Whether you know her from Bake with Anna Olson, her YouTube channel or Great Chocolate Showdown, Anna Olson is nothing short of a Canadian baking legend. With her warm presence, precision with pastry and a passion for culinary storytelling, she’s been inspiring home bakers on screen for decades. But behind the flour-dusted countertops and iconic cookie recipes is a journey that started in her grandmother’s kitchen. We caught up with Anna to talk about her baking roots, the one recipe every beginner should master and how travel continues to spark her creativity.
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What Started Your Love For Baking?
“My love for baking started early on when I was a kid. My grandmother was my influencer, for lack of a better term. She expressed her love through baking. If you wanted to visit with Grandma, you had to be in the kitchen, and if you were in the kitchen, she’d put you to work. So I just understood what baking meant and naturally took on that love.”
Were There Any Little Tricks You Learned From Your Grandma That You Haven’t Seen Others Do?
“That’s hard to say because my grandma didn’t work with written recipes. Like many from that generation, it was all descriptive and by feel. It was very intuitive mix it till it’s right, cook it till it’s done. You had to mimic her to learn it.”
What Advice Would You Give to Beginner Bakers?
“Don’t worry about too many tools. With a good bowl, a silicone spatula, a whisk and a few basic pans — a loaf pan, muffin tin, and a square or round cake pan — you can make so many things. You don’t even need a stand mixer, electric beaters are fine. For a first recipe, I recommend banana bread. Everyone has overripe bananas and it’s easy to mix in one bowl. Even if the measurements aren’t perfect, it’ll still be delicious.”
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Now That You’re Getting More Into Cooking, What Are Your Go-to Meals These Days?
“I’m a seasonally motivated cook. In the winter, when local produce is limited, I gravitate toward citrus and tropical fruits like pineapple and mango. I try to keep it healthy, since I’m known for my sweets, I balance that out by eating whole grains, lean proteins and nutritious meals.”
What’s a Dish You’ve Never Cooked but Would Love to Master?
“I’d love to dive deeper into Indian cuisine and its regional diversity. I’d especially love to learn a proper vindaloo from Goa. There’s so much more to Indian food than just generic curry.”
Anna Olson smiling on set of her show in front of an oven
How Do Your Travels Inspire Your Cooking and Baking Back Home?
“Travel definitely influences me. I try to honor the techniques and methods I’ve learned, even if I can’t find the exact ingredients. It’s often more about recreating the memory of a dish than the dish itself. I live in a small town, so I play around with what’s available locally or online.”
You and Your Husband Host Culinary Adventures. How Did That Start and What Can People Expect?
“It began after we took a food tour in Bologna and were blown away by visiting Parmesan and prosciutto producers and balsamic makers. Soon after, we met a tour coordinator from Calgary who had studied tourism in Italy and Spain. We partnered in 2018 and now host 3–4 small group trips a year. In the spring, we’re going to France near Lille and to the Aeolian Islands off Sicily. These aren’t your average tourist spots, we visit small farms and food makers you can’t just find on Viator.”
Which Trip Has Been Your Favourite or Which Are You Most Looking Forward To?
“It’s usually the last one that sticks with me most. This past year, we toured the Aegean coast of Turkey, which was incredible. I also did some work in Mexico City and was blown away by the food scene there. But Japan is at the top of my wishlist. My husband lived there and it’s what got him into food in the first place, so I’d love to experience it together.”
What Are Some of Your Current Favourite Restaurants?
“I just had a lovely meal at Daphne in downtown Toronto, it’s American-influenced bistro food, really well balanced and a beautiful space. In Niagara, where I live, I always recommend Kitchen 76 at Two Sisters Winery. It has a stunning patio, traditional Italian food and many of the cooks are Niagara College grads, which I love to see.”
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Anna Olson on the set of Great Chocolate Showdown
Of Your Past Series, Which Do Fans Bring Up the Most When You’re Out and About?
“It’s a tie between Bake with Anna Olson and Sugar, which was my very first TV show. Sugar was filmed live-to-tape, with no editing, what you saw is what you got! Both shows still come up often with fans.”
You Have Such a Loyal Community Online. What Does That Support Mean to You?
“Even before social media, when it was just television, I felt that engagement and trust. Having someone try your recipe is the ultimate compliment, it means they trust you in their kitchen and that means a lot.”
What do you have coming up in 2025 that fans can look forward to?
“I have a new cookbook coming out in the fall (can’t share too much yet!), and you can always find new content on my YouTube channel.”
This interview has been edited and condensed.