January 21, 2025 - Dr. Reeshma Haji, a faculty member in Laurentian University's Psychology program, has earned international recognition for her culinary expertise. Her cookbook, All the Russ without the Fuss: Khoja Fusion Recipes for Busy Lives, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, an international competition honouring the finest food and wine cookbooks from the past year. Dr. Haji’s work stands out among nominations from 222 countries, earning a place on the shortlist in two categories: Indian and Independently Published.
The winners will be announced in June 2025 during an award ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal. Dr. Haji describes the nomination as both a surprise and an honour. “I wasn’t expecting anything like this,” she said. “I had to double-check the legitimacy when I was first contacted. It’s a prestigious award, and even being shortlisted is an honour.”
Dr. Haji, who joined Laurentian in 2009 and now teaches online as an adjunct professor, is known for her research in social psychology and intergroup relations. Her academic work has long focused on reducing prejudice and fostering understanding across cultural, religious, and gender lines. While she describes cooking as a hobby, her interest in food culture aligns with her research goals.
“I’ve always been drawn to decreasing prejudice, and that theme extends into my cooking,” she explained. “Intergroup contact theory suggests that bringing groups together—whether through shared experiences or something as simple as trying a new dish—can reduce prejudice. Food is an incredible way to create openness and connections between cultures.”
In All the Russ without the Fuss, Dr. Haji draws inspiration from her Khoja heritage, blending East African and Indian influences with European culinary traditions. Recipes like the masala fish pie—a fusion of British comfort food and Indian spices—show her innovative approach to recipe creation. The book is filled with accessible, time-saving recipes, alongside personal anecdotes.
Dr. Haji’s passion for food began in her Toronto childhood, where her mother’s adventurous cooking fostered a love for diverse cuisines. “My brother and I used to cook together when our parents were at work,” she recalled. This is reflected in the book wherein Dr. Haji dedicates the book to her mother and brother and provides tips on including family in the cooking process throughout the book.
Balancing her academic career with a growing culinary interest, Dr. Haji pursued a Culinary Arts Certificate at George Brown College over several years on a part-time basis, finally completing it in 2019 while teaching as a full-time professor at Laurentian. “I would travel to Toronto on weekends for chef school and return to Sudbury every Sunday, ready to teach for the week,” she shared. “That experience helped me learn how to write recipes and bring my dream of a cookbook to life. Creating a recipe is a lot like conducting research—it requires precision and repeatability. Each recipe went through rounds of testing and feedback to ensure it worked for others, not just for me.”
In addition to her culinary success, Dr. Haji continues to inspire students as a part-time faculty member, supervising graduate and undergraduate research while teaching online courses on culture and psychology. Her dedication extends to academic coaching, time management consulting, and raising her daughter—all while demonstrating that healthy, flavourful cooking is possible for busy families.
Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, praises Dr. Haji’s contributions to both academia and culture. “Dr. Haji is an engaging and thoughtful educator who bridges the social and cultural worlds through her work. Her cookbook is a natural extension of her commitment to fostering cultural understanding.”
While Dr. Reeshma Haji looks forward to the 30th Gourmand Awards ceremony in Portugal later this year, her unique blend of passions continue to enrich the Laurentian community. This prestigious award not only recognizes Dr. Haji’s talent for cooking, family, and culture but also demonstrates the values of cultural appreciation, creativity, and connection that she brings to her academic pursuits and beyond.