Leonard Streilein
Leonard learned from Austrian grandparents the importance of food and drink. They shared their love of creating good Austrian food in the North End of Winnipeg, from Hesslers’ Meat & Grocery. As a young boy, Leonard learned from his grandfather, a Master Butcher and Sausage maker from Vienna, the skills to make many types of fresh and smoked sausages. From his grandmother, who was always adding a plate setting or two to the weekly dinner table (including those who couldn’t pay their grocery tab), he learned how food and drink creates a community of sharing.
There is nothing finer than a glass of wine, good music, a few dance moves and cooking in the kitchen! Over the years, Leonard has challenged himself to learn and cook dishes from all over the world, including Thai, Chinese, South Asian, Mexican, Spanish, French, Italian, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern. One of his bucket lists, now completed, was to visit all of the major wine growing regions of the world. While travelling, he would rent places with cooking facilities and visit local markets, cooking truly “farm to table” meals in other countries. Even while on the Camino de Santiago he cooked, when possible, for not only himself and Regena, but also for other weary pilgrims.
He is the head of a great cooking team at his local church, doing Pasta Nights for 120, pancake and brunch breakfasts, and Soup and Sandwich Sundays. During Covid, he began the A-Z of cooking dishes, starting with a particular country letter and cooking a dish from each country. However, his favourite go-to’s are still Italian meals and of course, the comfort foods of Austria.
Regena Rumancik
Regena is a baker and cake decorator, having made her first wedding cake at 16. When Leonard met her and saw her rows of canning jars, he knew they were meant for each other!
