Joshna Maharaj

Joshna Maharaj possesses a unique ability to inspire people from both sides of the dining table.  She is equally talented as a chef as she is a food activist, with an authentic goal to improve everyone’s relationship with food.  Joshna is unapologetic in her strong belief in chefs and social gastronomy to bring values of hospitality, sustainability and social justice to every dining table.

A powerful and engaging speaker, Joshna is a two-time TEDx speaker and oft-sought after voice for business spectrums of all genres.  She hosts “Kitchen Helpdesk, a weekly food column on CBC Radio and also co-hosted a food podcast, “Hot Plate.”

In addition to supporting an array of food-driven community causes, Joshna also dedicates her time to educating post-secondary students and industry peers alike.

Joshna released her first book “Take Back the Tray” (ECW Press) in 2020, about her work building new models for institutional food procurement, production and service.  The book is a movement to reconnect food with health, wellness, education, and rehabilitation in public institutions around the globe. It is a passionate story about how a chef tried to disrupt the institution in hopes for systemic change.

Joshna has represented and produced notable work for major brands and has been highlighted on mainstream media from editorials on Chatelaine to the critically-acclaimed national program Fridge Wars.