Thistletown CI garden party raises $20K for culinary trip to Spain

We had a fantastic turnout for the Thistletown Chefs Harvest Garden Party this year, selling just over 300 tickets — an increase of 100 guests over last year’s inaugural event.

I was really pleased with the variety and creativity that was incorporated into the Spanish tapas theme. When you have such an amazing group of high-calibre chefs, it’s kind of a given that you are going to get great results.

The support from the hospitality/culinary community was overwhelming, so many chefs and industry professionals donated their time and efforts to the Sept. 22 event. We had stellar corporate sponsorship from the likes of Charanduk Financial, Club House for Chefs, Canola Canada, Eska, Tabasco, Explorica and many more.

We also were able to put together a chock-a-block, full load of super silent auction items — including Toronto Maple Leafs tickets and jerseys, restaurant gift certificates, gift baskets, cookbooks and a unique dining experience with chef Ted Reader.

Between ticket sales, silent auction items, donations, and students selling their own brand of salsas, preserves and pickles, we were able to raise over $20,000. That was well beyond our expectations, but the great thing about reaching that level is that it put us over our fundraising goal. All the extra funds will go to enhancing the Spain 2019 trip, and then we are also excited to announce that we are able to plan and subsidize another culinary trip for 2020 to a North American destination.

One of things I’m most proud of, is that every trip we have planned with the students since starting fundraising in 2011 has surpassed the initial fundraising goal. That has allowed us to add in various experiences and extra learning opportunities on the trips. We have also been able to ‘pay it forward’ by having some seed money available to the next group of International Thistletown travelers — it really has become a legacy project.

It has really been fantastic to offer this opportunity to TCI students over the years.

We were super impressed on Saturday when two groups came forward to made significant contributions to our student success initiative. Local marketing firm, Branding and Buzzing, has created the TCI Culinary Leadership award, paying out $500 a year (for the next five years) to our top graduating leader from the culinary program.

The Rexdale Boomers association also made a $500 contribution to our Spanish excursion fund, ensuring our students will have lots of great learning opportunities when we get to Spain.

Chefs who contributed this year have already indicated that they are on board for next year, and I have had requests from at least five other chefs who want to be involved and help out if we go ahead with our third annual event next September.

– Keith Hoare is Thistletown Collegiate Institute’s culinary instructor.