Chefs Glen and Erin launch Restaurants for Change!

Bonterra chefs join a national movement for fairer food systems in Canada.

This past weekend Creative Restaurants Executive Chef Glen Manzer and Pastry Chef Erin Vrba travelled to Toronto to meet with chefs from across the country and help launch Restaurants for Change.

An annual one-night fundraiser, this year’s Restaurants for Change will bring together more than 65 restaurants across Canada as they donate full or partial proceeds from dinner service on October 19th to support healthy food programs in Community Food Centres across the country.

At the launch Glen and Erin met with Chefs from Dartmouth to Vancouver to talk about why they believe in this cause and to learn more about how chefs can inspire change in a growing movement that supports nutrient dense — not calorie dense — food for all.

Currently four million Canadians struggle to access enough healthy food for a healthy life. Last year over 100,000 Canadians visited a Community Food Centre – with 92 per cent saying that in using this program, they felt like they belonged to a community.

This September in Calgary, The Alex Community Food Centre opened its doors, marking the first community food centre in Calgary. The Alex is not just a place to grab a nutritious meal, it’s also a place to gather with community members, take a class, grow a garden or learn a new skill.

This cause is VERY important to Creative Restaurants because we believe in simple, good food that is grown in a sustainable manner in a system which treats people well.

Throughout Glen and Erin’s kitchens (which include Bonterra Trattoria, Cibo, Scopa, Posto, Parc Brasserie and Lina’s Italian Market) There is one common theme — the best food comes from the best ingredients and everyone deserves to eat and be treated fairly.

We know that chefs and restaurants are incredible allies in the fight for a fairer and healthier food system and are committed to supporting local food systems, local producers and the right to good food for all.

You can easily support this cause by reserving your table on October 19th at Bonterra Trattoria and enjoying a meal with family and friends. We will donate 100 per cent of our food sales to The Alex Community Food Centre and the CFCC.

Learn more about the Alex Community Food Centre here. Learn more about Community Food Centres Canada here.