Algonquin students host a food sampler to support Ukraine

Algonquin College’s School of Hospitality and Tourism hosted a Ukrainian food sampler between April 12 and 14 to support Ukraine.

The event featured traditional Ukrainian dishes such as pampushky garlic bread rolls, Kyiv-inspired chicken canapés, Ukrainian pierogis and Ukrainian flag Easter sugar cookies.

“It’s not really really a full meal. More of just a small taste of Ukrainian culture,” said Tanya Skeates, the event’s organizer and a professor in the culinary arts program.

Some of the food items need to be heated up and so the packaging contains instructions on how to properly reheat them.

All of the money made from the event will go towards the charity World Central Kitchen, an organization founded by Chef José Andrés in 2014.

“Anywhere there’s humanitarian aid where people need to be fed, whether its volcanoes or a hurricane or the war in Ukraine he sets up kitchens to feed people,” said Skeates.

The event began around a month ago when Skeates had brought the idea up. She has since been a part of organizing the event.

“I always donate money to them, but this time I felt empty, and that I had to do more,” said Skeates. “So it thought hey, this is a great opportunity for the students to learn social responsibility and charity work.”

“So I asked our chair, Cory Haskins, and restaurant manager Cather Dewar, what they thought about doing a fundraiser and that’s how that came about,” said Skeates.

The event had about 15 faculty from the culinary and baking programs, as well as a few from the hotel management program. About 30 students also participated over three days of prepping and cooking.

Chef Margrit Werner and Mary Kosta were in charge of the baking, and Chef Scott Foeller and Sean Edwards organized the perogies and the chicken canopies.

The event sold 158 baskets and made around $7,800 but is still waiting for the official tally.