GROWING CHEFS WELCOMES A NEW ISLAND TEAM MEMBER! WE’RE SO HAPPY TO WELCOME YOU KELLY!
Hello! My name is Kelly and I am the new Victoria Program Coordinator at Growing Chefs! I’m so excited to be able to work with so many passionate educators, chefs, gardeners, nutritionists and other inspirational community members to help kids & communities become more connected to their food.
I was born here in what is now known as Victoria, on the unceded Coast Salish Territories of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples. I completed a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies at UBC in 2015 and throughout my undergrad, I was fortunate to have been able to take part in several experiential learning opportunities that were transformational for me.
In my third year, I went on an incredible 6-month exchange to Lund, Sweden, which is when I started to embrace lagom - a Swedish term for “not too little, not too much” and basically the Swedish art of living a balanced, happy life. I also began to develop a healthy connection to the community I lived in and the food I ate by joining one of the Student Nation clubs that hosted weekly dinners and other events where all the food was prepared and cooked for and by students. From fika (coffee breaks), to sittnings (dinner parties), to smorgasbords (feasts), so many fun social times revolved around food!
For most of my life, I didn’t realize how disconnected I was to the food I ate and the environment I lived in. However, that definitely changed during my undergrad. While working in food services on-campus, I noticed there was a tremendous amount of food waste which made me think more critically about our current food systems - How can we reduce our food waste? How is compost made and why is it important? Where does our food come from and how is it produced? How can I grow my own food? I was also living and working in the student residences and noticed that many students knew very little about how to grow or cook their own food.
I connected with various food security organizations and began to get more involved in helping combat local food insecurity. I volunteered for several non-profit organizations as well as at the Indigenous Health Garden at the UBC farm; which led me to complete an 8-month practicum in Sustainable Agriculture - another incredible transformational journey! One of the highlights of the practicum program for me was being a part of the sustainable food movement on campus in multiple ways. As a server at one of the restaurants on campus that purchased produce from the UBC farm during the summer and fall months, it was super cool to be able to provide a personal ‘farm to table’ service to the restaurant guests.
While completing the practicum at the farm, I also started a backyard apiary in Kitsilano as part of Vancouver’s Greenest Neighbourhood Small Grant Program. For several years, I ran community workshops on sustainable food systems, food literacy, the importance of pollinators and apitherapy.
Having experienced firsthand the power of experiential and place-based education in creating a transformational educational experience led me to pursue a Masters of Education for Sustainability at UBC. We explored the concepts of food security, mutual aid and decolonization. I helped coordinate a community fridge pilot in 2020, which led to the establishment of the first LOAF (Local Open Access Fridge).
Then in early 2021, I moved back home and learned about some of the very last culturally & ecologically vital ancient forests that are at-risk of being clearcut logged. For my capstone project, I helped organize community engaged learning trips to Ada'itsx (Fairy Creek) near Port Renfrew on unceded Pacheedaht and Dididaht territories in an effort to understand the issue better and see how we could offer support. I’m so grateful to have been able to learn from local Indigenous Elders and Matriarchs, attend Indigenous-led ceremonies, and to get to know many of the incredible individuals advocating for a liveable future for all.
In my spare time I enjoy nature walks with my 12yr old pup, cooking, gardening and DIY projects. I am very passionate about sustainable food systems, community development, education, reconciliation and decolonization. Reconnecting with our food, nature, and community through experiential learning opportunities like the ones offered by Growing Chefs is critical for creating meaningful changes, so I’m so grateful to be able to support such programs and look forward to connecting with the Growing Chefs community!