Feast for the Future: Dine out…and donate for free

July 24, 2013

Feast for the Future: Dine out…and donate for free

Simply by dining out, Auckland foodies can again contribute to the Garden to Table primary school garden and kitchen programme – and the donation is on the house.

The Trust’s annual Feast for the Future fundraising event is now in its third year. Restaurants signing on to support the programme donate a portion of their takings from one day of the year to the trust.

The funds go towards sustaining and expanding the Garden to Table programme in primary schools across New Zealand. In its first two years the initiative raised more than $20,000 to support the trust’s programmes.

Feast for the Future this year is on September 21 and is an all-day fundraiser, so you can feast at breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner - or all of them if you wish.

More than 15 Auckland cafés and restaurants have signed on so far, including the Hip Group which operates highly successful cafés including The Richmond Road Café, Café on Kohi, Rosehip, Takapuna Beach Café and St Heliers Bay Bistro among others.

Hip Group co-founder Jackie Grant is right behind the programme.

“We’re definitely on the same wavelength,” she says. “Both Garden to Table and Hip Group are endeavouring to achieve similar things. We both want to see the garden-to-table ethos in New Zealand’s schools as well as in our eateries.”

Provenance and quality of food is so important to Grant and partner Scott Brown that they work directly with growers and producers to source everything they need. They feel so strongly about seasonality that customers won’t find a tomato being served in winter in any of their establishments.

“It’s all about setting a stage for others to grow, harvest, taste and most importantly learn more about what is fundamentally better for us,” Grant says.

Grant and Brown founded Hip Group in 2004 and have recently purchased a property at Kumeu which supplies a range of fresh fruits and vegetables to the couple’s 11 Auckland eateries.

Garden to Table Trust chair Catherine Bell says the organisation is always extremely grateful for the support of the Auckland hospitality industry.

“I can’t think of a better way for Aucklanders to help our children than by doing what they love – dining out at a favourite eatery.

“Simply dine out at a participating restaurant and sit back secure in the knowledge that you’re supporting a great cause. Garden to Table helps children get to grips with the life skills many of us take for granted, but that are missing in younger generations.”

Ms Bell says the trust welcomes interest from all Auckland restaurants which might like to take part in the event. Those interested can contact Catherine directly by email at c.bell@gardentotable.org.nz.

Participating restaurants as at July 24, 2013:
Café on Kohi
Cool Food Café
Ima
Milse
O’Connell Street Bistro
Ortolana
Ponsonby Road Bistro
Rosehip
St Heliers Bay Bistro
Takapuna Beach Café
The French Café
The Langham
The Richmond Road Café
The Store Britomart
The Store Kohimarama
The Store St Heliers
The Store Takapuna

NOTE: Schools involved in the Garden to Table programme and a list of participating Feast for the Future eateries is being maintained on the trust website at www.gardentotable.org.nz.

About the Garden to Table Trust
The Garden to Table Trust charity operates a programme in New Zealand schools where children aged between seven and 10 learn about good food. The youngsters are taught how to grow, harvest, prepare and share fresh, seasonal produce using purpose-built gardens and kitchen facilities.

The Trust’s curriculum integrated programme educates children about food, horticulture and their natural environment. Students work in small groups under the supervision of specialist staff, community volunteers and their teacher, primarily to positively influence their food choices.

Consequently they learn about the environment and sustainability and enrich their curriculum subjects through hands-on, interactive learning. The programme also has many positive spin-offs for family and community life.

The Trust was established in 2008 by food writer Catherine Bell. It is modelled on Australia’s successful and well documented Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program. The Garden to Table Trust currently supports 15 schools across the country and has 60 more that want to join.

www.gardentotable.org.nz

ENDS

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