Red seal chefs will be preparing a delicious dinner featuring fresh local produce for a fundraising dinner in support of culinary arts programs in the province.
Taste of Spring is the B.C. Agriculture in the Classroom’s annual event that raises money and awareness about the organization’s programs. The foundation’s goal is to teach students across the province the importance of agriculture and where their food comes from by delivering fresh local product into teaching kitchens.
“So [students] can taste an apple, a carrot or hothouse vegetables so they get a really good understanding of what farmers do in our community,” explained Emma Sweeney, with the non-profit foundation.
Funds raised at the event will be going back into the programs such as Spuds in Tubs, in which teachers and students are given all the tools necessary to grow potatoes in the classroom.
“We have quite a large wait list for teachers to get on that program,” said Sweeney.
“They get seed potatoes, soil plant food and instructions and support as to how they can grow those in their classroom,” she said adding that everything is free through the program.
There is also the Harvest Bin project that is new for the 2018 school year. This is where schools will be provided with raised beds and seed money to establish their own growing gardens to supplement their Food Studies curriculum and help students learn the business of farming on a small scale.
And the +Milk program that, in 2016, delivered fresh milk to more than 156,000 primary school students from kindergarten to Grade 5 in partnership with the B.C. Dairy Association.
Taste of Spring is going to start with a reception featuring craft beer from Foamers’ Folly Brewing Co. in Pitt Meadows and Ravens Brewing Company in Abbotsford.
“It’s a chance for people to mingle, learn about our educational programs for students, we’ll have some display stuff out front,” said Sweeney.
Dinner will be a four course meal done by red seal chefs from Maple Ridge that run the culinary arts programs. Chef Trevor Randle from Maple Ridge secondary, Chef Brian Smith from Thomas Haney secondary and Chef Daniel Lenes from Garibaldi secondary will be serving dinner with help from some of their culinary arts students.
There will be live entertainment by students from Thomas Haney secondary, door prizes and a live dessert auction of pies and cakes made by chefs who participate in the organizations programs.
Local wine will be served with dinner.
More than 90 per cent of public schools participate in the organization’s fruit and veggie nutritional program. But there are always nine or ten programs that always need funding explained Sweeney.
There are more than 1,400 schools in the province that take part in the Take A Bite of B.C. programs.
Taste of Spring takes place from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on April 21 at Thomas Haney secondary, 23000 – 116 Ave. in Maple Ridge.
Pre-dinner appetizers will include charcuterie board, mini ratatouille on Belgian endive leaves, pulled turkey in profiteroles and an open face sandwich with Oriental pork tenderloin. Roasted B.C. tomato and red pepper soup with basil oil will be served before the main course that will feature roasted Duxelle chicken breast, natural jus, local nugget potatoes, sauteed vegetables and pea puree.
Tickets are $80 per person or $600 for a table of eight and a tax receipt will be issued for half of the ticket cost.
• For more information, go to bcaitc.ca.