HUMANS IN FOOD: Sophie MacKenzie

Meet Sophie Mackenzie. I have long looked up to Sophie for her keen eye for colour, composition and her obvious passion for all things food. Her styling and photography elicits a sense of play - fun, vibrant and effortless. On top of all of this, she is one of the loveliest humans you will meet and has such a curious mind with many interests and passions. We first bonded over coffee and a reeeeally cold dip in the winter waters at Kits beach. I’m so happy to have found her on the weird little world of the interwebs and I think you will be too.

Find her on instagram: @sophiamacken

Tiktok: @sophie__mackenzie

Website: wholeheartedeats.com

Tell us a bit about your upbringing.

I grew up in the woods of Vancouver Island. Our house was very small and filled with lots of animals—we had a bit of a hobby farm with geese, chickens, goats, bees, peacocks, etc. I even used to raise ducks in my bedroom!

What type of food philosophy did you grow up around?

My parents always cooked and ate very seasonally—we were never allowed to buy out of season produce like berries in the winter—and we ate a lot of homegrown veggies and beans. We ate meat but it was treated as a side dish and was never the centre of a meal (we even used to raise our own meat birds). Yet the strongest philosophy that was instilled in me was that meals were special—growing up dinner was always eaten together at the table, candles were lit, and music was always played.

Describe where you live.

I live in Vancouver BC, in a large, very communal house. There are about 9 apartments in our home, so we end up hanging out together in our garden lots.

Tell us a little about what you do. 

I do two main types of work—I work as a blogger, recipe developer, and photographer for my blog (wholehearted eats) as well as contributing to the communal blog Baked (bakedtheblog). I also work as a food stylist and photography assistant for several Vancouver photographers, mainly working on commercial photography.

What led you to a career in food? 

My first job was working in fast food when I was a teenager, and since then it has always been food—the food has just gotten better .

Top 3 things you love about what you do?

I love having to think on my feet

I love getting to work with creative people

I love helping to make an idea a reality and seeing the process through

What’s been the most challenging part of getting to where you are now?

The inconsistency and instability of working freelance can be hard. If I didn't have the safety of my partner who works a 9-5 I would have definitely not been able to transition to working entirely freelance.

An object in your kitchen that brings you joy?

I have a favourite fork that was my grandmothers, and her grandmothers before tha (it is probably for the 1850's). It's kind of funny and has only 3 prongs, but it's my special fork.

You’re hosting a dinner party. What's on the menu?

I love having buffets in the garden where people can help themselves. I usually make a parsley salad, some rice or lentil salad, and a slaw with ume plum dressing. In the summer I always make sourdough focaccia, marinated olives, BBQ tofu, and lots of veggie sticks with cashew cheese or hummus. We have a pizza oven, so we're probably also making some pizza! Plus some negronis and homemade beer.

Favourite music to listen to while cooking? Favourite podcasts?

I like music I can sing or dance to. Right now I have been loving Psychedelic Sanza by Francis Bebey. As for podcasts, I have been binging Criminal lately—it reminds me of old This American Life.

What’s a song that means something to you?

The live Nina Simone version of Who Knows where the Time Goes

Where can you be found when you’re not in the kitchen?

Most definitely I'll be playing in the garden!

Take us on a trip down culinary memory lane and tell us about your most memorable eating experience. Describe the scene. (Where were you? Who were you with? What were you eating?)

I love eating on a beach, and I have this vivid memory of going to a grocery store in the Cinque Terre and getting wine and olives and bread and watching the sunset. That is perfection to me.

What cookbooks / food blogs do you find yourself returning to again and again?

I love the classic 70's hippie cookbooks and I find so much inspiration in them. As for new books, I love any cookbook by Amy Chaplin, Erin Lovell Verinder, or Meera Sodha.

Favourite non-food related book?

I love reading short essays, and Joan Didion's collections of essays are always my favorite.

What does your perfect morning look like?

Waking up around 7 in the morning, doing some stretches outside in the sunshine, then lighting some incense, putting on a record, and having coffee and fruit for breakfast along with some kitty cuddles.

What’s one of your simple pleasures?

Long candlelight baths with Epsom salts!

Favourite vegetable?

Probably sweet potatoes, I could literally eat roasted sweet potatoes with salt and olive oil everyday.

Favourite fruit?

Apples

Tell us about an accomplishment you’re proud of.

Lol, this year I am trying to get myself organized and be a real business women—I am having a call with a bookkeeper next week and that is a very big move for me.

Aside from food, what do you feel passionate about?

Definitely environmental and social justice—I have a background in social justice and it shapes everything I do.

Who are your biggest inspirations in the food world and why?

These days on social media I love Sophia Roe because she links social and food justice to what she does. Historically, I love people like Diana Kennedy who are just dreamy and pioneers in what they do.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I go back and forth between being a city person and a country person, but I think right now I'd be happy in the country—propbally in a small oceanfront house on a gulf island.

In a different life, what line of work could you see yourself in?

Whenever I took those tests that tell you what you should do, I always got a teacher. I did a bit of TAing at SFU and I loved working with the undergrad students.

Favourite local coffee shop? What are you ordering?

Our studio is right near Revolver, so we got there the most. My coffee order is so simple, just a hot black americano—it can literally be 40 degrees outside and I still want my coffee hot.

Favourite local restaurant? What are you ordering?

We love Kishimoto for sushi—I'd get the cauliflower karaage, yuzu pickles, veggie rolls, and some fried eggplant. 

What’s one of your non-negotiable self-care practices?

Getting a good night's sleep. I spent so many years working at bakeries and getting up at 3:30am, but now I focus so much on sleep hygeine—I have invested in nice pillows and sheets and make my sleep environment as nice as possible.

Tell us one odd thing we don’t know about you. 

I went to grad school for book publishing!

What are the top 3 things on your bucket list? 

to visit to every major museum / art gallery

have a little plot of land to grow a garden

learn to play the harp

What are you excited about right now?

Summer! I am so excited to spend time at the beach again, having fresh garden produce, backyard BBQs and movie nights.

Best piece of advice you’ve been given on life, business or cooking?

That not being happy with your art is actually a good sign because it shows you that you're ready to grow, learn, and advance. It's when you're pleased with what you create that you should be concerned.