On Sunday, October 5th, From Farms to Forks returns with its trademark kitchen party: an evening built around the singular, simple idea that kids should know real food – and the people who grow it.
The night gathers chefs, farmers and producers under one roof to cook, pour and share, while guests move from station-to-station for tasting plates, seasonal pairings, and a few good stories. Add live music and the energy of an open kitchen, and you’ve got a party that feels as fun as it is nourishing.
Fred Lee (a widely celebrated columnist) and Margaret Gallagher (award-winning writer and broadcaster) return as emcees, with Josephine Choi and the Leo Raymundo Jazz Trio setting the soundtrack. The goal is ambitious but necessary: raise $150,000 to expand Growing Chefs’ programs bringing food, learning and connection to kids and families across the Lower Mainland.
Who’s Cooking:
The Acorn — Matt Gostelow
Aiyaohno Cafe — Greg Uyeda & Bev Tsang
Anh and Chi — Amelie Nguyen & Vincent Nguyen
A-OK Commissary — Wayne Kozinko
Autostrada — Lucais Syme
Burdock and Co. — Andrea Carlson
Dosanko — Nathan Lowey
East Van Roasters — Jennifer Hallen
Folke — Colin Uyeda
Growing Chefs — Tasha Sawyer
Honey Salt — Jason Labahn
Karen McAthy
Liberty Bakery — Elizabeth Starr
Lila — Meeru Dhalwala & Shira Blustein
Livia — Claire Livia Lassam & Jordan Pires
Organic Ocean — Robert Clark
pilgrimme — Jesse McCleery & Melanie Witt
Selene Aegean Bistro — Calia Pacle
Tommy’s Whole Grain — Tommy Aird
Truffles Fine Foods — Tret Jordan
Who’s Growing:
Athiana Acres, Berrymobile, Cedar Isle Farm, Cropthorne Farm, East Van Roasters, Emerald Earth, Fanny Bay Oysters, Fresh Roots, Gathered Farm & Florals, Gathering Sage Farm, Glorious Organics, Hannah Brook Farm, Hazelmere Organics, Helmer’s Organic Farm, Hop Creek Farms, Klippers Organic Acres, Kula Foods, Legends Haul, Maia Farms, MYCA Farms, Organic Ocean, Sharing Farm, Snowy Mountain Farm, Sole Food Street Farms, Solstedt Organics, UBC Farm, Vari-Berry Farms, Vive Le Veg, Your Wildest Foods.
It all goes down on Sunday, October 5th from 5:30-9:30pm at A-OK Commissary (611 Alexander St). Early Bird tickets ($200) are still available – but only until Friday, September 5th! From then on, the cost is $250 per person, with limited (and dwindling!) quantities VIP and Group Packages also available to purchase. Every ticket sold backs the next generation’s right to good food. Get yours here.
WHY WE CARE
Understanding where food comes from isn’t something to tack on later in life — it needs to start young. When kids see carrots pulled from the ground, meet the farmer who raised the chickens, or taste bread baked from local grain, food stops being an abstract product on a shelf and becomes part of a living story. That connection shapes how they eat, how they value land and labour, and how they care for their communities as they grow up. From Farms to Forks is more than a fundraiser; it’s a chance to invest in that early spark of curiosity and respect, so the next generation knows real food, the people behind it, and the systems that make it possible.
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