In a Vancouver classroom, Chef Barb Finley, creator of Project CHEF, claps her hands and instantly 30 pairs of eyes snap front and centre. This signals that another week-long session of Project CHEF is about to begin.
In the last few years, this dynamic chef has worked at restaurants including Diva at the Met, developed and taught children’s cooking courses through private culinary institutions such as the Northwest Culinary Academy, and even assisted her former Dubrulle instructor, Chef Andrea Jefferson and owner of Quince restaurant, at the 2002 Bocuse d’Or Canada Competition.
Chef Finley would love to obtain her Red Seal certification when she can take time off from her demanding schedule with Project CHEF.
- Why did you want to develop Project CHEF?
After being an elementary school teacher for many years, I was highly motivated to help fourth and fifth grade students develop good eating habits and to change their attitudes towards food and eating. Studies have shown that children’s eating habits are formed by the age of 12, so we have a window of opportunity to guide children to make life long changes in their beliefs and values surrounding nutrition and food. Hence Project CHEF (Cook Healthy Edible Food) was created to teach students the skills to feed themselves.
- What path did you take to get to your current position?
Between 1981 and 2000, I spent 10 years each teaching elementary schools and undergraduate education classes at the University of British Columbia. My passion for cooking then led me to Dubrulle Culinary Arts School where I pursued culinary training. After this I worked at various Vancouver restaurants to increase my skills and techniques, while combining my love of teaching and cooking by developing cooking courses for kids at private venues. I was determined to develop a course integrating curriculum outcomes, food lessons and nutritious recipes for public classrooms. About eighteen months ago, I approached the Vancouver School Board with this concept and in the fall of 2007, Project CHEF was piloted in nine Vancouver elementary schools.
- What was/is your greatest challenge and your most rewarding component of your job?
Securing donations or grants to maintain the project and enable it to grow and expand has always been a part of the growing pains of project development. The challenges of sourcing funding to sustain Project CHEF in this difficult economic time cannot be minimized. We have been very lucky to have received wonderful donations and products from industry, societies, foundations and individuals. On the other hand, finding electrical outlets for our cooking equipment in some of the classrooms has been an ongoing and daunting challenge.
It’s very rewarding to see kids absolutely love what they are learning, creating and eating. Their unbridled enthusiasm keeps me going. We feel like star chefs on a cooking show when we get applause for removing an apple core with a Parisian scoop, or ooh’s and ah’s over vegetables like Swiss chard.
Recently, a parent volunteer from the pilot course in 2007 stopped me at a Christmas craft fair to thank me and say that her child has been cooking every week since she participated in the program. I was thrilled and felt so rewarded.
- Did you have to overcome any obstacles?
I need to reiterate that securing monies to sustain Project CHEF and to facilitate expansion to other schools is an obstacle.
- What advice would you give to someone entering your industry?
I cannot emphasize enough that anyone who wants to be involved in a project like ours must have a solid grounding in both teaching and cooking. There are teachers who can’t cook and there are cooks who can’t teach. The success of the program relies on the knowledge base of the chef instructor and I feel it is vital to have teaching skills as well as a foundation in cooking.
