Certain individuals have a magical ability to inspire. Sometimes even just being in their presence energizes and produces thoughts that dare you to change the world. Barbara Finley is one of those gems and we were lucky enough to see her in action as we learned about her award-winning program, Project Chef.
An educator for more than 25 years, Barbara witnessed first-hand the disconnect between children and their food. She watched as obesity and diabetes levels rose and the meals kids were eating became increasingly processed, lacking nutrition. In 2008, she decided change was needed and created Project Chef. The non-profit initiative collaborates with the Vancouver School Board, visiting classrooms across the city for one- or multi-week periods, teaching students kindergarten to Grade 7 the knowledge and skills required to make healthy food choices. The structure involves a lesson and demo by a teacher-chef, after which students cook the same meal in small groups at their own stations (with supervision, of course). Local ingredients are used whenever possible and meals are balanced to include fresh produce, dairy and alternatives, whole grains and protein. After the meal is prepared, groups dine around the table together, where conversation is encouraged and fun new ingredients are discussed (like dinosaur kale and honeyboat squash!).
Recognizing the incredible impact of the program and due to its own appreciation for all things culinary, this past week Eat! Vancouver donated the net proceeds from its 2017 event to Project Chef, totalling a whopping $25,000! The annual food and cooking festival involves 37 local and guest chefs and welcomes visitors from all over North America. With world-class cuisine and generous support of local organizations, we’ve already marked our calendars for this year’s event, taking place November 5 to 10, 2018. Bon appétit! —Rachel Johnston
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