Caroline Ishii

Caroline Ruriko Ishii is a writer, speaker, chef, and lifelong student of the human spirit.

A third-generation Japanese Canadian born in Toronto, Caroline was drawn to uncover her family’s untold story of internment during the Second World War and how that history quietly shaped her life. Through this journey, she discovered a powerful thread of love, loss, identity, and belonging that continues to inform her work.

Her writing explores the intersections of memory, mindfulness, and healing.

In her regular column for Nikkei Voice, the national Japanese Canadian newspaper, she shares personal reflections rooted in family history and Japanese culture, offering insight into how the past lives within us and how we move forward with greater awareness and compassion.

Caroline is also an award-winning chef and creative entrepreneur. She was the creator and executive chef of ZenKitchen, Canada’s first fine-dining whole foods vegan restaurant, and was featured on The Restaurant Adventures of Caroline and Dave, which aired on W Network, OWN, and the Asia Food Channel.

She believes deeply in the power of food, storytelling, and connection as pathways to healing and joy.

She is the author of The Accidental Chef, a collection of stories and recipes, and Canadian Vegan Recipes, published in Japan. Rendezvous is her third book and her most personal.

Caroline holds an Executive MBA from the University of Ottawa, trained as a professional chef at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City, and is a certified yoga teacher. She lives in Toronto, where she writes, practices yoga, explores new places to eat, and has long walks with her rescue dog Bounty.