Bee-friend us this February/March

Image by: Lou Dahl. Lou loves capturing the natural world in visual form, and finding the unique in the common. You can explore more of her illustration, photography, and design work at www.loudahl.com or @loudahlillustration.

We are buzzing to announce our 2nd Annual Bee Sweet campaign to celebrate our amazing monthly donors, the Champion Radishes! For the months of February and March, we invite you to join the club! 

Champion Radishes give monthly to Growing Chefs and provide us with a steady stream of income. This income keeps our hive running sustainably, facilitates program planning and implementation, and lowers administrative costs. We are starting this campaign with 101 Champion Radishes and we hope to get to 115 by the end of 2022.

 Join the club bee-fore March 31st and bee entered to win the “Bee Sweet Prize Pack” valued at over $250, full of Bee.C. goodies. Current Champion Radish Club members can also win by referring a new member, or increasing their monthly gift! 

Give us a hive-five and join our community of monthly donors today. It would bee sweet if you’d joined us!

Deadline to enter: March 31st at midnight
Prize draw: April 1st

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Aw Shucks! A Valentine's LunchLAB fundraiser

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PresentED by Growing Chefs and Fresh Roots

Shell-ebrate Valentine’s Day with your favourite bi-valventine! Join Growing Chefs and Fresh Roots for a tasty evening of shucking, slurping, and learning in style with our friends at Organic Ocean. Ticket holders will be treated to everything needed to enjoy a tasty and educational hour together online featuring one dozen sustainably harvested oysters from Organic Ocean paired with your choice of wine from Mission Hill Family Estate or beer from Persephone Brewing. Plus, you'll also get your own oyster shucking knife!

This event is in support of LunchLAB, an innovative program changing the narrative about school lunch! Learning with their teacher and chef-in-residence, student chefs help create the menu, prepare the meal, and serve it to their peers. It’s an exercise in learning and sharing, and it’s delicious.

The world is your oyster!

When: February 14, 2022 7:00pm to 8:00pm (PST)
Where: Online via Zoom
Buy your tickets here before the shell out!

All guests must be available to pick up on Sunday, February 13th between noon and 4:00pm (PST) at the Italian Cultural Centre at 3075 Slocan St in Vancouver.

We are Hiring! - Victoria Program Coordinator Job Posting

Growing Chefs is hiring! 

We are currently looking for a Victoria Program Coordinator to join our team. 

Do you want to support healthy, sustainable, and just food practices and systems? Improve the health and nutrition of kids and youth? Make local, sustainable food accessible? Connect communities through food? If yes, then this might be the place for you! 

What we offer:

  • A supportive, collaborative, fun, and flexible work environment

  • Opportunity to develop and expand your skills

  • A chance to make a difference in the food system

Position Summary: In this key support role, the Victoria Program Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring the Growing Chefs Classroom Gardening and Cooking Program runs smoothly and efficiently within the Greater Victoria area. The Program Coordinator acts as a point of contact between Growing Chefs classroom volunteers, classroom teachers, school administrators, and the Growing Chefs Program staff. This role reports directly to the Growing Chefs Program Director. By supporting the Classroom Gardening and Cooking Program, the Victoria Program Coordinator will help Growing Chefs deliver hands-on food literacy education to transform the way kids eat and the way they think about food. 

Tasks: Tasks will be specific to the Growing Chefs programs and activities in the Greater Victoria area. The Program Coordinator will assist the Program Director with program delivery, program-related administrative duties, Victoria program communications, community building, and fundraising, as well as day-to-day tasks. This position will require some travel and transportation of program equipment throughout the Greater Victoria region to designated schools and program activities. 

Availability: The Victoria Program Coordinator must be available during program hours, which are 9:00 am to 12:30 pm Monday to Friday and to attend biweekly check-ins with the main Vancouver office.  This position involves providing ongoing support and supervision to volunteer teams as well as direct delivery of food literacy programming to children and families.  

Timing and Compensation: This position is a permanent hourly position at approximately 10-16 hours/week—work schedule will vary depending on needs of designated schools and time of year. Hours also may occasionally include evenings and weekends. Compensation for this role is $21/hr, plus vacation pay of 6%. Expected start date: Feb 7th, 2022.

