CONESTOGA COLLEGE
Conestoga culinary students expand support of food insecurity initiative

Around 20 culinary and baking students made 2,000 portions of vegetarian chili. 1,600 were donated to the Cambridge Food Bank, with the remaining stock distributed to students at the college's Kitchener - Doon and Waterloo campuses via the Bloom restaurant and the student association Conestoga Students Inc. (CSI).

Ingredients are provided by La Tablée des Chefs and their sponsors. Storing and processing all the components was one of the biggest challenges, said Dan McCowan, executive chef at Bloom. "There are dozens of cases of tomatoes and beans. The tofu came in 250-gram packs. There were around 200 packs that needed to be opened, drained and pressed," he explained. "One of our kettles was full for three days straight."

Since the organization's creation in 2002, more than 17.6 million cooked portions have been delivered to community organizations. It also raises awareness among the next generation of chefs about the fight against food insecurity and inspires them to become agents of change in the community.

2025 was the first year Conestoga participated, during which 1,000 meals were prepared and packaged. This year, students doubled their efforts and increased production to 2,000 meals. "I would love to do more, but it also depends on the equipment and space we have available. But we will always max out to our ability," said McCowan.

Preparing the meals is also a great learning experience for students. "At Bloom, we have a set menu, so there are fewer and smaller portions. With this initiative, they have the opportunity to see the sheer amount of food it takes to produce this many meals," said McCowan.

Participating is a rewarding experience for both students and instructors. "When I first talked to the programs about signing up, you can see the natural excitement to participate," said McCowan. "It's not work."

Conestoga's School of Hospitality & Culinary Arts is a leader in culinary and hospitality programming that prepares students for successful careers in Canada's tourism industry. Students learn from faculty members with extensive industry experience as they develop practical knowledge and theoretical skills. The Waterloo campus is home to its state-of-the-art culinary skills labs and student-run Bloom restaurant.