Meet Chef Cat: The Heart, Soul, & Stories Behind FN Good Food

Alright, my love, pull up a chair. This isn't your typical "our story" page. This is a tale that started in Labrador and in a farmhouse kitchen in Ontario kitchen and wound up, by some wonderful magic, on your table. I'm Chef Cat, and this is how a life lived around the stove became FN Good Food.

From a Labrador Stove to Your Table

I was born in 1958 at the Goose Bay Air Force base. My first classroom was my grandma’s kitchen, where the smell of fresh bread and simmering soups wasn’t just dinner—it was a language of love.

By twelve, I was cooking for my family, learning from my mother how to stretch a dollar without ever stretching the truth on flavour. A simple bag of pasta became a silky soup; overripe blueberries, a caramelized compote. We didn’t have much, but we always ate like kings. That’s the Canadian way, isn’t it? Making something magnificent out of what you have.

A Chef’s Journey: From Pastry to a Purpose

I fell in love with the alchemy of pastry—turning egg whites into clouds and chocolate into glossy ribbons. I trained at Le Cordon Bleu and worked in fine kitchens, obsessed with technique. But then life handed me a plot twist: a serious health diagnosis. They told me I had to choose between my health and flavour.

Well, I’m a stubborn Newfoundlander. I said, "Says who?"

I spent years in my kitchen, a mad scientist in an apron, refusing to accept that "healthy" meant "bland." I learned to source ingredients so fresh they practically introduced themselves. I discovered that limitation wasn’t a barrier; it was the very thing that sparked my most creative Canadian-made food products.

This Isn't Just Food. It's a Love Letter to Flavour.

FN Good Food is my life’s work, plated up for you. Every gluten-free sauce, every small-batch seasoning blend, every flavoured oil and vinegar is a promise: you should never have to choose between eating well and eating gloriously.

This is authentic Canadian flavour, crafted with wholesome ingredients, and free of chemicals and fillers.

And Yes, There’s a Cat. (It’s in the Name!)

Now, about the name. Every good story needs a hero, and ours was a little black & white kitten named Bungee. My husband and I found her, a newborn fighting to survive, and we fought for her together. Her fierce will to thrive, her purr of contentment—that’s the spirit I wanted to pour into everything we make. She was our muse, our quality control supervisor, and a reminder that with the right care, incredible transformation is possible.

So, that’s our story. It’s about heart, humour, and a deep-belief that good food is the best kind of medicine. Thank you for supporting our Canadian success story and for letting us be your culinary guide to a healthier, more delicious way to eat.

Explore our collection of Canadian-made, gluten-free food products and taste the difference passion makes.

To learn more about our journey and media features, please visit our FN Good Food: Press & Praise page.

From Humble Beginnings

Imagine yourself at your grandmother's kitchen table, surrounded by the comforting aromas of home-cooked meals. That's where my culinary journey began. Born in 1958 at the Canadian Air Force base in Goose Bay, Labrador, I learned early on that food was more than just sustenance—it was a way to connect, to nurture, and to express love.

By the age of twelve, I was entrusted with planning and cooking nightly meals for our family. Under the guidance of my single mother, I learned to balance tight budgets with nourishing meals. A bag of lentils became silky soups, and overripe bananas transformed into caramelized compotes. These experiences taught me that food could be both resourceful and creative, a quiet rebellion against life's constraints.

 A Culinary Path Forged in Passion

My career began in pastry, where I taught myself to coax clouds from egg whites and temper chocolate into glossy ribbons. Later, at Le Cordon Bleu, I honed the precision of French cuisine, working in esteemed kitchens where technique met artistry. But a diabetes diagnosis upended my path, forcing me to confront a painful choice: surrender flavour for health or reinvent it.

I refused to accept bland substitutes. Instead, I spent years dissecting recipes, swapping sugars for nuanced alternatives, and sourcing ingredients that sang with freshness. Health, I realized, shouldn't mean sacrifice—it could be a gateway to deeper creativity.

FN Good Food: Where Flavour Meets Wellness

FN Good Food is my heart on a plate. Every sauce, spice blend, and ready-to-eat meal is a testament to years of midnight recipe tests, partnerships with local farmers, and a stubborn belief that "healthy" can still mean "indulgent."

We source powdered buttermilk from Saskatchewan prairies, wild blueberries from Nova Scotia, and cold-pressed oils that shimmer like liquid gold. Each product is crafted to honor both body and soul—a roasted red pepper dip smoky with our Cajun Blackening seasoning, a roasted chicken coated in our Eleven Secret Herbs & Spices seasoning, or Pulled Pork and Bacon glistening with our Pulled Pork Dry Rub and BAR-B-QUEENS' Sauce, all free of chemicals and fillers.

This isn't just food; it's an invitation for you to reclaim joy at the table. For my fellow Canadians, we offer more than salts, seasonings, sauces, flavoured oils & vinegars, sugars & sweeteners, meals & desserts—We offer the promise that eliminating chemicals and pleasure can coexist, bite after glorious bite.

Gnocchi: The Inspiration Behind It All

Behind every product is a story, and for FN Good Food, that story begins with Gnocchi. Rescued as a newborn kitten, Gnocchi's journey was one of survival and resilience. Her transformation from a fragile kitten to a vibrant cat inspired me to create food that nourishes both the body and the soul.

Gnocchi's story is a reminder that with love, care, and the right ingredients, transformation is possible. She continues to be the inspiration behind every product we create, ensuring that each bite you take is crafted with the same love and dedication that brought FN Good Food to life.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. We invite you to explore our products and experience the flavours that have been crafted with passion, care, and a deep respect for the ingredients that make them special. Welcome to FN Good Food—where every bite tells a story.

To learn more about FN Good Food, please visit our Press & Media page.