Exploring Queer Food and the Montreal Restaurant Scene

Alex Ketchum, PhD (she/her) is an Associate Professor at McGill University’s Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies (IGSF). She is an elected member of the Royal Society of Canada: College of New Scholars. Ketchum is the Director of the Just Feminist Tech and Scholarship Lab. She is the author of several books including Engage in Public Scholarship!: A Guidebook on Feminist and Accessible Communication, Ingredients for Revolution: A History of American Feminist Restaurants, Cafes, and Coffeehouses, How to Organize Inclusive Events and Conferences, and the forthcoming Digital Queers, and High Tech Gays: A History of LGBTQ+ Cyber Activism. She is also co-editor of the anthology Queers at the Table: An Illustrated Guide to Queer Food (with Recipes) and the organizer of the Queer Food Conference (2024 and 2026). For more, check out alexketchum.com.

Al Dervisevic (he/him) is the curatorial assistant for A Taste of Queer Montreal: An Exhibition of 2SLGBTQ+ Food and Drink History and is a member of the Just Feminist Tech and Scholarship Lab. As an undergraduate at McGill University, his research interests include medical anthropology, sociocultural anthropology, Queer and Trans health, and community engagement in public health.

Lauren McGowan (she/they) is a queer baker and artist based in Tiohtià:ke (Montreal). Lauren has worked in the food and hospitality industry for over ten years. Lauren is the owner of Violet Bakehouse, a gluten-free and sometimes vegan bakery that specialized in high-femme bespoke cakes. Her work explores food, culture and sexuality.