Coho Collective and Flavours of Hope Present Dream Cuisines
Coho Collective teams up with Flavours of Hope to celebrate women entrepreneurs, migration, and building a home through shared food experiences on May 19, 2021. Coho Collective and Flavours of Hope are nurturing dreams and supercharging small food businesses with the inaugural launch of Dream Cuisines: A Newcomer Women’s Food Business Pilot Program. The kick-off, virtual event features cooking demos from three women entrepreneurs hailing from Mexico and Egypt and talks from special guests Jackie Kai Ellis and Sharon Bond-Hogg. Ticket proceeds support Flavours of Hope in growing and sustaining the Dream Cuisines program.
“We wanted to create a digital forum for anyone passionate about culture, food, language, and migration. And also, for those who believe in the strength, resilience, and creativity of refugee women,” explains Trixie Ling, founder of Flavours of Hope. “Through this event, we will show the community how food can bring a sense of home and belonging to their lives.”
Attendees will get to meet: Angelica Davalos Ramirez, a baker incorporating Mexican flavours in her cookies, cupcakes, and donuts; Huda Abd Elhamid, an Egyptian cook representing her culture through food and her mother’s recipes; and Angeles Canedo, a Mexican cook using traditional clay pots (cazuelas) and natural ingredients to prepare authentic dishes.
The three women comprise Dream Cuisines: A Newcomer Women’s Food Business Pilot Program’s first cohort, created by Flavours of Hope in March. The program aims to help refugee women develop their food ventures through collaborative leadership and peer-based knowledge sharing, with Coho Collective providing kitchen space, mentorship, and access to resources.
“When Trixie first approached us with the idea, we knew Coho had to be part of these women’s journeys in Canada,” says Jennifer Chan, spokesperson for Coho Collective. “Food can play a pivotal role in creating a sense of belonging in a new country. We are happy to offer a space for them to work and be part of our tight-knit collaborative and entrepreneurial community, as well as provide mentorship while they grow their businesses.”
The launch of Dream Cuisines will also feature talks from special guests Kai Ellis, a designer, entrepreneur, founder of Beaucoup Bakery, and author of bestselling memoir The Measure of My Powers; and Bond-Hogg, a Nooaitch First Nation member and CEO/founder of Kekuli Cafe, an Indigenous cuisine restaurant with province-wide franchise locations.
Tickets start at $20 and are available for purchase online now via Eventbrite. Those interested in a more interactive experience can purchase limited, deluxe tickets at $60, which includes a Dream Box featuring an entree, starter, dessert, and a drink crafted by Davalos Ramirez, Abd Elhamid, and Canedo. For more information on Flavours of Hope, please visit www.flavoursofhope.com. For more information about Coho Collective, please visit www.cohocommissary.com.
