Surrey Schools hosting Taste of BC Agriculture fundraiser April 29
Culinary students and staff from several Surrey schools are inviting the public on a journey of food from around the province on Saturday, April 29, as part of this year’s Taste of BC Agriculture fundraiser.
The annual event raises money for the BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation, which supports school culinary programs by supplying food from local farmers and producers. While the fundraiser has been hosted by various districts in the past, this is Surrey Schools’ first time.
“The BC Agriculture folks have been giving us educators quite a bit of free product through the Take a Bite of BC program and the their fruit and veggie programs,” said Mike Doyle, a teaching chef at Enver Creek Secondary. “This is a way to say thank you and give back a little bit to offset some of their costs, especially for transportation to deliver to the teaching kitchens and various schools.”
Enver Creek Secondary teaching chef Mike Doyle is one of the organizers of this year's Taste of BC Agriculture fundraiser, taking place Saturday, April 29 at the Resource Education Centre.
For about 15 years, the district has been a part of BC Agriculture’s programs, with the foundation providing such foods as oysters, salmon, chicken, artisan cheeses and fresh fruit.
“They’re pretty generous with the product that we get, and it gives teaching chefs the chance to use certain products that may be too expensive to bring in on their own,” said Doyle. “It also capitalizes on B.C. product and showcases what’s grown in our province, that’s the beauty of the program. It’s all local.”
In the past, the fundraiser has seen students provide plate service and wait on tables, but this year Doyle pitched the idea of an open kitchen and having students cook in front of guests. Doyle, along with teaching chefs John Buist from Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary and Meghan Dehghan from Frank Hurt Secondary, will lead their Grade 10, 11 and 12 students in cooking mushroom risotto and salmon skewers among numerous other dishes with a B.C. twist.
“It’s kind of the trend now with weddings and events to have chefs prepare the food in front of you, and I suggested doing food stations for teaching chefs to showcase their students and bring everybody together,” he said.
“For the young culinarians, it’s a great opportunity. It shows that outside of line service in a restaurant kitchen, there’s a whole other world of catering, and it could be very appealing to a lot of students. It’s another avenue to explore.”
The menu includes VQA wine selections, local beer from Barnside Brewing Company and Ravens Brewing Company, and appetizers such as leek and bacon mini quiche, twice baked potato skins, potstickers and crispy mushroom filo triangles. Entrées include a buddha bowl bar, Jamaican-style pork, vegetable stir-fry and turkey tacos, followed by crème brulée and vanilla ice cream with berry flambe for dessert. The night will also feature a silent auction and a spin wheel with many prizes to be won.
The Taste of BC Agriculture fundraiser takes place this Saturday, April 29, at the Resource & Education Centre, 14123 92 Ave. Doors and appetizers are at 4 p.m. with dinner at 5 p.m.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