Responsibilities include: 

Victoria Program: 

  • Coordinate volunteer recruitment, training, and management, including but not limited to answering volunteer and teacher inquiries, calling volunteer candidates and volunteer references, organizing volunteer and teacher data. 

  • Lead volunteer training and teacher orientation, and assist with the development of volunteer and teacher resources. 

  • Coordinate the set-up and delivery of volunteer and teacher orientation sessions including finding and booking space, sending out communications, and ensuring all materials are prepared. 

  • Provide ongoing assistance and support to volunteer teams in planning and delivering the Growing Chefs lessons.  

  • Act as a liaison between volunteers, teachers, and Growing Chefs staff. 

  • Help manage any problems or challenges experienced by volunteer teams or participating teachers and report any issues to the Growing Chefs Program Director. 

  • Increase awareness of Growing Chefs within the designated communities and in each of the program schools. 

  • Help generate Victoria-specific content for social media sites, online postings, blog, and website and to promote the activities of the Victoria program.

  • Help coordinate pro-bono photography services and media for the Victoria classroom program. 

  • Build relationships with the local school districts and school food networks.

  • Act as Growing Chefs representative on Vancouver Island partner networks and groups.

  • Become familiar with the school schedules, school policies, physical layout, access issues, and school emergency procedures.

  • Coordinate, organize, set up, deliver, and maintain program equipment. 

  • Help with the coordination of volunteer appreciation events and volunteer recognition activities. 

  • Aid in the development and delivery of food literacy workshops for community groups and partners.

  • Perform other duties, as needed. 

Victoria Administration: 

  • Assist with Victoria program administrative duties, such as tracking volunteer and teacher registrations, collecting volunteer and teacher contact information, ensuring proper criminal and reference checks are completed, collecting volunteer expense forms and receipts, and ensuring all Victoria program data is up to date.  

  • Assist with day-to-day operations, including bookkeeping, reporting, scheduling, filing, and data entry related to volunteers and general administration. 

  • Assist with entry and upkeep of all Victoria volunteer and school information in Salesforce. 

  • Ensure criminal record checks and reference checks are completed for all Victoria volunteers.

  • Submit budget/expense reports to Growing Chefs monthly (or as needed). 

  • Perform other duties as required. 

Victoria Community Outreach: 

  • Participate in and assist with coordinating Growing Chefs community outreach workshops and community events. 

  • Attend community outreach events and host Growing Chefs outreach tables and festival booths. 

  • Perform other duties as required. 

Other: 

  • With the support of the Growing Chefs fundraising and communications staff: 

  • Assist with program donations. (both financial and in-kind) All fundraising opportunities need to be approved by Growing Chefs 

Additional skills an asset:

  • Experience working with SalesForce (or other CRM database)

  • Experience teaching or facilitating

  • FoodSafe certification

  • An understanding of data management and basic bookkeeping

  • Driver’s License 

  • Existing connections in the local restaurant and food industry

References and a criminal record check related to working with children will be required. Growing Chefs encourages all those interested to apply. So if you think you have what it takes, but don’t necessarily meet every single point on the job description, please still get in touch. We’d love to hear from you and see if you could be a great fit. 

To apply:

Interested in joining our team? Please send resume and cover letter to hr@growingchefs.ca by Jan 28th to apply.

We thank all applicants who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

A Year at Growing Chefs - 2021 Year in Review

2021 has been an exciting year at Growing Chefs! And we want to share with you how our year has gone.

A Note from our New Executive Director

2021 you ask? Well, it was virtually, awesome. 

Joining the Growing Chefs team in January had me witness and lead a fully virtual organization and programming. It was unimaginable, yet incredible. We definitely had some challenges, but we remained positive, full of energy, and led a transformation into the online learning community. As my team says, “we didn’t miss a beet”. I am proud to say that this year, the Growing Chefs team had the best recipe for success around. An extremely talented, passionate, efficient team of staff, with the addition of a dedicated volunteer board of directors, and a set of valuable volunteers and advisors all helped propel us along.

