Stories
Julia Khan Anselmo
The chef's choice
Self-taught chef and creative director Julia Khan Anselmo steps into the new Vipp V4 kitchen to do what she does best: create a dish that’s as simple as it is satisfying. With the all-stainless-steel kitchen as her stage, Julia brings both skill and story to the table.
Julia is the founder of Feisty Feast, a themed dinner series celebrating and connecting women through food and powerful conversations. Each dinner gathers guests around a shared table, where cooking becomes a way of creating community and sparking dialogue on women’s empowerment.
Self-taught chef and creative director Julia Khan Anselmo steps into the new Vipp V4 kitchen to do what she does best: create a dish that’s as simple as it is satisfying. With the all-stainless-steel kitchen as her stage, Julia brings both skill and story to the table.
Julia is the founder of Feisty Feast, a themed dinner series celebrating and connecting women through food and powerful conversations. Each dinner gathers guests around a shared table, where cooking becomes a way of creating community and sparking dialogue on women’s empowerment.
“For my dad, food was a window into culture and an expression of love. He loved cooking and passed that passion to me.”
– JULIA KHAN ANSELMO
“Craftsmanship, creativity, and dedication spanning generations have been the guiding, shining stars for our family company.”
– CHARLOTTE LYNGGAARD
Hosting is Julia’s way of connecting. From intimate Sunday dinners at home in her Vancouver apartment to Feisty Feast, her travelling dinner series, she has created gatherings for women around the world, from San Francisco to Amsterdam.
“It’s never just about cooking. It’s about creating a moment.”
Hosting is Julia’s way of connecting. From intimate Sunday dinners at home in her Vancouver apartment to Feisty Feast, her travelling dinner series, she has created gatherings for women around the world, from San Francisco to Amsterdam.
“It’s never just about cooking. It’s about creating a moment.”
From her mother, she learned a respect for seasonal and local ingredients, and an example of generosity that stayed with her. As a young immigrant in Canada, Julia’s mother often opened her home to women in need.
“I think that’s where my love for hosting started - gathering women around a table.”
From her mother, she learned a respect for seasonal and local ingredients, and an example of generosity that stayed with her. As a young immigrant in Canada, Julia’s mother often opened her home to women in need.
“I think that’s where my love for hosting started - gathering women around a table.”
“I love this dish. It’s effortless and it looks beautiful. You can pair it with fish, lamb chops, or chicken - it goes with almost everything or on its own.”
– JULIA KHAN ANSELMO
“Craftsmanship, creativity, and dedication spanning generations have been the guiding, shining stars for our family company.”
– CHARLOTTE LYNGGAARD
Julia prepares a dish inspired by a trip to Greece: Gemista, meaning “stuffed.” Tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and eggplant filled with rice, herbs, and citrus. Simple, generous, and endlessly adaptable.
Ingredients
Tomatoes, bell peppers, small round zucchini, eggplant (your choice of mix)
200 g short-grain rice
Soft herbs (dill, coriander, flat-leaf parsley etc.)
1 lemon (zest and juice)
1 large onion and 1 small onion
3 garlic cloves
A pinch of allspice
Olive oil
Water
Salt and pepper
Method
Rinse rice well and soak before cooking to achieve the right texture. Boil for 5 minutes and season with allspice.
Core vegetables, keep the tops as nicely as possible. Save the inner flesh (except pepper stems).
In a large bowl, mix the rice with chopped herbs, lemon zest, and half the large onion.
In a cast-iron pan, layer the other half of the onion plus the small onion (thickly sliced) with the reserved vegetable flesh. Add garlic, and a good sprinkle of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Stuff the vegetables with the rice mixture, cap with their tops, and arrange neatly in the pan.
Add water to cover the base (add more if needed). Cook for 45 minutes over medium heat.
Julia’s favourite ingredients are butter, olive oil, salt, thyme, and eggs. “Eggs are so useful for so many things,” she smiles. Like her cooking, these essentials celebrate both simplicity and depth. And then there’s time - if you can call that an ingredient. “The dishes that take days to make are always the best,” she adds.
“I love how grandmas make food. It looks simple, but it’s so considered. Often, it takes days to prepare.”
Julia’s favourite ingredients are butter, olive oil, salt, thyme, and eggs. “Eggs are so useful for so many things,” she smiles. Like her cooking, these essentials celebrate both simplicity and depth. And then there’s time - if you can call that an ingredient. “The dishes that take days to make are always the best,” she adds.
“I love how grandmas make food. It looks simple, but it’s so considered. Often, it takes days to prepare.”