be able to learn that way too. I never set out to be a teacher but I was inspired more and more when I worked with great Canadian Culinary teachers like Bonnie Stern and Elizabeth Baird. I was very lucky to work closely with such amazing women. I feel like people who get to see how things are made and sometimes better yet cook alongside me or someone else you get to experience it and remember the smells, taste the textures and flavours and they create a stronger memory for you. 

   
   

2. You often share flexible, real-life tips that make your recipes feel doable and fun, what’s your personal cooking philosophy when it comes to helping people feel confident in the kitchen?

   I want people to love being in the kitchen and enjoy their time cooking. I love cooking and especially cooking for others and the simpler things are the easier it is to enjoy. I grew up with simple flavours from garden vegetables and small grocery store shopping with my Nonna and mother and always got to participate in that process. Tasting the great favours of the ingredients really creates a delicious meal. I think sharing the good and the bad about recipes and cooking helps people in their own cooking. I cook from the recipes I am presenting and sometimes I get distracted or forget things and that’s real life, so it’s good to show people how to make that work so that if it happens to them it can be fixed (at least in most cases, LOL) If I could I would love to be alongside everyone in their kitchens helping them or just being there to answer questions as they are cooking, Its like having a friend in the kitchen :) 

   
   

3. Can you tell us about a dish or recipe that holds special meaning for you, something you return to again and again?

   There are so many recipes that hold special meaning to me and they are typically family recipes. I think Per La Famiglia is a good representation of dishes and recipes that are very special to me. I love turning the pages of cookbooks to use the recipes (usually stained from use and for sure a sticky on the top of the page) The recipes from family bring me back to a special time but most importantly allow me to remember the people who created them and the times I’ve had with them and the stories told together about the food or the celebration it was enjoyed. For me the combination of food and family is a perfect mix, I grew up with a food loving family and the respect that family showed for food and those who made it was full of love. I hope to continue that and continue to have these food memories to share with generations to come. My Nonna’s Easter Bread (Egg and Raisin Bread) is one that I make every Easter to share with my family and it brings us right back to when my Nonna did the same. It’s like she’s always with us. It brings such joy.

   
   

4. You’ve taught countless classes and written multiple cookbooks, what’s something you’ve learned from your students along the way?

   I’ve learned so much from students of all ages from cooking classes. I love when they share what they do at home or how they would change something up, I feel like it’s a safe space to share that and also ask questions about changing or substituting ingredients in recipes. I want cooking to be approachable and fun for people and cooking classes and recipes should help with that and also be fun! I love laughing and sharing stories in classes and sometimes get to include them in cookbooks as well. And when students share their stories it’s just a perfect match. I also love the stories of when they have made some of my recipes for family and friends and claim the recipes as their own and that they have had success in feeding their family and friends. Those stories warm my heart and make me feel like I’m right in their homes with them. It’s like coming to my restaurant except it’s at their house! How special is that :)

   
   

5. What do you do when you're feeling a little meh about cooking (we all get there!), how do you reset your energy or get inspired again?

   Wow that’s a great question, I think everyone does get there and for many they walk away from the kitchen. I walk into the kitchen a bit differently, without a recipe. I feel like it challenges me to get excited again about being creative-get the juices flowing. I know for many that is the frustration what do I cook? I love going into the fridge and cupboards and challenge myself to create something, sometimes out of nothing and that sparks my mind again. I always have music on too, which for me is so important in the kitchen. Singing along and dancing to bring the fun vibes and change my mood at any point in the day. A song can bring me back to a time or place and sometimes help me in my creative slump or take a step back and rethink-I love that! 

   
   

6. What’s lighting you up right now, whether it’s in your kitchen, your community, or in life in general?

   Wow loving these questions Christine! This may sound corny but celebrations are lighting me up right now. We have had some big graduations in our family and there are some changes that are happening as well with kids moving on to jobs and schools and I am so happy for them to go into their next steps-I can’t wait to be a part of it all! Per La Famiglia also turns 10 this year! So I want to continue to celebrate and bring the discussion of food and family up again and to celebrate with great recipes and with cooking classes, signings and reaching out to the many communities that have supported me and my work. I am so grateful to be able to celebrate my love and passion for food and family, I want to thank everyone. It brings me so much joy to hear that people are using my recipes and cookbooks and coming to my classes, I always leave with a full heart.

Bonus: You’re cooking for friends and totally winging it, what ends up on the table?

If there is flour and eggs you can count on some homemade pasta! I love the experience of making pasta by hand and of course having friends help, the fun and stories that come of it are wonderful! Such a memorable experience and the sauces are endless, it can be simply oil and garlic or a creamy rose or one of my favs, butter and Parmigiano-a great reminder of how simple foods help bring smiles to faces and warm up bellies. Always a toast to good friends and good food-building memories every time. 

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Know someone with a creative spark?

I’m always looking for inspiring people to feature in 6Qs with Christine. If you know a creative thinker, maker, or storyteller whose journey deserves a spotlight, send me a note! I’d love to hear from you.