Episode 143: Foraging Wild Leeks In Ontario With A Film Set Chef

Spring doesn’t wait, and neither do ramps. When the forest floor finally opens up before the leaves fill in, wild leeks and ramps hit their short Ontario season and they are one of the most flavourful foods you can forage. We talk through where ramps grow, how to harvest them without wiping out the patch, and why a simple “three-shovel rule” can keep these colonies alive for future generations. If you’ve only seen ramps online or at a farmers’ market, this is the practical roadmap that gets you from curiosity to doing it right. From there, I bring in chef Antonio Meleca, an international chef and the force behind a Toronto film industry catering operation that feeds hundreds of people a day. We get into what “kitchens on wheels” really means, how meals are planned around 14 to 18 hour shoot days, and why the hardest part is often the special diets and restrictions for top cast. Along the way, we swap ideas on how chefs use ramps in real menus, plus other short-season favourites like fiddleheads and truly great Ontario asparagus. We also slow down for a clear, plain-language look at antioxidants and free radicals, and why Chaga mushroom tea keeps coming up in wellness conversations, including a listener testimonial about using it after a night of drinks. Finally, Antonio shares what’s next: Belcroft Estates, a new northern Ontario venue where custom menus and seasonal ingredients can take centre stage. If you enjoy foraging, outdoor living, seasonal cooking, and behind-the-scenes stories from the Canadian outdoors and food world, hit subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.