Celebrating 15 Years of Devour! The Food Film Fest: How it Began
As Devour! The Food Film Fest turns 15, and we’re pulling back the curtain for a three-part Q&A series with co-founders Michael Howell and Lia Rinaldo. In Part 1, we look back at the festival’s earliest days and the spark that ignited a celebration of food and film.
Q1: How did Devour! start?
Michael: When I first started Devour!, I was running my restaurant, Tempest, in Wolfville and looking for a way to support both my business and the town during the quiet shoulder months. The idea took off faster than I imagined, and in the second year, I brought on Lia Rinaldo, whose 30 years of experience in the film industry helped us elevate the festival to a whole new level. Together, we’ve grown Devour! into something much bigger than either of us could have dreamed.
Over the years, we’ve welcomed incredible chefs and cultural icons—from Anthony Bourdain and Phil Rosenthal to Dominique Crenn, Gabrielle Kreuther, Michael Smith, Jacques Pépin, and so many others. Each year, with every new theme, our goal remains the same: to mix well-known names with fresh, undiscovered talent and create a space where discovery is at the heart of the experience. We want people to follow their senses into a workshop, screening, or dinner and walk away inspired—whether that’s to advocate for a cause, try a new recipe, or plan a trip to a chef’s restaurant. That spark of excitement and connection is what keeps us going, year after year.
Q2: Any wild or unexpected moments you can share?
Lia: Hahaha…so many unspeakable things! One of my favourites was after the 2018 Opening Gala, when Sam Kass, personal chef to the Obamas, and Bob Blumer, I and Jill Delaney, our volunteer coordinator, went back to their Inn ‘broke’ into the kitchen, and made omelettes and talked until the wee hours. Sam also helped me play a joke on Michael. The night he was supposed to leave, Sam’s flight got cancelled. I sent a car to pick him up and bring him to the Festival and the dinner we were hosting without Michael knowing. Sam walked in the door, went to Michael and told him that Michelle Obama wanted him to stay another night at the festival, that it was the ‘right thing to do’ – Michael’s face was priceless.
Michael: I remember when Gordon Pinsent wandered into T.A.N. Coffee in Wolfville. He’s been wandering the streets of Wolfville and running into all kinds of people who were very gracious and happy to meet him. I decided to go in and chat with him. We sat down, had a coffee and had the most amazing 15 minutes. He had no idea that I was actually a former actor and that it had been at the Shaw festival; we even had a few colleagues in common. He seemed genuinely interested and happy to have come to Nova Scotia.
Jason Priestley has also played a significant role in our festival. Back in 2008, he was filming a show ‘Call Me Fitz’, in Wolfville. I would keep my restaurant, Tempest, open late on Friday to feed the crew. They came so often that Jason and I became fast friends. We have been to each other’s homes and made meals together – he is a great cook! Jaso really helped us build up the festival and has been on our board, and to this day, he answers my texts right away. It’s kind of cool to know someone from 90210.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where Michael and Lia share the biggest milestones and “pinch-me” memories from Devour!’s 15-year journey.
