Author, Cook, Television Show Host. He gained international fame as “The Urban Peasant” with a culinary program broadcast in over 120 countries. The show ran for ten years on CBC in Canada and aired on PBS in the United States. Mr. Barber also wrote 12 cookbooks, two restaurant guides, a children’s book and regularly contributed to many newspapers and magazines. He promoted enjoyment of food with unpretentious simple recipes made with high-quality, easy-to-find ingredients. His was an engaging philosophy: “Cooking, like sex and dancing, is a pleasure best shared”. He often said there were only “four recipes in the world – fry it, boil it, bake it or screw it up”. Born in Dover, England he served in the Royal Air Force during World War II and immigrated to Canada in 1952.  He worked as an engineering consultant and then as a restaurant reviewer in Vancouver before writing his first book in 1971.  Later, he taught cooking classes in Canada and abroad.  He was a sought-after speaker and judge at numerous food and wine festivals.  The last six years of his life were spent at his farm near Duncan, BC where he raised donkeys alongside fruits and vegetables, and continued to work.  He was found dead at age 84 of natural causes at home while a pot of soup simmered in the kitchen. (bio by: Milou)