1303_1081 Pia in her Kitchen
Pia was a world class chef at one of Vancouver Island's high end restaurants; in the 1980s she gained recognition for her simple, innovative creations, and was considered to be right up there, among Canada's top ten chefs. After getting out of the "high pressure zone" - following the birth of her two children - she developed and oversaw the local high school's culinary arts program and inspired many a young chef, some of whom have gone on to great success. She was a legend. She was also one of my oldest and dearest friends; I knew her for 36 years before cancer finally took her down in 2014, at the age of 62.
I try not to put up too many sad stories on Flickr, because I don't want sympathy anymore than Pia did. But this isn't a sad story, even though it ends with loss, as all our stories must. To live a full and enriching life is all we can ask. It seems that a great many of my closest friends have died young, and I am almost surprised to not be among them - but clearly that ship has sailed, LOL.
I've always loved this photo of her in her kitchen. She lived in a cabin on a creek that empties into the ocean. A dinner invitation to Pia's was a memorable occasion, and she shared more than a few meals with me over the years. She was always down to earth - never ostentatious or pretentious in any way. On her 61st birthday we made pizza for 28 people, and she trusted me to prepare the dough and bake the crusts and make the sauce. She fired up her outdoor cob oven despite the showery weather, and it turned into one of those great, memorable gatherings where... well, you just had to be there.
Pia Carroll, 1952-2014. Everyone loved her. Seriously.
Photographed near Sooke, Vancouver Island, BC (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2013 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
1303_1081 Pia in her Kitchen
Pia was a world class chef at one of Vancouver Island's high end restaurants; in the 1980s she gained recognition for her simple, innovative creations, and was considered to be right up there, among Canada's top ten chefs. After getting out of the "high pressure zone" - following the birth of her two children - she developed and oversaw the local high school's culinary arts program and inspired many a young chef, some of whom have gone on to great success. She was a legend. She was also one of my oldest and dearest friends; I knew her for 36 years before cancer finally took her down in 2014, at the age of 62.
I try not to put up too many sad stories on Flickr, because I don't want sympathy anymore than Pia did. But this isn't a sad story, even though it ends with loss, as all our stories must. To live a full and enriching life is all we can ask. It seems that a great many of my closest friends have died young, and I am almost surprised to not be among them - but clearly that ship has sailed, LOL.
I've always loved this photo of her in her kitchen. She lived in a cabin on a creek that empties into the ocean. A dinner invitation to Pia's was a memorable occasion, and she shared more than a few meals with me over the years. She was always down to earth - never ostentatious or pretentious in any way. On her 61st birthday we made pizza for 28 people, and she trusted me to prepare the dough and bake the crusts and make the sauce. She fired up her outdoor cob oven despite the showery weather, and it turned into one of those great, memorable gatherings where... well, you just had to be there.
Pia Carroll, 1952-2014. Everyone loved her. Seriously.
Photographed near Sooke, Vancouver Island, BC (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2013 James R. Page - all rights reserved.