Together, we carried out our mission as though nothing changed in our world, yet, the world has been dramatically changed from what we know it to be. We also have the best donors around who are generous, engaged, and most importantly, mission-aligned.

I reflect on this year, seeing that we accomplished not only a new face and audience to our programming, we developed a solid new strategic plan to continue to strive forward over the next three years.

I’m looking forward to 2022, to witness yet again, our small, big-hearted, yet mighty organization continue to creatively and meaningfully help B.C. children build connections to their food, the earth, local food systems, and with one another. 

-Kara-Leigh Bloch


Program Year Review

Virtual Field Trips 

Being outside of the classroom doesn’t mean the learning has to stop! This year, Growing Chefs created virtual field trips with four wonderful community partners. From the comfort of home or from within their classrooms, students were able to visit fascinating venues and engage with local food professionals to enrich their learning about our local food systems. Teachers can choose from the following options:

  • Learn about urban farming from Fresh Roots Farms;

  • Understand how maple syrup is made by virtually visiting Cheakamus Centre;

  • Visit the Sandown Centre to explore regenerative agriculture; 

  • Find out how ice cream gets made at Earnest Ice Cream

We will continue to offer virtual field trips in the new year. If you’re a teacher (or know of one) who would like to host a virtual field trip, sign up here!

Victoria 

Although we have not been able to return to in-classroom programming with volunteers in Victoria, we were able to offer an adaptive, distanced food literacy program. This spring, Growing Chefs partnered with Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture for a new way to get elementary school classrooms growing. Our new Seedlings for Sandown project meant kids getting their hands in the soil, planting seeds and sharing in the joy of the growing season, while learning about how food is grown and engaging with their community in a healthy way. This exciting new project saw 230 elementary school students from 12 classrooms helping to plant and grow 250+ seedlings. These seedlings were then transplanted by a group of students from Parkland Secondary where they grew to maturity at the Sandown Centre’s regenerative agriculture site - helping to break ground, regenerate the soil, and brighten this new community space. We love the amazing work being done at Sandown, and wanted to share it with the rest of our community. This partnership led us to create a virtual field trip so children on and off the island can learn more about regenerative agriculture at Sandown.  


Return to the Classroom 

Our team worked hard over the summer to make sure that part of our programming could return to the classroom this fall. We rewrote our curriculum to fit the time and the circumstance, and did our first ever set of virtual volunteer orientations. We are very thankful to have been able to deliver a small pilot program this fall, in person, in 8 classrooms in metro-Vancouver. A small crew of dedicated volunteers and eight joyful grade 4-7 classrooms went through this new four week program with us. Students learned how to make pickles, how best to wash your hands, and discussed the factors that influence our food choices. They even went on a virtual field trip! Even during these times, we’ve found ways to bring our innovative and signature hands-on food systems learning to students in classrooms.

We will be delivering COVID-adjusted in-classroom programming in spring 2022 as well! Please let us know here if you are interested in volunteering with us.


LunchLab 

This fall Growing Chefs and Fresh Roots were able to restart our LunchLAB program at Total Education, serving delicious and nutritious chef and student prepared meals to students and staff. LunchLAB changes the narrative about lunch. Learning with their teacher and a chef-in-residence, student chefs help create the menu, make it, and serve it to their peers. It is an exercise in learning and sharing. And it’s delicious.

Fundraising and Development Year Review

Champion Radish Club

Growing Chefs started 2021 with 82 generous monthly donors and an ambitious goal to end the year with 100. We launched the #BeeSweet campaign on Valentine’s Day and before March 31st, we knocked that goal out of the park! Now, we have more than 100 monthly donors who donate over $30,000 per year! 

Members of the Champion Radish Club receive special Growing Chefs perks like promo codes for ticketed events, entries into prize draws, and an invitation to an annual event, just for monthly donors. This year, Chefs Shobna Kannusamy and Bruno Feldeisen hosted a virtual cooking class to celebrate everything apple at our event Apple-y Ever After, complete with apples from Klippers Organics and cider from Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse!

You too can join the Champion Radish Club at www.growingchefs.ca/donate. 

