Virtual Volunteer Spotlight - Meet Rebecca Marshall

When Growing Chefs realized we weren’t going to be able to physically be in the classroom for a while, we quickly began brainstorming how we might be able to connect volunteers with classrooms. It was very important to us that we continue to build connections between local food champions and students, so we asked our volunteers if they’d be interested in connecting virtually.

We weren’t disappointed! Our volunteers were eager to adapt with us by helping to create our virtual Growing Chefs experiences. They have been swapping recipes, filming video lessons, and sharing their knowledge and passion with our learners online, rather than in the classrooms. In the fall we took this one step further by creating our new Vegeta-pals program, where chefs, farmers, and others became virtual pen-pals, communicating directly with a local classroom.

Today we are featuring one of our Victoria-based volunteers who registered to volunteer in the classroom with us last spring. When our programming went completely virtual, she was one of the first to sign on to our new Vegeta-pals program to share her passion for good food with students. Meet Rebecca!

Tell us a little about yourself

Hi! My name is Rebecca Marshall, and I am a professional cook-apprentice working towards my Red Seal certification. Even after cooking for other people all day, I still love to come home and create a nourishing beautiful meal for myself and my family.

Why did you get involved with the work Growing Chefs is doing right now?

I've found that I learn and reaffirm knowledge best by helping others through the material. Growing Chefs was a fantastic opportunity to explore and deepen what I knew of our food system and to share it with young potential chefs. I'm happy to be part of a program that I know I would have enjoyed when I was a kid!

What advice would you give to a child that wants to become a chef?

Try lots of different food! What a fun thing it is to be able to travel the world in your very own kitchen.

Can you share a highlight from being a part of the Vegeta-pal program this year?

I had a delightful surprise when I was assigned my Vegeta-Pal partner. I was at that time working on the second level of my program at Camosun Culinary and my assigned partner was Chef Steve Walker-Duncan, who was the Program Chair - his office was just down the hall from my classroom so it was easy as pie to get together to do our videos! Steve is a fantastic role model and a dynamo when it comes to teaching and cooking and I was so thankful to have such an enthusiastic, talented partner who infused our videos with his great energy!

Thank you to our volunteers!

It’s National Volunteer Week, and while we are always incredibly grateful for our amazing team of volunteers, this week in particular, we want to give them an extra special shout out for helping make our organization what it is. This year we are feeling particularly grateful (and even a little emotional) as we reflect on what our volunteers mean to us at Growing Chefs!

Let’s start by thanking our amazing team of 200 plus volunteers that were trained and ready to bring our hands-on gardening and cooking program into 58 elementary classrooms across B.C. this spring. What a cool group of chefs, farmers, gardeners, nutritionists, educators, and community members you are! I can’t tell you the number of times that a Growing Chefs! staff member says, “I just talked to the most awesome/knowledgeable/passionate volunteer”. Thank you for giving us your time and for being so excited to share your energy with kids. 

When we learned that our teams would not be in the classroom this spring it was definitely disappointing, but we knew we had a group of volunteers that could help us create something new. Our staff team got to work on brainstorming other ways to teach kids, help meet the new needs in the community, and support our friends in the food industry. As always, our volunteers have stepped-up in whatever ways they can to work with us during this shift and are at the heart of everything we are doing. Here is what we have been working on together:

A Virtual Spring Program
more info at growingchefs.ca/whats-new

We are proud to be offering our Spring Program virtually with Growing Chefs! At Home, so families can incorporate food literacy into their home learning. What makes our classroom program so great is the wealth of knowledge, skill, and passion for healthy food that our volunteers bring with them into the classroom. As we have moved to offering lessons virtually, many of our volunteers have come forward as guest bloggers, are virtually inviting us into their home kitchens and gardens by creating lesson videos, and sharing their knowledge so we can still bring their vibrance and expertise to families and kids.

Your energy brings our curriculum to life. Many volunteers and supporters are sharing our work on social media, and sending us words of encouragement. These small things make a big difference to our work and help spread the word about the work we are doing. Thank you for working with us in this new way and please keep those ideas coming!

A New LunchLAB: Chefs for Families Program
more info at growingchefs.ca/lunch-lab

This past fall we started a pilot project in collaboration with Fresh Roots called LunchLAB. In LunchLAB, students grow their own food, supplement that food from local farms, and learn to cook for themselves and up to 185 of their peers twice a week.

