Anna Olson is Canada’s baking sweetheart and an accomplished savoury chef. Her positive and common-sense approach in the kitchen has made her one of the country’s most recognizable television chefs. She was the host of Food Network’s Bake with Anna Olson, Fresh with Anna Olson, and Sugar, which earned her a loyal following in over 190 countries. Whether demonstrating and teaching her cooking methods or sharing her culinary journey, Olson never fails to impress.
Olson transformed her love of cooking from a personal passion to a professional career. After achieving a degree in political studies from Queen’s University and a brief stint working in the banking world, she enrolled in the culinary management program at Johnson and Wales University. After working in the industry as a fine dining pastry chef, she went on to open two bakery operations in the Niagara region. Both the Ontario Hostelry Institute and the Canadian Food and Wine Institute have recognized her for her ongoing contributions to the development of Canadian food culture.
Using food as her creative medium, recipe development is one of Olson’s greatest accomplishments. She is the bestselling author of several cookbooks, including Baking Wisdom and Baking Day with Anna, both of which won the Gold Medal at the Taste Canada Cookbook Awards, and her latest, Anna Cooks.
In addition to hosting her own television shows, Olson has been a co-host and judge on Great Chocolate Showdown for three seasons and Junior Chef Showdown for two seasons. She also posts regularly on her YouTube channel, Oh Yum with Anna Olson, which has over 1.5 million subscribers, and co-hosts bespoke culinary tours, with her husband and noted chef, Michael Olson.
