For their efforts in serving up kindness, 18 students from the Culinary Skills, Culinary Management and Bachelor of Culinary Arts Food Science programs were recognized with a Student Changemaker Award from the Algonquin College Board of Governors at their April meeting.

The Student Changemaker Award is a way for the Board of Governors to formally recognize remarkable student successes or projects. In the spirit of change, the Algonquin College Board of Governors’ Changemaker Award recognizes student success in the bold pursuit of a better future.

In February, learners from these three culinary programs dedicated their time to help prepare 2000 meals for the Ottawa Food Bank in partnership with La Tablée des Chefs’ Solidarity Kitchens. In one day, they prepared, cooked, chilled, portioned and packaged the food. 

“Tablée des Chefs is a social movement that started in 2003 [that] mobilizes chefs and cooks to assist in the fight against hunger and food insecurity,” said learner Patrick Barrios. “According to the Ottawa Food Bank’s latest report, [food insecurity] is an increasingly important [issue] in our community, as well as nationwide.” 

The meals prepared by the students not only helped to feed those in need but also equipped the learners with the skills and knowledge regarding the importance of food autonomy that they will take into the working world.

“Nationwide, since its inception, around 1.5 million portions of food were donated to charity through Solidarity Kitchens, but this was mostly in Quebec,” said Barrios. “In 2023, Algonquin College was one of only four establishments outside of Quebec to participate in the project, and we are proud to be on the forefront of the project’s nationwide expansion.” 

The following students were recognized for their efforts: Oluwakemi Ajaji, Ethan Angnatok, Patrick Barrios, Niranjana Bindhudileep, Jack Bradley, Amritpal Doad, Qing Gao, Anamaria Gonzalez-Gallardo, Maryann Lumbria, William MacNeil, Joshua Morisson, Keiann Saunders, Hyungjee Seo, Daksh Singh, Rithika Subramanian and Emily Taylor.