In Episode 6 of the Into the Hearts of Canada podcast, Matt Leedham sits down with Stefanie Siska, co-owner of C’est Bon Ottawa. From ByWard Market’s iconic flavours to Indigenous food traditions and the Canadian capital city’s rite-of-passage BeaverTail, Stefanie reveals how food weaves travellers into the heart of a place.
Into the Hearts of Canada is an engaging 10-part series that explores the people, places, and powerful ideas shaping the future of travel through a Canadian lens.
From Indigenous knowledge-keepers and local changemakers to iconic landscapes and regenerative tourism pioneers, each episode offers an intimate conversation with the people reimagining what travel can be.
Whether you’re a curious wanderer or a travel professional seeking fresh insights, this podcast invites you to see Canada with new eyes and an open heart.
Episode 6: Ottawa on a plate: Stefanie Siska’s soulful taste of Canada
A Franco-Ontarian with a background in communications and marketing, Stefanie turned her lifelong love of food into a career when she co-purchased C’est Bon Ottawa in 2016.
Based in the city’s historic ByWard Market, she now leads immersive food tours and cooking classes that celebrate Canada’s multicultural flavours, Indigenous food traditions, and seasonal bounty, from iconic BeaverTails to foraged forest ingredients.
“Food has always been central to my sense of community, belonging,” Stefanie recalls of her upbringing in Northern Ontario. Family gatherings meant soup on the stove, foraging, and music.
She laughs that her surname carried a hint of destiny: “Siska actually means pine cone or the fruit of a tree, or a dumpling.”
Episode 5 Top Takeaways
C’est Bon beginnings: In 2016, Stefanie and business partner George boldly bought C’est Bon, without even knowing each other.
“Some people might even think it was a stupid move, but food will never go away.”
Their shared vision: keep culinary experiences alive, celebrate traditional techniques, and the art of eating together.
Their food tours run down at ByWard Market, Ottawa’s beating heart: “The ByWard Market is a central downtown neighbourhood… an epicentre of culture.”
With 600+ businesses (350 food-related), it’s the perfect backdrop for C’est Bon’s tours. “Ottawa means to trade or to exchange. That spirit is part of the vibe when you visit ByWard.”
A taste of Canada: On a C’est Bon food tour, you’ll graze a full meal’s worth of bites: Indian, Italian, Mexican, French Canadian, and more.
“The best part is the stories behind it. It almost makes the food taste better.”
Classes extend the flavour, from teen chef programs “with full-on knife skills” to adult lessons where “you eat what you make right there.”
Indigenous teachings: Respect for First Nations and Métis culture runs through C’est Bon’s work.
“We recognise the enduring presence of our First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples.”
Tours and classes feature foraged ingredients and teachings like the Three Sisters (squash, corn, beans). Canada’s iconic Maple Syrup, too, carries sacred origins: “The Anishinaabe were the first to do the tapping and appreciate that product.”
Soul food and connection: Anthony Bourdain said food is the fastest way to understand a place. Stefanie agrees:
“Food tourism is fundamentally a human activity; it’s about connecting humans, community, and appreciation.”
She calls it soul food: “It fills you. It makes you whole. That’s what we hope our experiences do.”
Leadership for good: As past chair of Ottawa Tourism, Stefanie saw the role a DMO can play in city-building. Ottawa has also earned recognition for sustainable and accessible tourism, inspiring other cities.
She’s especially proud of the À la Carte food recovery program, launched in 2024:
“Over 160,000 meals have already been generated through this program in the one year.”
Show Notes
- Find out more about C’est Bon Ottawa here
- Find out more about Ottawa Tourism here
- Subscribe to Into The Hearts of Canada Podcast here
- Find your local Canada Specialist Travel Advisor here
- Travel Advisors: Join the Canada Specialist Program here
Catch up on past episodes
Into the Hearts of Canada is presented in partnership with Destination Canada.
