Joshna Maharaj is a chef, two-time TEDx speaker, and activist. She believes strongly in the power of chefs and social gastronomy to bring hospitality, sustainability, and social justice to the table. Joshna is a regular guest on CBC Radio, a passionate public speaker, and co-hosts “Hot Plate,” a food and drink podcast. She was the recipient of Restaurants Canada’s Culinary Excellence Award in 2018. Her recent book, “Take Back The Tray,” is about her work building new models for institutional food procurement, production, and service. This book is a movement to reconnect food with health, wellness, education, and rehabilitation in public institutions around the globe. It is a passionate story about how a chef tried to disrupt the institution in hopes for systemic change.

In this conversation, we talked about food insecurity, the power of values & purpose, system change, everyday activism, staying motivated through adversity, paying invisible taxes, and unlearning hustle culture.

Connect with Joshna:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/joshnamaharaj
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshnamaharaj/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshna-maharaj-627772112/
Website: https://www.joshnamaharaj.com/

Declan Edwards is a thought leader in the field of happiness and the Founder of BU Happiness College–an award-winning social enterprise growing global happiness. An avid believer in the potential of people, Declan has seen firsthand that when people are equipped with the strategies to manage their minds and master their emotions, they make a positive impact not only in their own lives but also in the lives of those around them. It is this impact that he is passionate about spreading. As a published author, podcast host, and keynote speaker Declan is actively bringing the skillset of happiness back to the people and creating a world where people can thrive. When he isn't working, you'll find him hiking and spending quality time with his wife and their two dogs, or you'll find him playing either country music or acoustic covers of RnB classics on his guitar.

In this episode, we talked about mortality, the link between love & happiness, country music vs. R&B music, hedonic vs. eudaemonic happiness, ego death, transcending GDP as a measure of success, color coding calendars, and making decisions that align with our head, heart, and gut.

Connect with Declan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/declan-edwards-bu-coaching/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bu.happiness.college
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bu_happiness_college/ AND https://www.instagram.com/declanedwards_bu/
Website: https://buhappinesscollege.com/