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Celebrating Culinary Diversity: Humber Chefs and Partners Welcome Newcomers with Gourmet Breakfast

On May 9th, Culinary Professor and Chef Shonah Chalmers, along with a dedicated team of Culinary Federation Toronto members and Humber culinary graduates, joined forces with Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services to extend a warm welcome to 150 newcomers and refugees at the Peel-Halton Integrated Services Reception Centre. The initiative took place on National Foodies Day, celebrating the culinary arts while embracing Canada's rich cultural diversity.

Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services is a non-profit organization committed to assisting refugees, immigrants, and newcomers in their integration into Canadian society. Through its Resettlement Assistant Program (RAP), the organization has already provided support to nearly 300 refugees in 2023 and is on track to welcome 1000 refugees by the year's end.

Chef Chalmers expressed the team's collective sentiment, stating, "Today's breakfast celebration was a way for us to share our culinary skills and extend a warm welcome to newcomers, immigrants, and refugees arriving in Canada. Food is a universal language that connects us all. We are honoured to donate our time, skills, and, most importantly, our love for cooking to some of the newest members of our country."

The team of chef volunteers involved included:

  • Kire Boseovski, Humber Chef and Professor
  • Oliver Li, Humber Chef and Professor
  • Kamika Kamiee, Chef and Humber Alumna
  • Sue Spiering, Chef and Humber Alumna
  • Clarizza Amansec, Chef and Humber Alumna
  • Tamara, Centennial Professor and Humber Alumna
  • Alex Lombardi, Chef at Sobeys and Humber Alumnus
  • Thomas Heitz, Kraft Heinz Chef and Culinary Federation member

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Humber and partners culinary team standing in front of a catering truck smiling and giving a thumbs up

Humber and partners culinary team prepping fruit and vegetable platters in the kitchen

Humber and partners culinary team smiling and holding up a Canadian flag