Image by: Kar Harvey, an illustrator and writer who lives on the unceded and ancestral home territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-Waututh people. She is Tsilhqot’in and Syilx and grew up on territories of the Semiahmoo and Kwantlen Nations.

From Farms to Forks 

The heart of From Farms to Forks has always been about celebrating local chefs, restaurants, food growers, and producers. Now, more than ever, we are reminded of the importance of community, food, and connection which is why despite the pandemic, we chose to celebrate the 12th year of From Farms to Forks!

This year, our From Farms to Forks Food Series in October and November included:

  • Five virtual events organized and hosted by various members of the Growing Chefs team, featuring some of the province’s greatest growers and culinary personalities

  • A hand-delivered Culinary Cache for Food Series Pass holders filled with tasty treats, wine and beer, and products celebrating local food producers and businesses.

  • A Secret Menu to purchase $50 restaurant gift cards

  • An Online Auction with 85 delicious local packages donated by community members and businesses

  • A 50/50 Raffle

What a success! Nearly 120 different people participated in the various events, with half of them purchasing Food Series Passes to attend all five events. We were able to provide over $1,500 to local mission-aligned restaurants throughout the series, and our final amount raised from the community was $55,880.

A giant thank you to all of our chefs, farmers, donors, supporters, and sponsors.

Silver Thyme Sponsors:

  • Mission Hill Family Estate

Bronze Fennel Sponsors

  • House of Knives

  • Il Centro - Italian Cultural Centre

  • Modo

  • Whole Foods Market

Media Sponsors

  • Mavreen David Photography

  • Edible Vancouver & Wine Country

  • Fiodesigns

  • J. Josue Photography

Turnip The Heat 

On Giving Tuesday, November 30th, we launched our winter fundraising campaign, Turnip the Heat! All donations that we receive through December 31st contribute to our $25,000 campaign goal and support food literacy programming for B.C. kids this 2021/2022 school year. 

DOUBLE THE SPICE! Three generous donors: Peter Blitz, Ryan Fan and Jo Da Conceicao, and The Varshney Family Foundation are matching donations up to $12,500 for this campaign. 

This winter, turnip the heat on your generosity and move up the Scoville Scale! Choose what kind of pepper you want to be this year at www.growingchefs.ca/donate. 

  • $5,000+ - Ghost Pepper

  • $1,000-$4,999 - Habanero Pepper

  • $500-$999 - Serrano Pepper

  • $100-$499 - Jalapeño Pepper

  • Under $100 - Poblano Pepper

Visit www.growingchefs.ca/turniptheheat to see the fundraising thermometer and read a list of our spicy supporters!

We hope you had as exciting of a year as we did! We are looking forward to 2022 and reaching even more kids with our hands-on edible education.

Donor Shoutout: Culinary Cache

jjosuephotography_GrowingChefs2021_WEB-2.jpg

We soared through the From Farms to Forks Food Series, but we want to take a moment to look back and spread the love to our amazing sponsors and donors. Today we will be acknowledging those who contributed to our Culinary Cache, a complimentary gift bag that was delivered to our Food Series pass holders filled with tasty treats and products celebrating local food producers and businesses.

A big thank you to: Biota Fermentation, Dageraad Brewing, Davis Bay Tea Company, Earnest Ice Cream, East Van Jam, Edible Vancouver Magazine, Fresh Prep, Fresh Roots, Tempo Gin, Helmer's Organic Farm, House of Knives, KICS Lemonade, Klippers Organics, Legends Haul, Mission Hill Family Estate, Nature Bee Beeswax Wraps, Ono Vancouver, RISE Kombucha, Shaketown Brewing, Spread'Em Kitchen, The Preservatory, and Whole Foods Market.

An extra thank you to J. Josue Photography for capturing all of these images, Il Centro, Italian Cultural Centre for providing a safe space to pack our caches, our amazing volunteers from Traction on Demand for helping to pack everything, and Modo for zipping us around town! Below are photos of our team hard at work, and our donors LOVING their caches!

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Four Season Foraging

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FOUR SEASON FORAGING

Wednesday, October 13th at 7:30 pm (PST)

Spend time with Robin Kort of Swallow Tail Tours, Lori Snyder, Indigenous herbalist & educator, and Steph Ganea of Seeker’s Club to learn the ins and outs of foraging safely, ethically, and sustainably year round!

