7237 Ella Rd. Sooke
BC.
Nature’s Chef Academy – Wild Culinary Arts Program
Day 6 – Spring Forage – Sustainable Wildfood Gathering
Join for a day of plant connection with Ethnobotanist Fiona Chambers & Tom Kral, Nature’s Chef. Learn how to harness the powers of wildfoods, sustainably. How you can actually benefit the plants from building a harmonious relationship, cultivating the wild ecosystems. Some of these methods go back into Northwest First People ways. We aim to bring back some of this knowledge in return to help protect the native landscapes that in return support local food systems. As we do so these practices have amazing capability to build resilient communities.
In this workshop you will learn;
– What is out there to forage
– Ethical harvesting practices
– How to process
– Preserving methods
– Wildfood recipes
– How to cultivate wildfoods
Event will include a wildcrafted snack and gathered tea to give you a connection to these foods.
This workshop is part of a wild culinary arts series, to find out more about upcoming workshops, see Nature’s Chef calendar.
Join our Facebook event here
To register yourself for this culinary opportunity click the ticket link to proceed to Eventbrite. Space limited to 12 participants.
You must be of adult age or have consent from a parent or guardian.
Cost $50 + tax total $54.06 *includes tastings
Please contact the chef if you have any inquiries.
tom@natureschef.ca
250.580.0010
Regarding COVID protocols, if you at all feel ill or have been in contact with someone that is ill or have been off the island travelling or have been part of a large gathering recently we recommend that you stay at home.
We are implementing extra steps in keeping things sanitary. Our gathering is small and manageable with ample space between each other. We hope this brings some ease of mind and heart. Please feel free to come out and learn what nature has to offer.
About your hosts;
Fiona Chambers – Ethnobotanist
Fiona’s research focuses on traditional foods and how northwest coast First Peoples managed and co-evolved with their plant resources. Her PhD work on B.C.’s Central Coast, working collaboratively with the Heiltsuk First Nation and supervised by renowned ethnobotanist Dr. Nancy J Turner, investigates how key berry plants were cultivated and owned in ‘gardens’. The importance of these species, which were historically significant in terms of food, culture, trade and landscape management, today has not been fully acknowledged or studied. Her goal is to define the features of a traditional berry garden, understand how these were created and managed, then scientifically test the efficacy of traditional management methods in controlled experiments. Ultimately, the hope is for this applied research to act as a link between traditional knowledge and practice and the needs of First Nations communities today. Fiona is a long-time organic farmer and commercial seed grower specializing in food plants and soft fruit production. She has lectured at UVic since 1999 and also teaches at Pacific Rim College, BMSC, Royal Roads University and through UVic’s Continuing Studies Department. She grew up in the First Nations communities of Nitnaht Lake (Clo-oose) and Penelakut (formerly Kuper) Island, where she maintains close ties. Her love of the outdoors, plants and nature began at an early age, while homesteading with her family in the bush in what is now Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, travelling abroad, and extended visits with her farming family in the UK countryside. Fiona holds an MA from the University of Victoria (French and Environmental Studies), an MSc from Oxford (Environmental Change and Management), and a Masters in Environmental Design from the University of Calgary. She has authored or co-authored numerous field guides, including Wild Berries of BC, Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada, and Wild Berries of Ontario. She owns and operates Metchosin Farm, a small organic operation on Southern Vancouver Island specializing in heritage and locally-adapted seeds as well as a wide variety of soft fruits. She lectures extensively to elementary, high school and community groups about native plant uses and stewardship, and very much enjoys her teaching time in Bamfield.
Nature’s Chef, Tom Kral
Over 20 years of professional cooking experience and a bloodline of cooks has evolved Tom Kral into Nature’s Chef. From a child growing up in a European deli and spending time at the family cottage, camping and foraging played a important role of his life that developed a deep connection with nature. Following his passion for cooking it led him down a path of being trained by some of the worlds best chefs, then to owner of a renowned restaurant and catering business in Toronto, ON. After a chef burn out and a awakening he finally came to settle in supernatural BC because of the irresistible call for the wild. His passion for putting medicine back into our food quickly grew into a whole new genre of dining experience, which he delivers to others through edutainment.
https://natureschef.ca/
Elemental Collective
The Elemental Collective seeks to create a harmonious culture of humans living in attunement with the natural community of plants, animals and elemental powers. Through offering nature education workshops, retreats & culinary events, art, healing, ceremony and celebratory events we strive to inspire further generations of land stewards and community co-operatives by sharing the knowledge needed to sustain and thrive as human beings. Honoring all life forces & fostering a deeper commitment with the Earth, we attend to the interwoven threads of personal, community and bioregional relationships. By forming a Co-operative we are bringing together the diverse gifts, knowledge and experience of our team, the Elemental Guardians, to purchase the land we are living on, in order to bring a much needed alternative project of ‘doing business differently’ than most of the current models that are in crisis. It is a visionary task, and there are countless challenges to surmount, but the steadfast hearts of our fellowship are up for the adventure!
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