Personal — Ben Ma, CPA (ON), CPA (IL), CFA, CFP

There was a time when Ben went to Culinary School instead of Tax School. He clearly didn't attend Photography School.

Food

A few things I've made that are worth sharing.

Omurice — Omurice, garnished okonomiyaki-style.

Ajitama, prime rib and vegetables over seasoned rice — Ajitama (marinated soft-boiled egg), prime rib and vegetables over seasoned rice.

Tuna salad bagel with soft boiled eggs — Tuna salad on a bagel with jammy soft-boiled eggs.

Red wine braised short rib on pomme puree with chocolate tart — Red wine braised short rib on pomme purée.

Matcha fettuccine with scallops and shrimp in miso broth — Matcha fettuccine with scallops and shrimp in miso butter sauce, topped with truffle pecorino.

Miso udon with egg, bacon and cheese — Miso udon with egg, bacon and cheese.

Homemade steak sandwich on homemade bread — Steak sandwich on homemade bread, and sweet potato fries.

Bubble tea panna cotta and chai tea creme brulee — Bubble tea panna cotta.

Curry noodle soup from meal prep leftovers — HK-style curry beef balls.

Spaghetti with bacon and mushrooms — Bacon and mushroom spaghetti.

Bacon wrapped beef tenderloin — Bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin.

Curry beef and bacon wrapped chicken skewers — Beef skewers.

Dry-aged steak with whiskey bacon sauce and mushrooms — Dry-aged steak with whiskey bacon sauce on microgreens, with butter mushrooms and caramelized onions.

Hot beef curry with potatoes and jalapenos — Japanese-style beef curry.

Three course pi day meal with tartlets — Pancetta and cheese tartlets with tomatoes.

Three course pi day meal with tartlets — Peach cobbler pie with ice cream.

Squid ink pasta alla pescatore with garlic bread — Squid ink pasta alla pescatore with pancetta, scallops and shrimp; garlic bread.

Bruschetta and avocado toast with poached egg — Bruschetta and avocado toast.

BLT with a side of fries — BLT on homemade bread, with fries.

Pulled pork sandwich with air fried fries and slaw — Pulled pork sandwich with air-fried fries and slaw.

Egg tart pie — A very large egg tart.

Miso risotto with scallops and shrimp — Miso risotto with scallops and shrimp.

Kansai style okonomiyaki with bonito flakes — Kansai-style okonomiyaki with bonito flakes.

Tonkatsu with kimchi fried rice — Tonkatsu with kimchi fried rice.

Japanese strawberry confectionery — Strawberry daifuku (ichigo daifuku).

Peanut butter stuffed French toast with blueberries — Peanut butter–stuffed French toast with honey and blueberries.

Pasta primavera — Pasta primavera.

Three course meal with cheese fondue and rosemary lamb shank — Four-cheese fondue.

Three course meal with cheese fondue and rosemary lamb shank — Rosemary lamb shank on asparagus and pancetta risotto.

Three course meal with cheese fondue and rosemary lamb shank — Pumpkin cheesecake with salted caramel.

Cheese tteokbokki — Cheese tteokbokki.

Peach cobbler — Peach cobbler.

Homemade cookies and cream, matcha and nutella ice cream — Homemade ice cream: cookies and cream.

Homemade cookies and cream, matcha and nutella ice cream — Homemade ice cream: matcha.

Homemade cookies and cream, matcha and nutella ice cream — Homemade ice cream: chocolate hazelnut.

Kimchi fried rice with egg and homemade roast beef — Kimchi fried rice with egg and homemade roast beef.

Strawberry roses and shortbread cookies — Strawberry roses.

Strawberry roses and shortbread cookies — Shortbread cookies.

Brick toast with peanut butter and banana — Brick toast with peanut butter, banana, cinnamon-vanilla sugar and condensed milk.

White chocolate truffles with matcha ganache — White chocolate truffles with matcha ganache.

French scrambled eggs on toast with smoked salmon — French-style scrambled eggs on toast with smoked salmon.

Baking class scones, baklava and thumbprint cookies — Jalapeño-ham tea biscuits, blueberry apple cinnamon scones, baklava, raspberry thumbprint cookies, and white chocolate gingerbread truffles.

Espresso rum cheesecake with dark chocolate ganache — Espresso-rum cheesecake with dark chocolate ganache.

Baking class scones, peanut butter balls and macaroons — Raspberry-lemon and three-cheese chive scones, peanut butter balls, chocolate coconut macaroons, and chocolate-dipped strawberries.

Baking class scones, peanut butter balls and macaroons — Pear-vanilla-ginger loaf.

Baking class opera cake, spritz cookies and scones — Coffee opera cake, maple bacon scone, rock cake, spritz cookie and a dark chocolate–dipped strawberry.

Baking class opera cake, spritz cookies and scones — Carrot pineapple loaf.

Baking class opera cake, spritz cookies and scones — Carrot pineapple loaf, coffee opera cake, spritz cookies, maple bacon scones, rock cakes, and dark chocolate–dipped strawberries.

Baking class zucchini loaf, scones and soda bread — Zucchini tea loaf.

Baking class zucchini loaf, scones and soda bread — Blackberry lime scones.

Baking class zucchini loaf, scones and soda bread — Irish soda bread.

Baking class zucchini loaf, scones and soda bread — Lavender shortbread, a white chocolate–dipped strawberry, and orange blossom and green tea truffles.

Baking class zucchini loaf, scones and soda bread — Rosewater cheesecake.

Truffles and savory scones from baking class — Coffee, caramel and rum truffles; chocolate-cherry and sun-dried tomato goat cheese scones; white chocolate raspberry vol-au-vent; Belgian cookies; banana-cranberry loaf.

