Delicious & Profound History of the Dining Room

Dive into history's most captivating dining rooms as bestselling author and architectural writer John Ota takes a fascinating journey across the globe, investigating the architecture, interior design, and dining experience of twelve remarkable spaces, including dining rooms of Claude Monet, Frida Kahlo, Frank Sinatra, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Downton Abbey and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. John will explore these special dining spaces and reflect on the significance of dining rooms to history, culture and the art of dining.

The Dining Room

John's latest book The Dining Room follows on the success of the bestseller The Kitchen. John’s charming observations of the surprising impact of dining rooms on our lives and the cherished moments we share within them will delight armchair travelers, history fanatics, and interior design enthusiasts alike.

Each chapter features one unique dining room and bursts with expert architectural and interior descriptions along with John’s illustrations of the rooms and insight into the food served within—you can even recreate one era-accurate recipe for each location.

The Dining Room will be available in stores in March. Copies will be available for sale at the event.

About John Ota

John has been involved with architecture and design since 1978, with degrees from Columbia University, the University of Toronto, and the University of British Columbia. His bestselling book The Kitchen was a 2021 Taste Canada Awards finalist and a 2021 Paris Gourmand Cookbook finalist in the book design category. After working in architecture in Toronto, New York, and Vancouver, John now loves to travel the world visiting historic houses, cooking regional food, and meeting people of all backgrounds.

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Host or Publisher Culinary Historians of Canada