Fresh Roots and Growing Chefs!, working with the Vancouver School Board and a fantastic team of collaborators and supporters (including Italian Cultural Centre and Ono Vancouver), quickly pivoted our innovative LunchLAB educational in-school meal program to offer students and their families delicious, healthy, chef-prepared meals out of school. These meals not only provide much-needed nourishment, but meaningful employment for chefs and kitchen professionals who would otherwise not be working.

This quick move to get healthy meals to those in need couldn’t have happened without the outstanding supporters and volunteers who have rallied with us to help us prepare, package, and deliver these chef-prepared meals twice a week. We are incredibly grateful and inspired by your support of this move.

 Supporting You

Growing Chefs! has been supported for the last 15 years by phenomenal volunteers that have made our organization what it is today. We are especially grateful to have so many past and current volunteers from the local food community that have shared their passion for food with so many kids.

As many of the people who support us are now finding themselves faced with unprecedented challenges, we are working to ensure we support this incredible community that has long supported us. We are actively sharing your work on our social media channels so that our followers know how they can help you as well. Please reach out and let us know if there are other ways that we can help!

Happy National Volunteer Week! 

TREK and the Community Action Project

Hey, we’re Fiona, Kate, Roko, and Jada. We’re from the TREK program at Prince of Wales Secondary School. TREK is an outdoor leadership program for grade 10 students. In TREK we are encouraged to take action in our community, which is what we’re doing with Growing Chefs! We are so excited to continue learning about local foods and cooking within the community.

Each Wednesday morning for the next six weeks, Growing Chefs! will host a small group of students from the TREK program. They will support our charity through a variety of volunteer tasks and activities, and in turn, we will provide fun, behind-the-scenes learning experiences about charities in general, and Growing Chefs!

We’ve asked these teens to share a little more about themselves:

What is your favourite vegetable? 

Fiona: Cucumbers

Kate: Carrots 

Roko: Bok Choy 

Jada: Cucumbers 

What was your first food memory? 

Fiona: Eating different meals that our homestay students would cook when they were staying with us.

Kate: Eating is multigrain toast from COBS that i would eat everyday from breakfast. 

Roko: Having large sandwiches that had ham, salami, turkey, bacon with mustard and lettuce in elementary school.

Jada: When I was younger and I remember the first time I was connected with food was when at age 6 I used to go berry picking with my mum and sister. 

What outdoor activity makes you feel connected to the planet? 

Fiona: The outdoor activity that connects me to the planet, is anything near the water- I've grown up swimming and also just enjoyed being outside. 

Kate: Every morning I can see the sun rising behind the mountains on my walk to school.  

Roko: Camping because it disconnects me from the online world.

Jada: Backcountry camping/backcountry camping because I feel at peace with myself and I enjoy being away from the world of social media so I feel more connected with our planet. I also love the accomplishment of being able to say I did the hike.

What family recipe makes you feel warm and fuzzy? 

Fiona: The family recipe that makes me feel warm and fuzzy is our Scottish Caramel Shortbread which my granny, my dad and I all make- it makes me feel connected to my roots.

Kate: Vaniljekranse is a Danish family recipe. I used to make them every Christmas with my mormor. The cookies are like rings and you make them with a meat grinder. They’re so yummy!!

Roko: My grandma's fried chicken and it's way better than KFC.

Jada: Every new years eve I help my mum make a traditional Dutch food called Oliebollen.

Meet Brad Bodnarchuk of Half a Dozen Hospitality!

Growing Chefs! relies on so many individuals who contribute their time and money to ensure children have access to our programs. In Brad Bodnarchuk’s case, he contributes both, and more! Brad, of Half a Dozen Hospitality, is a restaurant consultant, podcast host, father, and jack-of-all-trades. Between the hours he spends with our program teaching kids about yummy vegetables and healthy food systems, and organizing delicious fundraisers to benefit our charity and others, we are humbled by his ongoing support of our mission and organization. Here’s your chance to get to know Brad!

What about Growing Chefs! resonates with you? 

I’ve always been super intrigued by food and people, so right off the bat, this program fulfills that for me. Taking this another step further, I truly love having the ability to work with and teach children. As a father myself, I take a ton of pride in sharing what I know about food with my daughter; it has been the same with the kids I’ve been lucky enough to interact with at Growing Chefs! Giving back to the community and helping share my passion for food with these kids has grown my passion for food even further. 

What is your favourite Growing Chefs! lesson? 

