This Saturday, April 5, 30 Vancouverites will make home cooked meals for strangers all to benefit local charities during #dinnerpartyYVR, presented by Cressey. SPUD, Fortis BC and Two Rivers help provide the dinner ingredients, while Serendipity Winery and Granville Island Brewery will pour libations. After dinner, Modo, The Car-Coop will whisk diners off to the After Party, hosted at Meccanica.
And over the next two weeks, we'll be sharing some hobby chef's stories. To support a meal, visit dinnerpartyyvr.com.
Meet friends and hobby chefs Tami and Sondi.
Photo credit: Noah Ferguson
What inspired you to sign up for #dinnerpartyYVR?
Tami: The kitchen is my happy place. I love cooking and cultivating community through food, so it just made so much sense to participate.
Sondi: I love the idea of being part of a city-wide, communal event that brings people together over fresh, home-cooked food. Many of us eat while doing other things – in our cars, at our desks, in front of the computer or the television, etc. This is the opportunity to slow down, pay attention to our meal, support a charity, and maybe make some new friends!
What are you cooking?
We’re doing Asian-inspired comfort food in a healthy way. Since we’re both holistic nutritionists, it’s really important that our meal is not only delicious, but will also support our health and wellness. We want our guests to feel energized and strengthened after dinner, not as if they need to take a nap. Our meal is also extremely allergen-friendly: it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free and refined sugar-free; with vegan, soy-free and nut-free options.
What's your home like?
I’ve got a bright, open-concept home. I’m a neat girl, so there isn’t a lot of clutter. I love our kitchen and dining room. I really do have a dream kitchen, with lots of prep space and storage. Our dining room table was custom built for us and I adore it.
What neighbourhood do you live in? What do you love most about it?
Sondi: I live in East Van/Mount Pleasant and it’s a fabulous neighbourhood. We don’t own a car, so I’m within walking distance of everything I need and there is easy access to transit routes. There is plenty of green space around us too, and many lovely neighbours.
You chose the Sharing Farm. What's special about this cause to you?
This farm is a beautiful place! While in nutrition school, our class had the opportunity to tour the Farm, learn about their composting and urban agriculture methods. And we also got to get our hands dirty, it was a great day and they have lots of volunteer opportunities. They are all about food security, community involvement and education, and sharing the love!
