About Whitecap Books

Whitecap Books is one of Canada’s most respected and enduring publishers of cookery and lifestyle nonfiction.

Founded in Vancouver in 1977, Whitecap quickly established itself as a leader in beautifully produced, visually distinctive books rooted in place, craft, and everyday living. What began as a list focused on British Columbia-based subjects expanded over the decades into gardening, regional history, and, most enduringly, food and lifestyle publishing.

In 2012, Whitecap was acquired by Fitzhenry & Whiteside, further strengthening its national reach and distribution. In 2025, Whitecap became part of Sutherland House’s acquisition of Fitzhenry & Whiteside and its family of imprints. The imprint is now being relaunched in 2026 with a renewed editorial mandate, visual identity, and sales strategy – marking a new chapter built on nearly five decades of publishing excellence.

Whitecap has long maintained a strong commitment to publishing Canadian voices, including a notable Indigenous publishing program and a list that reflects regional specificity, cultural tradition, and lived experience. Its catalogue has included historical and family cookbooks; books on barbecuing, baking, and preservation; guides to wine, beer, and regional cuisine; health and wellness titles; and visually rich books that balance instruction with inspiration.

Over the years, Whitecap titles have received wide national and international recognition, including honours from Taste Canada, the World Gourmand Cookbook Awards, the Alcuin Awards for Excellence in Book Design, CBC, Cuisine Canada, and Heritage Toronto. The imprint has also published many of the most recognizable names in Canadian and international food writing and television, with strong ties to Food Network Canada.

Today, Whitecap maintains offices in both Vancouver and Toronto.

As Whitecap enters its next chapter, its mission remains unchanged at heart: to publish enduring, useful, and beautifully made books that reflect how people cook, live, gather, and care – for themselves, their families, and their communities.