Christine Cushing

Christine Cushing was born in Athens, Greece, and immigrated to Canada with her family at an early age. Growing up in Toronto, Christine cooked alongside her father, a talented home chef. He taught her to be fearless in the kitchen. Instead of hitting the mall or catching a movie when she was a teen, Christine would spend her nights perfecting pastry recipes.

 After high school, Christine studied linguistics in university, but the kitchen called her back. She dropped the dictionary in the midst of her studies, pulled away by her passion for food. Christine went on to complete the Food and Beverage Management Program at George Brown College. She graduated at the top of her class at the Paris-based Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne. 

In the years following graduation from cooking school, Christine worked in such esteemed kitchens as Toronto's Four Seasons Hotel, King Ranch Health Spa, and Scaramouche Restaurant.  Her gifts as a teacher led to the start of a cooking school called "Cooking Chez Toi," where Christine would hold cooking class parties in people's homes.

The birth of her product line, ‘Pure by Christine Cushing,' culminated years of tasting, research and determination.   The line features a delicious, award-winning extra virgin olive oil from Crete and a small-batch series of all-natural sauces, made from Christine's personal recipes.

Christine is one of the trailblazers of Food Network Canada, with an eight-year stint as a television chef.  The only chef in Canada to host a live-to-air program, she was the dynamic host of Christine Cushing Live for 4 seasons.  She has hosted and cooked along side many of the world's top chefs, from Tom Colicchio and Anthony Bourdain to Eric Ripert, Jamie Oliver and Martin Yan.     

Christine was given a Premier's award from the province of Ontario for her outstanding career achievements and a fellowship award from the Ontario Hostelry Institute for her contribution to the hospitality industry.    

Christine has authored two bestselling cookbooks, Dish it Out and Fearless in the Kitchen. Pure Food is her third book.