That is a really tough one, since each lesson seems to have it’s own unique and special memory attached to it. If I had to pick one, it would have to be the first lesson when we help the kids plant seeds in the soil. There is something so cool and symbolic about that process and seeing how engaged the kids are with this lesson makes it really special. I feel that showing them how easy it is to do something such as growing peas or lettuce opens their eyes to the real possibilities of fresh and healthy food.

Do you have a garden at home? 

We are so lucky to have some great outdoor space in East Vancouver that gets a ton of natural morning and afternoon sun that has helped us to grow herbs, lettuces, tomatoes, strawberries, and blueberries. It is a true luxury in the summer months to be able to hop outside to harvest some of your very own food that you planted just weeks before.

What's your favourite vegetable? 

Easily the potato. So many different types that you can prepare in so many different ways. I don’t think I will ever get sick of potatoes. 

What's your favourite seasonal recipe? 

Seeing as it’s November at the moment, you can still get some pretty spectacular local beets. I am a sucker for what I call a Beet Poke Salad. Essentially, you are replacing the raw fish you would traditionally see in a Poke bowl with roasted beets! The flavours are incredible and it is probably one of my favourite dishes to make guests whenever we host a dinner - it’s usually a hit. 

Earlier this year your business, Half a Dozen Hospitality, hosted a dinner to benefit Growing Chefs! Tell us a little more about the dinner and/or the work you do? 

That dinner was such a great time! Admittedly, I had no real idea how it was going to turn out. At the time, the Half A Dozen Hospitality Dinner Series had never been done before so our Growing Chefs! dinner was the first of its kind. The premise for the dinners is pretty simple: we pair a local chef with a local farm, and host anywhere between 40 - 60 people for an incredible 6-course meal. The idea came to me as I was lying in bed one night! I thought about creating a platform to connect the awesome people I consult with in the hospitality industry with the community on more positively impactful level. I decided to commit to executing 6 dinners throughout 2019 - basically one every 8 weeks - and see how much money we could raise for different local charities. With each dinner, we take all of the profits and donate them to a local charity that has a food component to their program. Growing Chefs! was a natural fit for our first ever dinner, and we hope to work with you again in 2020. 

Anything else you'd like to share? 

Honestly, I’ve just been really impressed with the kids and their willingness to try almost anything… and also, really eating their vegetables! For me, growing up I wasn’t nearly as adventurous, nor did I want to eat a plate of vegetables, but these kids are asking for seconds and thirds! I think this is so great and is going to serve them well as they grow. 

To anyone that has the time and the ability to volunteer to help Growing Chefs! or a program like it, I would strongly advise you do it. You will learn more about your community than ever before and you will, no doubt, take so much joy from seeing the smiling faces of the people that you have had such a positive impact on.

Brad, thank you so much for your time, passion for food, and great ideas! We can’t wait to work with you more in 2020!

Happy Birthday to you and Growing Chefs!

This summer, we were pleasantly surprised to hear that classroom volunteer Vanessa Leung was fundraising for Growing Chefs! for her birthday! Thanks so much, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY Vanessa!

Contact Jaydeen if you would like more information about how to donate your birthday! Read on to meet Vanessa!

What about Growing Chefs resonates with you?

When I learned about Growing Chefs! my heart jumped out with a strong “YES!” I knew I had to get involved.

When I left home at 18, I only knew how to boil vegetables, pre-made dumplings and instant noodles. Years after, I still didn’t have the drive to learn how to cook a proper meal! My friends would have to bring cookware and utensils if they wanted to make dinner at my place.

For most of my life, I relied on and indulged in processed foods as a way to cover up hard emotions. It was not until my health took a toll, did realize that I had the ability to take care of myself and use whole foods as medicine! It was like diving into a black hole of self-healing and clarity. By then, I could only wish that I had this knowledge earlier in my life.

Growing Chefs! serves that very wish - My hope for kids of all ages to have access to tools to help them feel empowered to make healthy choices for themselves. Growing Chefs! curriculum cultivates curiosity, community and creativity for the kids PLUS it’s so much FUN!

What is your favourite Growing Chefs! lesson?

They are all my favourite, but if I had to choose one it would be vegetable sharing circle. I’ve always believed that sharing is empowering and in this class the kids get to share a sneak peak into their classmate’s favourite meals at home and get to learn about vegetables from all over the world.

