The Island Chefs Collaborative (icc) is a community of food and beverage professionals with a common interest in regional food security, the preservation of farmland and the development of local food systems.
In 2013/14, ICC partnered with Island Health Authority to bring the Growing Chefs program to Victoria and Pat Carrico`s 2013/14 Grade 3 class was chosen to pilot this wonderful program!
ICC chef volunteers are paired with a grade 3 class to give students hands-on experience growing and cooking their own food. Over the course of three and a half months, the chefs visited the classroom every two weeks and helped the students plant and tend their indoor vegetable garden.
The chefs engaged the students in games, lessons, and activities focusing on plant growth, local and urban agriculture, sustainability, and nutrition. The students harvest their vegetables, and the chefs taught them to cook delicious, healthy meals with was grown.
A huge thank you to Carolyn Morris and Ms Carrico for sponsoring and supporting this program at our school. What an amazing opportunity!
The Vic West PAC hopes this can be an annual event for all grade 3 students.
More information can be found at http://www.growingchefs.ca.
For additional information on the ICC please see www.iccbc.ca.