http://www.tableedeschefs.org/en/home

The Chef Table is an initiative out of Quebec whose self-declared mission is to “fight against hunger by nourishing less privileged families and by developing culinary autonomy for future generations in order to break down the eventual cycle of food bank dependency.“ Having seen the good work the organization had done in Quebec, Tradeworks reached out and inquired whether there was a possibility of extending the Chef Table into Vancouver. There was.

Once a week, the students of Tradeworks’ RONA Fabshop head into a local kitchen to participate in the Chef Table’s ‘food knowledge transfer’ program: a series of workshops intended to introduce youth to cooking and healthier eating. Directed by a professional chef, the students are shown how to prepare a variety of interesting, healthy meals that will improve their dietary standards and provide them with greater culinary independence. Since this program is tailored specifically for these youths, it is adaptable based on their needs and expectations. It recognizes the importance of a healthy diet as part of a happy and productive lifestyle.

Beyond its knowledge transfer program, the Chef Table also intends to start a ‘food brokerage’ program in Vancouver, as it has done in Quebec. The brokerage will act as a liaison between food surplus producers and the organizations that redistribute the food to low-income people. The Chef Table takes care of the logistics involved in getting the food from donors to recipients.

Tradeworks prides itself on providing opportunity to the students involved in our programs. Beyond providing training for a career in the trades, we seek to provide a solid platform to give these at-risk youth a chance to live the best life they can. Our partnership with the Chef Table reflects this ambition, and we’re pleased to offer our full support to this noble endeavor.