BC Heritage Week takes place annually to remind us to celebrate heritage in our communities. This year, BC Heritage Week is from February 16 to 22, 2026, with the appetizing theme of “Stir the Pot”, exploring how food connects us to the land and our family traditions, and reflects the blending of cultures and communities over time.
Steveston Japanese Canadian Food Traditions
Steveston has been shaped by cultural diversity since settlers from Europe, Japan, China, and elsewhere came to live and work in the area in the late 1800s, joining the First Nations who have always called this place home. Together, they built a vibrant community through fishing, farming, cannery work, and small businesses.
For Japanese Canadians living in Steveston, food became an expression of both continuity and adaptation. Traditional Japanese flavours and techniques were shaped by the realities of life on the West Coast and by everyday interactions with neighbouring cultures. The result was a distinct local food culture—rooted in heritage, but responsive to place.
“From the Sea and Shore”
In 2021, the Steveston Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre and Japanese Canadian Community Volunteers Association (Tonari Gumi) partnered to preserve this culinary history. They collected cherished recipes from local Japanese Canadian families and published them in From the Sea and Shore: Steveston’s Favourite Japanese Canadian Recipes. The book reflects a community deeply connected to its Japanese roots while also embracing the influences of Steveston’s multicultural environment.
The excerpt and simple recipe below come from page 60 of the recipe book. It offers a humble but meaningful taste of Steveston’s Japanese Canadian food traditions and a glimpse into the living and working conditions that helped define them.
Baloney and Cabbage
Cabbage and baloney were convenient provisions for fishermen while at sea and their families who remained on land. Since baloney and cabbage kept well with minimal refrigeration, they were popular and common ingredients. Irene Shiho — whose husband Joe owned Fraser Mart, just one of many Japanese-Canadian owned Steveston food shops, located where Rocanini stands today — recalls that the 6-inch round baloney was called “Japanese” baloney because of its popularity amongst the Steveston Japanese.
3-4 Servings
½ lb baloney slices
¼ head medium cabbage
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut baloney slices into quarters and slice cabbage. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium frying pan and add the baloney and cabbage. Stir fry for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cabbage is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add a slightly beaten egg when the cabbage is almost cooked.
- Use Prem, Spam, bacon, or sausage instead of baloney.
Where to Buy From the Sea and Shore
If you are interested in trying more Steveston Japanese Canadian recipes, you can purchase the book in person at the Steveston Museum and Post Office at 3811 Moncton Street for $25.00. Partial proceeds go to the Steveston Historical Society.
