Everyone has that one recipe that they cherish. Sometimes passed down through generations, it might live in a worn notebook or simply in the memory of someone who knows it by heart, rarely shared beyond the people closest to them.
Food Basics sees an opportunity to play a role in preserving and celebrating those traditions. As a grocery brand that helps Ontarians bring the ingredients and flavours of home to their tables every day, More Flavours of Home takes that role one step further by putting the people and stories behind those traditions at the centre.
The grocer is launching More Flavours of Home, a cookbook series that invites Ontarians to nominate the home cooks and dishes that matter most to their families and communities. Selected recipes and stories will be featured across three editions celebrating Diwali, Lunar New Year and Ramadan. Nominations are open now through September 7, 2026.
Hardeep Kharaud, SVP of Food Basics, said More Flavours of Home is the next step in the brand’s More Flavours of the World platform; an opportunity to dive deeper beyond the hundreds of imported products key to many ethnicities that it carries, and into showcasing the people, recipes and traditions that make culture worth experiencing.
“Food Basics is one of the fastest growing grocers in Ontario, and every new neighbourhood we open in brings a new opportunity to reach customers on more than just price alone. Our core belief is that great prices bring people in, but stocking the ingredients they actually cook with, and recognizing the culture behind them, is what earns the weekly shop.
More Flavours of Home sits right where those two meet, celebrating the communities we serve, and the role food plays in bringing people together,” he said.
For many people in Ontario, food is one of the strongest ties to family, culture and community, said Kharaud.
“We serve incredibly diverse communities across the province, and we see every day how a recipe keeps people connected to where they come from and to each other. Over the years, we’ve continued to grow and strengthen our assortment of cultural products, fresh produce, halal meat and specialty ingredients across Ontario. In doing so, we’ve learned that the ingredients are only part of the story. The people who cook with them and share them are what truly bring those flavours to life,” he said.
More Flavours of Home was built around cultural moments where food plays an important role. Diwali, Lunar New Year and Ramadan were selected because of their food traditions, as well as their significance to hundreds of thousands of Ontarians across diverse cultural and faith communities, added Kharaud.
“These celebrations are also important moments within many of the communities we serve across Ontario, making them a natural extension of our commitment to helping customers find the flavours and ingredients that matter most to them.
“Nominations are open through September 7, so we’re looking forward to digging into the submissions once the window closes. What we’re hoping to see is a reflection of the diversity of Ontario. Maybe it’s the aunty who makes the only biryani worth eating, the grandmother whose mooncake recipe has never left the kitchen, or even someone nominating themselves because they know their recipe deserves to be shared. Ultimately, we’re looking to hear from family members, friends and community champions whose cooking brings people together, preserves traditions and creates a sense of home.”
Kharaud said the brand will look at success through the response it receives from Ontarians, including nominations, engagement with the cookbooks and feedback from the communities they’re celebrating.
“More Flavours of Home was built to grow with the communities we serve. These first editions celebrate Diwali, Lunar New Year and Ramadan, but the door is open to anyone who wants to share the food that matters to them.
“This series is a culmination of years’ worth of effort behind the scenes. We’ve been on a real journey to sharpen our merchandising, pricing and assortment in cultural goods so it’s consistent and dependable across our stores from Windsor to Ottawa. That commitment extends throughout our fresh departments as well, from ethnic produce and halal meat to the specialty ingredients that anchor so many cultural dishes. The cookbook is proof of that work. As we keep strengthening that foundation, we’ll keep evolving the series alongside the communities we serve.”
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