There is an interesting dinner coming up: Instead of chasing luxury ingredients, a group of Vancouver chefs are turning their attention to what’s already here, and in many cases, out of balance.

Eat the Invaders brings together 12 cooks to work with species that are either invasive or overabundant across BC, building a tasting event around ingredients such as sea urchin, wild seaweed, venison, Manila clams, and Pacific oysters. It’s direct, a little confrontational, and grounded in the idea that what we choose to eat can shift ecosystems in a real way.

But for a bit more detail on invaders, here is a clip that we lifted from Chef Robin Kort’s website that answers the question “What is an “Invader”?” nicely:

“Our team of biologists and food specialists had a great time researching our potential ingredient list. Focusing on invasive or overabundant species, whether native or introduced, and looking at them through the lens of sustainability. Could harvesting more of them be an aid to native ecosystems was the pivotal question. An ‘Invader’ from this perspective is a very successful plant, for example, that it would be useful to eat more of.”

Tickets are $129–$169. Proceeds support Peninsula Streams & Shorelines Society, a Vancouver Island group doing the kind of restoration work that doesn’t get much spotlight but carries real weight.

Guests will walk through LaSalle College’s new culinary facilities, moving station to station, eating inside the working kitchens rather than a dressed-up dining room (thank-you!). Basically, the event sounds like it’s part open house, part tasting menu, with a chance to see how each chef handles the brief.

Andrea Carlson, Tushar Tondvalkar, Matt Gostelow, Kenta Takahashi, and a stacked lineup behind them, each taking a different angle on the same problem.

The lineup of talent includes:

Andrea Carlson (Burdock & Co), Will Lew (Pacific Reach), Sharon Chan (MamaInTheKitchen), Kenta Takehashi (Boulevard), Cheryl Chang (Nourish), Thoshan (Secret Chef), Tushar Tondvalkar (Kavita), Kenji Nguyen (Good Thief), Matt Gostelow (Acorn), Joel Barohn (NYC), Julian Bond (LaSalle), Robin Kort (Swallow Tail)

Also on deck for the cause, and the evening:

Tealeaves, Earnest Ice Cream, Glimmer de-alcoholized wine, Le Vieux Pin Winery, La Stella Winery, Sea Cider, Container Brewing, Fanny Bay Oysters, Sheringham Distillery, Elephant Island Winery, Lock & Worth, Nicole Vineyards, Joie Farm Winery, Edna’s Non-Alcoholic Cocktails, Intercity Packers, Sea View Game Farm, Eat Wild and Ocean Wise

There’s a practical backbone here:  Urchin barrens, overpopulation, disrupted coastlines – if these ingredients are part of the issue, they can also be part of the response.

This is one of those events that works on two levels. You go because the food will be interesting. You leave with a better sense of what’s happening just below the surface and contributing to developing a conversation around it. We’re in.

Friday, May 22 | 5pm–10pm | La Salle College | Tickets available here.