Truffles and savory scones from baking class — White chocolate raspberry vol-au-vent and Belgian cookies.

Truffles and savory scones from baking class — Coffee, caramel and rum truffles; chocolate-dipped strawberries and candied orange peel; a Belgian cookie.

Truffles and savory scones from baking class — Chocolate-cherry and sun-dried tomato goat cheese scones; banana-cranberry loaf.

Butter tarts, tea loaves and shortbread afternoon tea baking — Butter tarts, lime poppyseed tea loaves, Irish shortbread, rhubarb and blue cheese scones, passion fruit truffles, and chocolate-dipped strawberries and candied orange peel.

Butter tarts, tea loaves and shortbread afternoon tea baking — Butter tarts, lime poppyseed tea loaves, Irish shortbread, and rhubarb and blue cheese scones.

Butter tarts, tea loaves and shortbread afternoon tea baking — Chocolate-dipped strawberries, candied orange peel and passion fruit truffles.

Christmas surf and turf dinner with bisque — Seafood bisque.

Christmas surf and turf dinner with bisque — Butter-poached lobster tail, bacon-wrapped filet mignon and twice-baked potato.

Christmas surf and turf dinner with bisque — Tiramisu with blackcurrant purée.

Lobster eggs benedict with avocado — Lobster eggs Benedict with avocado and arugula.

Seared ahi tuna steak with poached egg and greens — Seared ahi tuna steak with greens, poached egg and sesame-hoisin dressing.

Macarons with passion fruit and cherry ganache — Macarons with passion fruit ganache and sour cherry, raspberry or mango buttercream.

Chocolate sushi and handroll — Chocolate sushi and hand roll with white chocolate passion fruit dip and candied flowers.

Thanksgiving turkey dinner with tarte aux pommes — Spinach and almond crostini.

Thanksgiving turkey dinner with tarte aux pommes — Tarte aux pommes with mango glaze.

Fairy mousse cakes — Fairy mousse cakes.

Japonaise meringue cookies with buttercream filling — Japonaise cookies (hazelnut-almond meringue) with marzipan buttercream, white chocolate and raspberry coulis, and praline buttercream with banana and dulce de leche.

Sable cookies and peanut butter feuilletine balls — Sablé cookies with raspberry buttercream and raspberry jam; peanut butter feuilletine balls.

Orange chocolate and lemon mousse in brandy snap cups — Orange chocolate and lemon mousse in brandy snap cups.

Petits fours glaces with apricot and raspberry — Petits fours glacés, apricot and raspberry.

Omurice — Omurice.

Hamburg steak with cheese inside — Cheese-stuffed hamburg steak.

Milk tea panna cotta — Milk tea panna cotta.

Fettuccine with shrimp scampi and homemade cheese biscuits — Fettuccine carbonara with garlic shrimp scampi, pesto and egg; homemade cheese biscuits.

Chocolate showpiece with dipped strawberries — Chocolate showpiece with chocolate-dipped strawberries and chocolate bark.

Homemade gnocchi — Homemade gnocchi.

Lemon tart — Lemon tart.

Fruit flan — Fruit flan.

Chocolate raspberry Swiss roll — Chocolate raspberry Swiss roll with buttercream.

Strawberry cream cake and Black Forest cake — Strawberry cream cake and Black Forest cake.

Cream puffs and eclairs — Cream puff swan.

Box of assorted cookies — Assorted cookies: spritz, jam thumbprints, peanut butter and chocolate-dipped.

Sesame knot rolls and cheese pull-apart bread — Sesame knot rolls and cheese pull-apart bread.

Panna cotta, creme caramel and bread and butter pudding — Panna cotta with raspberry coulis, crème caramel, and bread and butter pudding with lemon sauce.

Scones with clotted cream, peach jam and tea sandwiches — Scones with clotted cream and peach jam.

Scones with clotted cream, peach jam and tea sandwiches — Tea sandwiches, walnut bran muffins, scones and quiche.

Spinach, cheese and ham quiche — Spinach, cheese and ham quiche with butter crust.

Mini apple rose tart and fruit pudding — Mini apple rose tart.

Mini apple rose tart and fruit pudding — Fresh fruit with crème anglaise.

Super fluffy pancakes — Fluffy pancakes.

Apple galette and fresh apple pie — Apple galette.

Tiramisu cheesecake, caramel apple pie and French fruit tart — French fruit tart.

Tiramisu cheesecake, caramel apple pie and French fruit tart — Caramel apple rose pie.

Lasagna and pasta casserole — Lasagna.

Chocolate roses and chocolate covered strawberries — Chocolate roses and chocolate-covered strawberries.

Bagel sandwich with egg, ham and avocado rose — Open-faced bagel sandwich with egg, ham and avocado rose.

Croque madame — Croque madame.

Spaghetti and meatballs and meatball sub — Spaghetti and meatballs.

Rabokki — Rabokki (ramen tteokbokki).

Beef Wellington Christmas dinner with butternut squash soup — Butternut squash soup with bruschetta.

Beef Wellington Christmas dinner with butternut squash soup — Beef Wellington with mashed potatoes and red wine gravy.

Pulled pork slider with homemade coleslaw and chipotle mayo — Pulled pork slider with coleslaw, chipotle mayo, avocado and habanero cheese.

Beef bourguignon — Bœuf bourguignon.

French onion soup with a mini version — French onion soup.

Mushroom risotto with fresh basil — Mushroom risotto with fresh basil.

Matcha cheesecake with whipped cream roses — Matcha cheesecake with vanilla whipped cream roses.

Condensed milk and matcha panna cotta — Condensed milk panna cotta with strawberry sauce.

Mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and maple honey ribs — Mac and cheese, garlic mashed potatoes and maple honey ribs.

Shrimp and asparagus linguini — Shrimp and asparagus linguine.