Dinner planning initial ideas

From Common Energy UVic

Back to Local Foods Dinner

[edit] Step 1 - Is this event worth holding?

Purpose

Primary:

• social: to engage conference participants in a fun and low impact way;
• economic: to be financially self-supporting;
• environmental: to put into practice some of the principles of Common Energy.

Secondary:

• social: to raise awareness of the importance of local foods.
• economic: to generate revenue for other aspects of the conference;
• environmental: to inform participants of CE's current progress and the purpose of the conference.

1) Does this event merit the time and effort? Lots of time will be needed, however it has many benefits, as listed above. Yes.
2) Is the type of event properly matched to the purpose that it serves? yes
3) Do you have the necessary support? yes.

[edit] Step 2 - The Major Details

Local Foods Dinner - The Major Details

Main Detail	Description	Lead Organizer(s)	Tasks
What?	Local Foods Dinner	Caitlin and Mark	Create a menu: need to contact Matt Christie, who has kindly volunteered to be our lead chef. Need to discuss seafood and meat possibilities versus an entirely vegetarian menu. Discuss how we can raise the profile of farmer's at the event. farmer profiles acknowledgement Prepare to make contact with farmers - need to include information about Common Energy; why we are putting on a local foods dinner; why we value local foods; why it would be advantageous for them to sell food to us. Start securing food: make contact with farmers, food roots, etc...
Who?	The target audience for this event is the conference participants, which includes students, university staff, faculty and administration and regional partners, specifically municipal counsellors and staff.		Design and create tickets. Organize schedule to sell tickets.
Where?	We are currently in the process of investigating locations. We need a location with a kitchen, a large space with tables to fit 200 - 300 people, and a stage. Maya Chorobik suggests the 1st Metropolitan Church on Balmoral and Quadra. We have inquired, and waiting for reply.	Mark	Tables, chairs, plates, cutlery.
When?	September 28th [Evening Timeline]	Coordination Team

[edit] Some possible suggestions

• A major selling point of local food is that it tastes better! This is a very important point, if people leave the dinner thinking the food was subpar, it is does not change anyone's mind to seek out local. A possible avenue to ensure it is 'tasty' is the Island Chef Collaborative. This is a group of professional chefs that are already involved with local-in season foods. To partner with the chefs (assume they would be advisors to volunteer chefs or something like that) would help us ensure our food is of the highest quality. (Also know one of the chefs to be able to broach the subject).
• Important debate is vegetarianism or allowing meat and sea fish in some of our dishes. If we want to promote tasty food it might be important to include some meat dishes as it is difficult to find lots of locally grown protein, and it is possible to promote ethical and sustainable meat and sea food.
• Salt is a fairly integral part of good tasting meals, we should seek out some local salt and go on a salt mission if need be (either that or call it fair to include salt)... Added: Salt Mission could be fun and opportunity to engage others (row boat on the open ocean)??
• To help build community, we could use the South Vancouver Island Direct Farm Marketing Association to contact farmers in the area to invite them to join in the feast. They could be give an id of some sort that identifies them as a farmer and the name of their farm. The logic behind this would be that people can start to make a personal connection with a local farmer at the table.
• If we are at the same time as the conference, we might not need a speaker but if not, then Caitlin proposed James McKinnon/Alisa Smith of the 100 mile diet as a good speaker
• Another speaker idea would be a local producer (although not as much big name draw).
• This dinner would also be a good spot to allow the Campus Community Garden to advertise to the campus community, also to maybe give a talk about the space and the challenges it faces?
• Probably best to contact farmers and find out what is readily available, and then plan menu around this information.