Raising Fund for Earthbites School Garden Program

Some of Vancouver’s most talented and award-winning chefs have signed on to teach cooking classes to adults in order to raise funds to help kids connect with their food.

The list is impressive and includes a diverse array of Vancouver chefs:

• Chris Whittaker (Forage) – BC Restaurant Hall of Fame 2015 Inductee; Georgia Straight Golden Plate Awards: tied for second, Best Use of Local Ingredients 2015
• Sharon Hanna (The Book of Kale) –  International Gourmand Award for Canada in 2014.; Taste Canada Food Award in 2013; Mayor’s Prize for Environmental Excellence in 2006.

• Shelome Bouvette (Chicha) – Voted #2 Best Latin Georgia Straight Golden Plates Awards 2014; Forbes Travel Magazine: Top 5 new bistros in Vancouver 2013
• Dawn Doucette (Culinary Concepts) – Top Chef Canada Competitor Season 4
• Alex Tung (La Grotta Del Formaggio) – First Place, Rustichella d’Abruzzo 2014 Primograno International Pasta Competition 2014
• Meeru Dhalwala (Vij’s, Rangoli) – Georgia Straight Golden Plate Awards Best North Indian 2015; #3 Best Overall Restaurant 2015
• Robert Clark (The Fish Counter) – Georgia Straight Golden Plate Awards Best Seafood Store 2015; Murray A. Newman Award for Significant Achievement in Aquatic Conservation 2013; SeaWeb Seafood Champion Award 2011
• Clement Chan (Le Tigre/Torafuku) – Culinary Team Canada; Top Chef Canada Competitor 2013; National 2010 Canadian Chef of the Year
• Linda Antony (Meet on Main, Anthony and Sons) – Vancouver’s newest vegan comfort food bistro specializing in gluten-free, wholesome, vegetarian and vegan cuisine
• Oliver Zulauf (Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co.) – Georgia Straight Golden Plate Awards #2 Best Kid Friendly Restaurant
• Alana Peckham (Alligga, Alana Peckham Catering) – Winner Chopped Canada 2015; Gold Medal Plate 2011
• Greg Hook (Chocolate Arts) – Georgia Straight Golden Plates Award #3 Best Chocolate Shop 2015

In addition to the fabulous support from these remarkable chefs and growers and long-time supporter Vancity, Cook Culture, Tickets Tonight, Hemlock Printers, and the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition will also be promoting the classes. “The community support is fabulous and the children are really going to benefit from this program expansion.”

EarthBites was founded in 2007 and is an initiative of the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Education Society. “It’s so much more than a school garden program,” explains founder Suzanne Fielden.  “The children learn how to grow, harvest, craft and sell their food and they also learn about nutrition.” Now in five schools, the children are taught by a dedicated team of urban growers, nutritionists & entrepreneurs passionate about engaging children directly with the food they eat. “Until now, Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co., Vancity grants, and the children’s pocket market income have been funding this program,” Fielden adds, “but with the expansion of the program into new schools this year, we felt some self-generating revenue was needed and came up with the idea of cooking and growing classes for adults.” Tickets are now available for the 2015 cooking classes and information about their growing classes will be posted soon.

The cooking classes will be taught at the new demonstration kitchen at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition on West Broadway. The 2015 classes are $85 each and begin August 8^th with Chef Chris Whittaker’s “Wild Things” and run until November 12^th with Chef Greg Hook’s “Caramel Caramel Caramel” just in time for the holidays.

More information about the classes and tickets can be found on their website at earthbites.ca