The last few weeks at The Dep has seen the realization of a project that an amazing group of volunteers have been working on for many weeks. The idea was simple: there were many Syrian refugee families stuck in hotels awaiting relocation, often for weeks on end, with no access to kitchens. Could we make The Dep available to them so they could cook food for their themselves and their families, in a fun, social setting?
It was more challenging than expected to find a way to connect with the community of families in the hotels, navigating bureaucratic and language barriers, but thanks to the hard work of some amazing people including Rahaf & Esmaeel Al Akabani and Yasmine Nasef from The Welcome Project, Mahmoud Allouch and Roula Ajib from the Arab Community Centre, Monica Abdelkader from COSTI, and the incredible support of Caroline Keenan, Andrea Diaz Varela, Cara Benjamin-Pace, Michelle Krasny (who also took these great photos) and Basil AlZeri, it all came together.
The day was a big success, with nearly a dozen mothers, young and old, coming together to cook and hang out and share a meal. The goal is to try and make this a regular event at The Dep, and once they get comfortable in the space, to invite them to make extra food that can be made available for sale for pick-up or delivery, providing them a revenue stream and entrepreneurial opportunity. There are still lots of logistical issues to figure out, from transportation to scheduling to child care to translation, but if today’s success is any indication, this amazing group will figure it all out.
The outpouring of support for this project has been incredible and overwhelming! Our team is working hard to be able to do this again ASAP, and to keep everyone in the loop.
To start we have set up some basic online resources for those who want to stay up-to-date on this project, or who may want to support it further once we figure out our next steps.
There is now a Facebook Group you can join:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NewcomerKitchen/
A mailing list where you can add your email:
http://eepurl.com/bYqCnj
Or you can follow it on Twitter or Instagram @newcomerkitchen
Direct inquires can be sent to newcomerkitchen@thedepanneur.ca
We will continue posting to the website, you can check in on updates here.
Newcomer Kitchen
The last few weeks at The Dep has seen the realization of a project that an amazing group of volunteers have been working on for many weeks. The idea was simple: there were many Syrian refugee families stuck in hotels awaiting relocation, often for weeks on end, with no access to kitchens. Could we make The Dep available to them so they could cook food for their themselves and their families, in a fun, social setting?
It was more challenging than expected to find a way to connect with the community of families in the hotels, navigating bureaucratic and language barriers, but thanks to the hard work of some amazing people including Rahaf & Esmaeel Al Akabani and Yasmine Nasef from The Welcome Project, Mahmoud Allouch and Roula Ajib from the Arab Community Centre, Monica Abdelkader from COSTI, and the incredible support of Caroline Keenan, Andrea Diaz Varela, Cara Benjamin-Pace, Michelle Krasny (who also took these great photos) and Basil AlZeri, it all came together.
The day was a big success, with nearly a dozen mothers, young and old, coming together to cook and hang out and share a meal. The goal is to try and make this a regular event at The Dep, and once they get comfortable in the space, to invite them to make extra food that can be made available for sale for pick-up or delivery, providing them a revenue stream and entrepreneurial opportunity. There are still lots of logistical issues to figure out, from transportation to scheduling to child care to translation, but if today’s success is any indication, this amazing group will figure it all out.
The outpouring of support for this project has been incredible and overwhelming! Our team is working hard to be able to do this again ASAP, and to keep everyone in the loop.
To start we have set up some basic online resources for those who want to stay up-to-date on this project, or who may want to support it further once we figure out our next steps.
There is now a Facebook Group you can join:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NewcomerKitchen/
A mailing list where you can add your email:
http://eepurl.com/bYqCnj
Or you can follow it on Twitter or Instagram @newcomerkitchen
Direct inquires can be sent to newcomerkitchen@thedepanneur.ca
We will continue posting to the website, you can check in on updates here.
Newcomer Kitchen – April 20
Another amazing day, this one including a full shopping trip, and making hundreds of delicious kibbeh from scratch! A huge thanks for all the hard work of our volunteers, and to Joe’s No Frills for their generous contribution towards our groceries.
Newcomer Kitchen – Communication Basics
The outpouring of support for this project has been incredible and overwhelming! Our team is working hard to be able to do this again ASAP, and to keep everyone in the loop.