I think just being in the presence of their pure excitement and joy over every class is moving to me. This year, the class sang “Here Comes the Sun” while we were cleaning up after a class. It was a perfect way to wrap up a Growing Chefs! class and a memory I’ll hold dear to me forever.

Do you have a garden at home?

Yes I do! I live in a condo and we have planter boxes surrounding the perimeter of our humble balcony. It does the job! We get a constant supply of kale, cilantro and herbs. Even my dog, Barley, gets to have his share of kale!

What's your favourite vegetable?

My favourite vegetable is broccoli! I love it as a salad with other bright coloured vegetables, stir-fried with loads of garlic or roasted with lemon juice. I eat EVERYTHING, right down the stems. The stems are the most nutritious part!

What's your favourite seasonal recipe?

My favourite seasonal recipe would be sea asparagus with pasta. I just stir-fry the sea asparagus, add fresh minced garlic and extra virgin olive oil and toss with brown rice pasta of choice. Super simple and delicious!

Last year your business, 80/20 Living & Company made a donation to Growing Chefs! Tell us a little more about the work you do?

80/20 Living & Company is a space where people would feel inspired and learn tools to live a conscious and intentional life full of abundance. Through coaching and training, I guide creative entrepreneurs to work through their fears and connect to their body mind and spirit so they can feel confident about who they are and what they do. They learn how to stop wasting time and energy so they can start focusing on loving and sharing their gifts.

My big vision is to start a life school for families where families can connect by learning and sharing together.

Anything else you'd like to share?

I’ve always been inspired by kids and their wisdom. All they require is the space to share their creativity and wisdom. I’ve learned so much from the kids over the past 3 years, it has been the root of my inspiration in starting the life school for families.

I think that the work that Growing Chefs! is doing is so monumental in the future for our community. Thank you for setting the path and being a leader for healing changes!

Volunteer Spotlight: Brennen Murray

Our Classroom Gardening and Cooking Program is 100% delivered by our wonderful volunteers. We literally could not do what we do without the generous support of our volunteers who not only donate their time but their knowledge. Since it is National Volunteer Week and we have the BEST volunteers, we want to highlight a few. First off is a first-time volunteer (with us), Brennen Murray.

Hi! Tell us a little about yourself.
”Hello! My name is Brennen Murray. I've worked in coffee and food for over ten years, am a barista and a cook at Renfrew Park Community Centre as well as with The Kidsafe Project. I am interested in food sovereignty, urban farming, and localized food systems. I live in a communal home on Victoria Drive where we work to build a closer, sharing community and learn more about growing things.”

We hear you're a worm guy. Tell us more!
”When I first moved to Vancouver and started becoming an urban gardener, I found container gardening to be inefficient and needing constant fertilizing and found myself wishing for the compost pile that was always rotating around the backyard I grew up with. A little bit of research brought me to the City Farmer Vermicomposting Program, which I recommend to anyone wishing to recycle their food scraps into healthy soil for growing things. My initial $25 dollar kit has grown over the years into several bins of worms feeding off the food scraps from a household of six and giving a welcome dose of organic soil every 6 months as well as compost tea (fertilizer) that can be used at any time.”

How did you hear about Growing Chefs?
”I came across Growing Chefs! in the fall while looking for ways to get involved in food security and food sovereignty.”

What made you interested in volunteering with us?
”With The Kidsafe Project, it is my responsibility to feed kids at my site during school breaks, but also to teach them about nutrition and the foods we eat. Growing Chefs! has a great curriculum that teaches kids all about growing food and ways to use it. I'm excited to watch kids interact with food in such a hands on manner and bring that excitement for food to the kids at Kidsafe.”

What's your favourite seasonal vegetable?
”Summertime: cucumbers, for the crisp, juicy bite fresh off the plant. Wintertime: Brussels Sprouts, because they grow all winter and just keep getting better.”

What is your earliest food-related memory?
”Either walking down the tall narrow rows of strung up peas in my mother’s garden, harvesting thick pods into a colander and often opening the pods and eating the peas fresh; or tip-toeing in the strawberry patch, turning the berries over to see which ones had ripened all the way around and were ready for eating.”

How did your first lesson in the classroom go?
”It was incredible! We examined seeds and their full grown vegetable form, planted the seeds, and imagined and hoped for a beautiful growing garden. I was definitely just as excited as the kids and can't wait to get back into the classroom for lesson two.”

Thank you so much Brennen - we (and your class) are lucky to have you.

Stay tuned this week for more volunteer spotlights.