  • $75 ticket - Includes $25 tax receipt, reference materials, dish ingredients and recipe, and wine. Pickup on October 12th from 4:00-7:00PM at the Italian Cultural Centre, 3075 Slocan St, Vancouver.

  • $20 zoom-only ticket - Includes virtual access (no beverages/ingredients).

Guests will receive the ingredients and recipe to prepare a dish designed by Chef Devon Latte of The Acorn, and a bottle of wine from Mission Hill Family Estate.

Maple + Sherry Glazed Vancouver Island Chanterelles from Lance "Wildcraft" Staples, Caramelized Chanterelle Purée, Toasted Haida Gwaii Wakame. Finished with Harissa Olive Oil from Victoria Olive Oil Co.

Special Guests

Photo Credit: Food Network

Photo Credit: Food Network

Lori Snyder

Lori Snyder is a Métis herbalist and educator who shares the wisdom and traditions of her Indigenous roots. Tsuu T’ina, Anishinaabe, Cree, Nakoda, and Nipissing Nations are mixed with her Scottish, French, and Celtic ancestry. She shares knowledge with people of all ages, reminding us of the practices of reciprocity with all that exists.

My favourite local ingredient is: Any fruit or vegetable that grows locally, like salal berries.

The best advice I can give a child who wants to become a chef is: Try not to eat sugar so you can educate your palate and really taste the wonderful world of flavours.

My favourite meal to cook for myself is: Roasted vegetable lentil cumin soup.

If I could have any superpower it would be: The ability to clean up the ocean.

I believe programs like Growing Chefs are important because: Food is the gift of life, and anyone who shares that love is important.

Chef Robin Kort - Swallow Tail Tours

My favourite seasonal vegetable is: Tomato.

My favourite local ingredient is: Sea Urchin.

The best advice I can give a child who wants to become a chef is: Play with your food!

My favourite meal to cook for myself is: Congee with wild mushrooms is my comfort food.

My favourite food memory when I was a kid is: Picking berries with my Grandma and making Saskatoon berry pie.

I believe programs like Growing Chefs are important because: Having a healthy relationship with food and knowing where it comes from is just the right thing to engender in a kid, both for their own health and to show respect for the earth.

Steph Ganea - Seeker’s Club

My favourite seasonal vegetables are: Perfectly ripened heirloom or cherry tomatoes.

My favourite local ingredients are: Chanterelle or Lobster mushrooms.

The best advice I can give a child who wants to become a chef is: Help in the kitchen as much as you can! If you’re curious about an ingredient, ask, or research it yourself. Ask if you can experiment with one new ingredient or recipe a month. Try to grow a garden. Learn about your local wild edibles to really take your cooking skills to the next level.

If I could have any superpower it would be: Definitely flying. It would make getting to the best foraging spots a breeze.

Chef Devon Latte - The Acorn

My favourite local ingredient is: The bounty of local wild foraged mushrooms and greens!

My favourite food memory when I was a kid is: Gardening with my mom, grilling in the summers with my dad!

The best advice I can give a child who wants to become a chef is: Start cooking as much as possible in your younger years, read plenty of books on technique.  Understanding food is the most important part of cooking!

I believe programs like Growing Chefs are important because: This program is amazing.  Having the younger generation understand what it takes to grow food, even in urban environments, is extremely important.  In this new world of ultra-take out, cooking at home is becoming more and more rare. The act of showing and teaching kids to grow and cook food, how delicious and nutritious it really is, it's priceless!

From Farms to Forks 12 Culinary Kick-Off Thank You Poem!

She is a wiz in the kitchen, and a wiz with her words. From Farms to Forks just wouldn’t be the same without the poetic finale from our Founder and Chair, Chef Merri Schwartz. At our Culinary Kick-Off on Sunday, October 3rd (the first of five great events), Merri closed the evening with the following:

Well, who could have known that we’d be here again,

United, yet distant, and still all good friends.

Though we love Zoom, we hate Zoom! We’re grateful you’re here,

You showed up tonight to support and to cheer.