To start we have set up some basic online resources for those who want to stay up-to-date on this project, or who may want to support it further once we figure out our next steps.
There is now a Facebook Group you can join:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NewcomerKitchen/
A mailing list where you can add your email:
http://eepurl.com/bYqCnj
Or you can follow it on Twitter or Instagram @newcomerkitchen
Direct inquires can be sent to newcomerkitchen@thedepanneur.ca
We will continue posting to the website, you can check in on updates here:
http://thedepanneur.ca/category/newcomerkitchen/
Newcomer Kitchen – Day 1
Wednesday was an exciting and important day for The Dep, the realization of a project that an amazing group of volunteers have been working on for many weeks. The idea was simple: there were many Syrian refugee families stuck in hotels awaiting relocation, often for weeks on end, with no access to kitchens. Could we make The Dep available to them so they could cook food for their themselves and their families, in a fun, social setting?
It was more challenging than expected to find a way to connect with the community of families in the hotels, navigating bureaucratic and language barriers, but thanks to the hard work of some amazing people including Rahaf & Esmaeel Al Akabani and Yasmine Nasef from The Welcome Project, Mahmoud Allouch and Roula Ajib from the Arab Community Centre, and the incredible support of Caroline Keenan, Andrea Diaz Varela, Cara Benjamin-Pace, Michelle Krasny (who also took these great photos) and Basil AlZeri, it all came together.
The day was a big success, with nearly a dozen mothers, young and old, coming together to cook and hang out and share a meal. The goal is to try and make this a regular event at The Dep, and once they get comfortable in the space, to invite them to make extra food that can be made available for sale for pick-up or delivery, providing them a revenue stream and entrepreneurial opportunity. There are still lots of logistical issues to figure out, from transportation to scheduling to child care to translation, but if today’s success is any indication, this amazing group will figure it all out.
As we figure out new ways to help this project along, we may be reaching out to our community for support. To stay up to date on the project as it evolves, check in on http://thedepanneur.ca/category/newcomerkitchen/
2016: The times are a-changin’…
NOTE: if you buy Gift Certificates before Dec. 31, you’ll pay the 2015 price ($40), but can apply it towards any 2016 event!
The Depanneur | BlogTO
The Depanneur
Liora Ipsum | September 09, 2011 | blogto.com
It’s got a kitchen party kind of vibe thanks to its single room stature where the kitchen and dining area all inhabit one space. When it gets busy, the windows fog up and the room can get quite loud but it all just adds to the excitement.
Some events, like workshops and supper clubs (multi-course menus presented by guest chefs) are ticketed while other offerings like weekday dinners and table talks are drop-in only and generally feature just a single dish. It’s not licensed but BYOB (no corkage fee) is sometimes encouraged.
Brunch on weekends is the only thing offered with any real regularity and the cash-only affair is helmed by Brad Kurtenbach who has dubbed the current menu as Thick Cut Brunch. It’s named in tribute to some of the fattest slabs of bacon I’ve ever been so fortunate to encounter.
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TABLE TALK: Lehee Lev
Lehee Lev says she’s as passionate about sweet potatoes as she is about health. Which is about as much as her willingness to open her own wellness practice Whole Self Fitness.
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TABLE TALK: Dawn and Ed Rek
Dawn and Ed Rek, a former bread baker and chef respectively, are in their 8th year as local artisanal cracker makers at Evelyn’s Crackers where they bake, package, label and deliver to vendors around Toronto as well as having a rooted presence at several local farmer’s markets since 2008. Read more
TABLE TALK: Ksenija Hotic
Photo Credit Rick O’Brien
Last week marked the Hotic family’s arrival in Canada precisely 20 years ago. Ksenija Hotic, a photographer and fan favourite at the Dep, passed around childhood photos along with home-smoked sujuk and basturma (pastrami’s precursor) from her family in Rexdale. Read more
TABLE TALK: Vanessa Yu
For an aspiring caterer to do well in an industry cornered by large food service providers is more daunting than most realize. Perhaps this isn’t news to you.
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TABLE TALK: Jose Arato
Photo Credit KATHY HO
Once an accountant in Venezuela, Jose Arato’s life and career is one of transition and exploration. Arriving in Toronto some 13 years ago, Jose’s passion for food led him from culinary school to a job as a creative pastry chef working mostly in the wedding industry. Read more