Welcome to our new LunchLAB Community Newsletter! We are trialing a new platform called Substack, an e-newsletter and blog platform, to provide our LunchLAB community of caregivers, students, and educators up-to-date information on what’s cooking in the LunchLAB kitchens!
What is Growing Chefs?
Too many kids don’t know where food comes from or have access to nourishing, culturally-relevant foods. Growing Chefs is on a mission to change that.
Growing Chefs is where kids’ connection to food takes root—we’re a B.C. based charity connecting chefs, kids, and community through edible education programs like our Classroom Gardening & Cooking Program and LunchLAB.
We strive to:
Seed impact through food education
Empower kids, chefs, growers, and community to connect through food
Create opportunities for kids to experience dignity, delight, and belonging
Innovate to uplift our local food sector and dig deep on food justice
Increase accessibility to abundant, nourishing, and culturally-relevant meals
What is LunchLAB?
At LunchLAB, we’re changing the narrative about lunch.
In 2019, B.C. charities Growing Chefs and Fresh Roots began LunchLAB at Lord Roberts Elementary School. LunchLAB is an innovative school meal program that serves students accessible, nourishing, culturally-relevant lunches prepared by students with the mentorship of a team of chefs-in-residence.
LunchLAB empowers youth to cook food for themselves and their peers providing opportunities for kids to find delight, dignity, and belonging in their interactions with food. Watch our CBC short film and hear directly from the students of LunchLAB!
How does LunchLAB work?
When kids make it, they eat it!
At LunchLAB schools kids to prepare, cook, and serve food for themselves and their peers. Our Chefs-in-Residence work with rotating cohorts of student chefs to prepare and serve meals for up to 200 of their peers.
LunchLAB increases access to barrier-free, nourishing, and culturally-relevant lunches.
Lunches change each day and menus are inspired by the communities we serve. Each meal includes a fresh salad bar and a hot item, whether that’s tacos, chickpea curry, palak paneer, ramen soup, or lasagna, it’s sure to be packed with delicious flavours and fresh veggies.
Where is LunchLAB?
We are currently at three Vancouver schools:
Lord Roberts Elementary
Located: West End, Vancouver
Student Population: 650
Students eating: 200
LunchLAB in school since 2019
Chef-in-Residence: Tahani Alkashef
John Norquay Elementary
Located: Renfrew-Collingwood, Vancouver
Student Population: 650
Students eating: 80
LunchLAB in school since 2023
Chef-in-Residence: Dallan Schell
Total Education High School
Located: Vancouver
Student Population: 75
Students eating: 25-30
LunchLAB in school since 2019
Chef-in-Residence: Tasha Sawyer
*Total Education is an alternative school, the LunchLAB program operates to fit the needs of each school.
How to Get Involved!
There are many ways to get involved and support edible education!
Become a LunchLAB volunteer!
Join us Tuesdays-Fridays at Lord Roberts or John Norquay Elementary Schools to support our lunch service! The best part, you get to join us for lunch—don’t miss out on a delicious meal and meeting your community!
Don’t have time to volunteer?
Support edible education for B.C. kids and communities by becoming a donor!
LunchLAB provides barrier-free lunches. We offer a sliding scale pay-what-you-can model to balance affordability for families and the longterm sustainability of LunchLAB.
To keep our costs low, we rely on support from our community to operate the program. Learn more about the impact of donating below.
To learn more about LunchLAB, check out our website or reach out at lunchlab@growingchefs.ca!