 

Right off the bat, we’ll say thank you for beverages,

Mission Hill donates wine and it gives us some leverage,

To lure you, to lull you, to get you involved,

Though you’re not here for drinks, to our mission you’re called! (right?)

 

As always—thirteen years now—Artona we thank,

Whole Foods for the cash we can take to the bank.

Il Centro for being our stalwart home base,

And Modo for getting our team to each place.

 

For sweet auction prizes, Chef Tret of Miantiao,

Goodridge & Williams Distilling, what a prize! Simply wow!

A few of our allies helped spread the word widely,

Chefs Table, Les Dames, SVP—thanks obligingly.

 

Our same dear four friends always help out with media,

Edible Vancouver, Jana Josue, Mavreen David--we see ya!

fiodesigns your design, as it graces our booklet,

Our words may be basic, but they sure don’t look it!

 

When farmers help out, it’s more moving than most,

Fresh Roots, Helmers, Klippers, it sure would be gauche…

Not to show our sincerest, heartfelt gratitude,

Zaklan Heritage—all of you—for donating food!

 

The Cache—I hope all of you sampled delights,

Its donors were many, though we set our sights…

On highlighting those who divert wasted food,

Cause isn’t it cool, that preservation attitude?

 

Big thanks for tonight, our highlights were many,

Thanks right off the bat, to Chef TJ Conwi.

Jeremy Fisher, the music that started our night,

Amber Bruce for teaching us cocktails done right.

 

Margaret Gallagher, your presence is simply required,

And though we’re on Zoom, you’re so nicely attired.

Farmer Gemma, Chef Phil for the interesting chat,

Collaborations like yours are just where it’s at.

 

We’ve got so many guests for events coming up!

I hope you don’t mind if we raise up a cup.

To Steph, and to Robin, to Devon, and Lori,

We can’t wait till you guide us and tell us your story.

 

Karima and Trixie, Linda, Amanda, and Matt,

Cassandra—each one of you, off come our hats!

As you teach, and you cook, and you quiz us with trivia,

Your talents are huge and we can’t wait to have ya!

 

Our staff and our board, though I say it each year,

We love you and truly you’re all why we’re here.

Volunteers too, we’re incredibly glad,

That you joined us and helped us. A good time was had!

 

With driving, and packing, and coordinating pick-ups,

You managed it all, with few to no hiccups!

Our usual thank you to dear SpencerCreo,

For providing our office, you truly are heroes.

 

A serious moment, to remember Ken Spencer,

A jovial, kind, and compassionate member…

Of the Growing Chefs family. His presence is missed.

His impact is felt through his generous gifts.

 

Amazing! We made it through all of the verses,

Thanks once again for opening your purses…

And hearts! To our cause, we are ever-so-grateful,

We’ll thank you in person, as soon as we’re able.

 

See you online at our next four events,

Now go drink your drinks, these thanks were intense!

Welcome to Our Newest Student Intern, Alex!

Hey friends! My name is Alex (she/her), and I will be joining Growing Chefs! this fall as a student intern while I pursue a degree in Sustainable Agriculture at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. When I was younger, I dreamed of my future career and I read books about massage therapy, mixology, and the behaviour of wolves, but I never imagined that I would one day be interested in agriculture. While I have always been a HUGE fan of tasty food and environmental studies, I did not realize this intersection at sustainable agriculture until I was in university. In school I discovered the amazing work that people do to push growing food to be more earth-friendly and community-friendly and this inspired me to change my school direction.

My school days are now filled with classes on an organic farm, collecting insects, learning about food systems, and joining Growing Chefs! in their quest to educate our communities. Much of the work I will be doing will be virtual, but it does not mean I feel any less a sense of togetherness as I did when I volunteered with Growing Chefs! in the fall of 2019. I am so pleased to be joining the team this semester and I encourage you to say hello to me if you see me around east Vancouver or on the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Campus.

In my free time I work to develop my mini jewellery business, spend time with my friends and family, exercise, listen to funny podcasts, grow vegetables, help run the Sustainable Agriculture Student Association at Kwantlen and volunteer with amazing groups such as Fresh Roots and the Astoria Urban Farm.

Thanks for reading!