A Montreal-based charity is making meals safety a high precedence in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic – Montreal

By Frank S. Crawford Last updated Jul 5, 2021

As food insecurity has become a bigger problem since the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, a local nonprofit has launched a new initiative called Solidarity Kitchens.

It is the brainchild of Jean-Francois Archambault, CEO and founder of La Tablée des chefs. Roughly translated as Chef’s Table, the non-profit organization started for the first time in 20O2. Its mission is to teach youngsters how to cook and feed those in need through a food recovery program.

“We involve chefs to reclaim their excess food to feed those in need,” said Archambault.

The organization is also represented in over 150 high schools across Quebec.

“We train young people to develop culinary skills and knowledge so that they can become independent in the kitchen and share the joy of cooking with their families and friends,” said Archambault.

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The program isn’t just limited to Quebec, however.

“We’re running a pilot project in six other provinces across the country, reaching over 3,000 who volunteer just like they would on the basketball team or at the school game.”

However, when the pandemic broke out, Archambault found that a shortage of volunteers resulted in fewer people in communal kitchens preparing meals for those in need.

“Were [short] by volunteers because the volunteers were in a vulnerable age group, ”he said. “So they were told by our prime minister to stay at home and avoid any risk.”

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Archambault came up with the idea of Solidarity Kitchens. He reached out to a few friends to talk about bringing cooks back into their kitchens to prepare meals for tables.

“So we went to the food banks and analyzed the needs and they came back to us with 400,000 meals a month that would be needed as early as March or April,” said Archambault.

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The group reached out to farmers and food producers, Sobeys and IGA, who all agreed to join the effort.

Fast forward to today and local chefs have prepared more than 2 million meals for Canadians in need.

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But there is still work to be done.

“We’re going back to it,” said Archambault, pointing out that the pandemic is not over yet. “Food security is the most important thing.”

In order to finance the Solidarity Kitchens initiative, the organization came up with a new idea just in time for the holidays: Solidarity Baskets.

The baskets are filled with treats developed by chefs who have been involved in the Solidarity Kitchen efforts, as well as a recipe book from a famous chef, an apron, and a special message.

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Archambault said that during this time of need it is important to help others, but it is also important to treat yourself.

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“That’s why we thought gifts from the chefs were the best way to give and receive at the same time,” he said.

The baskets can be ordered on the Tablée des Chefs website.