Chefs’ Charity Dinner for Dan’s Legacy Helps Build a Kitchen

This past Saturday, over 100 guests attended the 11th annual Chefs’ Charity Dinner in support of Dan’s Legacy Foundation, raising over $77,600 for the cause. The funds are going directly towards the organization’s trauma-informed, no-barrier counselling programs, and their Build a Kitchen campaign.

Chefs’ Charity Dinner for Dan’s Legacy
Helps Build a Kitchen

Celebrity host Erin Cebula was the evening’s MC, which featured the culinary creations of Chefs Shay Kelly (LACH& KEA Culinary Consultants), Andrew Brazeau-George (Ono Collectives), Alannah Peddie (Frolic & Forage Catering), as well as Luke Willingdon assisted by students from Dan’s Diner.

All dishes prepared at the fundraiser were made from surplus food. Dan’s Legacy collects around 15,000 kilos of food from a variety of sources. In 2023 alone, Dan’s Legacy diverted nearly 190,000 kilos of food from landfills. This eliminates approximately 488,200 kilos of CO2 emissions and is the equivalent to roughly 300,000 meals.

Part of that surplus food also ends up with Dan’s Intro to Cook program and Dan’s Diner, which empowers at-risk youth with valuable skills for success but also provides the local community with access to affordable and nutritious meals. 

The Build a Kitchen campaign will help do just that, build a kitchen in a community space in New Westminster so that Dan’s Diner can have their own space to operate.

This year Dan’s Legacy predicts it will have provided services to approximately 700 at-risk youth in the Lower Mainland, who benefit from the charity’s harm prevention approach to counselling, and wrap-around support programs, as well as job training in the culinary industry. All of Dan’s Legacy’s programs are provided free of charge to the youth.

Dan’s Legacy thanks Chief Rhonda Larrabee (Qayqayt First Nation), Elder William “Bill” Nelson (Elder-in-Residence, City of New Westminster), MP Peter Julian, MLA Jennifer Whiteside, Mayor Patrick Johnstone and Councillor Tasha Henderson, and former Dan’s Legacy client Alex Vidal for speaking at the event. 

Miss604 is the Social Media Sponsor of the event.