Paying it forward with soup

Last week, when Canada’s biggest foodie event of the year started, United Way was there raising awareness about food security issues in the Lower Mainland and raising money for nutritious snacks for children in United Way-funded after-school programs. On Friday, January 20, the Chef Soup Experiment kicked off the Dine Out Vancouver Festival.  Top chefs from Vancouver’s restaurants all added an ingredient to a soup stock pot.  Students from the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts produced, simmered and then served the collaborative soup outside of the Culinary Arts Institution at 1505 West 2^nd Avenue on Granville Island. The hearty tomato-based soup was dubbed confetti soup. Soup was ladled out with love for a suggested donation of $5 with donations benefitting United Way’s “Stop the Growl” initiative that provides nourishing and wholesome food to BC children and families in need. “This is a partnership that we really warmed up to,” said Michael McKnight, President & CEO, United Way British Columbia. “United Way’s Stop the Growl initiative helps kids access nutritious food and lifelong knowledge about how to eat well and be healthy.” “This was our first year joining forces with a charitable organization for Dine Out, and we couldn’t ask for a better partner than United Way,” said Lucas Pavan, festival coordinator. “Dine Out encourages people to broaden their palates while spending time with friends and family, but it’s also a powerful tool in helping to bring awareness to the number of residents in our region who don’t have access to basic nutritious food. On behalf of everyone who helps to organize the festival, thank you to everyone who attended the Chef Soup Experiment and donated towards this important cause.” Special thanks to the Real Canadian Superstore for their support in helping to make this year’s Chef Soup Experiment possible. Altogether, just under $1,000 was raised to help kids. Last year, United Way provided nutritious snacks to almost 50,000 children in United Way-funded after-school programs.

Vancouver’s top chefs and their ingredients pictured at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts.