Though there’s plenty we’d rather forget about the pandemic, the stories of resilience, renewal, drive, and collaboration it gave rise to are powerful reminders of the strength of the human spirit. In the case of the new e-book A Flash in the Pandemic: Images, Recipes and Survival Stories, these tales illustrate a pivotal time for the city’s hospitality industry. A book born from the desire to showcase the diversity of the city’s restaurants, A Flash in the Pandemic evolved into something vastly more profound. With recipes, gorgeous photos and personal anecdotes from local chefs, the book is a beautiful tribute to a hard-hit industry and the people who worked through every triumph and trial to keep us well fed, to keep jobs from disappearing, and to keep the heart of hospitality intact.
A Flash in the Pandemic: Images, Recipes and Survival Stories began as a simple way for a group of high school students to earn volunteer hours during lockdown. Original creators Charles Debane and Finn Creeggan started with the idea of showcasing “the vast array of ethnic restaurants that help define Toronto’s distinct neighbourhoods,” says a press release. They wanted, “to pay homage to the temporarily shuttered restaurants where they had once gathered with friends.” However, as the duo reached out to chefs and restaurants, they soon realized that there was more they could do. “When I heard that some of the restaurant workers who had been laid off during the pandemic were having to visit food banks to survive, I immediately knew that what started off as pet project had to serve a bigger purpose,” says Debane. “I got some of my friends involved, then the word spread and we ended with a good number of other high school students who wanted to help. We were all driven to finish, knowing the impact it could make.”
Eventually, the team grew to include Moineau Shin Binon, Jadyn Cialini, Eloise Debane, Madeline Jones, Sidney Moore, Aria Ruscitti, Kolya Salter, Kai Samuel-Szablowski, and Haley Varone-Evans. The students worked with 35 restaurants — ranging from Alo, Aburi Hana and Giulietta to Good Behaviour Ice Cream, Loga’s Corner, Pompette, and more — to bring the book to life. The final result is an e-book featuring signature recipes paired with brilliant photos taken by the students, and edited by well-known photographers Christopher Wahl and Betty Shin Binon. Throughout, the book includes intimate quotes from chefs describing how the pandemic challenged them, what they learned, and the hurdles that they faced. As restaurateur and Piano Piano chef Victor Barry says, “the pandemic forced us to think in different ways. It was obviously very tough to get through, but it pushed us to be better and we’re better now because of it.”
Beyond its value as a snapshot of Toronto’s hospitality industry during the pandemic, A Flash in the Pandemic also supports Daily Bread Food Bank, with 100% of proceeds going directly to the charity. “We are deeply grateful to these students for recognizing they could make a tangible difference in the lives of people struggling with food insecurity,” says Neil Hetherington, CEO of Daily Bread Food Bank. “The funds raised through this initiative will help tremendously to ensure our neighbours can access the food they need.”
Experience A Flash in the Pandemic: Images, Recipes and Survival Stories today by purchasing your copy here.
