Last week we looked at the various consumer-oriented Toronto- and Ontario-based groups that advocate for local food. Today, in part 2, I’ve got info on regional groups in the GTA, Golden Horseshoe and beyond, as well as information on organic groups and organizations designed to serve the hospitality industry.

Regional Groups

Durham Farm Fresh - A guide to farmer’s markets, producers and growers as well as restaurants using local produce in Durham region.

Grown in Peel - Promotes local farms and produce in Peel region.

Hamilton Eat Local - A directory of local food information for folks in Hamilton. Includes info on community gardens, where to buy local produce and more.

Continue reading The Local Food Scene - Who Does What? Part 2 »

Although asparagus season is actually still at least a few weeks (okay, months) off, I keep trying to convince myself that any day now, I’ll run up to that display in my local supermarket’s produce section and the tag will say “Product of Ontario” instead of “Product of Peru”. Of course, when local asparagus becomes available, we’ll all know it - so many local organizations have popped up over the past few years to advocate for local food that they’ll be fighting to tell us all who has the first, best and cheapest asparagus around.

Despite working with and writing about many of the various regional food advocacy groups over the past couple of years, I still have a hard time remembering who does what. Which means that the average consumer in the Toronto area is probably even more bewildered than I am. Here then, is a brief primer, separated by category, of the various organizations, what they do, and where you can find them.

Continue reading The Local Food Scene - Who Does What? Part 1 »

David Farnell and Lulu Cohen-Farnell have outgrown their 9,000 square-foot kitchen. They need to double it. The reason is that, despite having just two children of their own, they cook for nearly 3,500 kids. Each day. From scratch.

Their business, catching the interest of many schools and even Queen’s Park, is called Real Food for Real Kids (RFRK). In 75 daycares across the GTA, the couple is instilling nutrition in the bodies and minds of youngsters. The target is to eliminate processed, nutrient-poor foods that typically populate kid’s menus and cafeterias.

Continue reading Watching Chicken Nuggets Disappear »

The Toronto Food Business Incubator
133 Rivalda Road
416-401-8888

So, you’ve got a great idea for a food product. You’ve done your research, studied the market, and put together a business plan. You’re sure you’ve got a hit on your hands. But what’s your next step? Where do you find the space to actually make your product? You might want to check out the program at the Toronto Food Business Incubator (TFBI) - a new not for profit facility that offers low-volume local food entrepreneurs the assistance and guidance to take their ideas from the business plan stage straight through to getting the products into the marketplace – either onto restaurant tables or retailers’ shelves.

Now before you pick up the phone and request an application, please note this is not the place for those who want to fast-track their grandmother’s prize-winning strawberry jam recipe onto Loblaws’ shelves in six months.

Continue reading Chickens Need Not Apply »

For over 60 years, the Toronto Vegetarian Association has been working on behalf of vegetarians in our city. Originally a group that simply organized dinners, over the years the association has published two cookbooks, created an annual directory, set up a publically-accessible resource centre, and annually hosts the largest vegetarian food fair in North America, with an attendance of over 15,000 people. Membership in the association has grown to over 1000 people.

Over the past two years, executives, staff and volunteers have worked to create a strategic plan up to the year 2010. With efforts concentrated on different areas for each of the three years, the TVA has determined to focus on the issues of Environment for 2008, Health for 2009 and Compassion for Animals in 2010.

Continue reading All it Takes Is a Plan »

Yesterday morning I walked past St. Philip’s Pantry on King Street West at about 7am, and stopped to scratch my head because there was a Global TV van parked in the curb lane. They had claimed a prime spot for the 10am press conference where it was announced that Parkdale’s only food bank would be closing down.

During the press conference, local politicians were on hand to announce that they had collectively raised enough money out of their own pockets to keep St. Philip’s Pantry open until Christmas; the generous donations from MP Peggy Nash, MPP Cheri DiNovo and councillor Gord Perks totaled $2000.

But this little food bank needs more than that to stay afloat. For the past 20 years, St. Philips Pantry has been run by nearby Holy Family Church, but with operating costs of $33,000 a year, that figure has become unsustainable for the church to maintain. Rent alone is $2,000 per month.

Continue reading S.O.S. - Save Our Food Bank! »

There’s an old saying that goes “If women ruled the world, there would be no war.” Now I don’t actually believe this for a second, and despite my dislike of Bush and Cheney, I honestly believe they are the “softening factor” that is keeping Condoleeza Rice from turning the Middle East and North Korea into a literal dead zone. And we can all come up with examples of really scary women who really shouldn’t be running anything coughAnnCoultercough because their world view is just the teensiest bit warped.

But in general, women are likely to be more nurturing and empathetic than aggressive. In the realm of the restaurant industry, particularly the more mainstream businesses, being a woman in a kitchen can be pretty tough. There’s generally a lot of cursing, a lot of testosterone, and in some places, cheese throwing. And that’s when service is at its busiest. Downtime can quickly devolve to an adolescent level, which can be even worse.

A partial solution to the concerns that women in the food industry might have is the Women’s Culinary Network. Created in 1990 by four female chefs who found themselves working together in a small kitchen, the Network aims to create a place where female culinary professionals can get together to share experiences and define a supportive work environment.

Continue reading The Women’s Culinary Network - A Kinder, Gentler Approach to the Kitchen »

Toronto offers an entire summer full of cultural festivals, all of which are either focused on food, or at which food plays a major role. For some folks, though, there is no allure to an endless parade of BBQ, souvlaki, too-salty prosciutto or greasy kielbasa. Which is why Toronto’s vegetarian community is always especially delighted to end the summer on a meat-free note, with one of the largest vegetarian food fairs in North America.

Now in its 23rd year, the Vegetarian Food Fair, put together by the Toronto Vegetarian Association, takes over Harbourfront Centre for three days of workshops, demos, exhibitors, music, performances and much more. It’s a chance for local vegetarians and vegans to check out new products, watch cooking demos and browse the Association’s onsite bookstore. This year, the cookbook section, always a favourite, has been expanded due to popular demand.

Continue reading Christmas in September For Vegetarians »