This event takes place at CSI Spadina, 192 Spadina Ave., Suite 501

This dinner will the inaugural event of the Solutions Salon, an exciting new collaboration between the Centre for Social Innovation and The Depanneur. This new private dining room is being co-created to host purposeful gatherings that unlock the power of food to foster connection.

COOKBOOK CLUB: This event series showcases contributors to The Depanneur Cookbook, whose stories and recipes wove the history of The Dep.

This event has two parts: from 5:30-6:30 we are open to the public; anyone can stop by to grab a drink, purchase a copy of The Depanneur Cookbook, have their copy signed, and chat with the author and contributors. (Kickstarter supporters are also welcome to use this opportunity to pick up their copy of the book.)

Then at 6:30, the room will close and ticket holders be seated for dinner. (Optionally, dinner guests can choose to pre-order a copy of the book with their tickets, which entitles them to a $5 discount.)

In early 2016, thousands of Syrian refugees found safe haven in Canada, but were mired in the long, slow resettlement process, with hundreds of families stuck in hotels for week or months at a stretch, with no access to kitchens, no way to prepare their own food. In a small gesture of hospitality, The Depanneur — together with Cara Benjamin-Pace, Rahaf Alakbani and Esmaeel Aboufakher — invited a few of the newcomer women to use its kitchen to prepare and share a meal. The prospect of a field trip and a familiar, home-cooked meal offered a welcome break from the tedium of the hotels. This small act, initiated by a few volunteers using donated ingredients, quickly blossomed into a joyful and delicious weekly gathering. To sustain the initiative, the group began to prepare extra meals to sell to offset costs. The revenue paid for the ingredients and the kitchen space, and the surplus was divided up among the cooks.

Within a matter of months, the Newcomer Kitchen project had grown to include over 50 Syrian families and a large team of volunteers. Each week a group would prepare 50 meals to be sold online for pickup & delivery. Public and media enthusiasm was overwhelming; meals sold out in a matter of hours; local, national and international news outlets covered the story, and social media lit up with thousands of shares, likes, and tweets. What became clear was that the potential of this model went far beyond one tiny storefront. In less than a year, Newcomer Kitchen had put more than $30,000 directly into the hands of over 50 families while providing meaningful work and a unique opportunity for engagement and integration. Over the course of the next three years, this innovative pilot program would work with more than 80 Syrian families and put more than $150,000 into their pockets.

Today Newcomer Kitchen is a thriving nonprofit organization working with cohorts of entrepreneurial women from all over the world, that continues to create social and economic opportunities through food. (The Depanneur is no longer directly involved, but still revels in their success.) This lovely dinner celebrates this vital chapter in The Dep’s history, inviting a few recent graduates alongside members of the latest cohort to showcase the talent and skill of Canada’s new citizens.

This will be the inaugural event of the Solutions Salon, a new collaborative venture between The Depanneur and the Centre for Social Innovation. We hope to create a space devoted to purposeful gatherings that seek to unlock the power of food to create deep connections and foster important conversations. In a poignant twist, it is located just down the hall from Newcomer Kitchen’s offices. What began with a humble invitation into The Dep’s kitchen, now comes full circle tonight as we are invited to become a neighbour in their new home.

A selection of appetizers will be provided during the 5:30-6:30 reception by the latest cohort of Newcomer Kitchen cooks — Cuisine Connections — showcasing the cuisines of Pakistan, Sudan, Morocco, Nigeria and the Philippines.

Dinner Menu

Nigerian Jollof
This is one of the most quintessential dishes in the West Africa repertoire, with many countries embroiled in a perennial “Jollof War” around who gets to claim this flavourful roasted red pepper and tomato rice pilaf as their national dish — perhaps the only war where every side is a winner. Originating in the 14th C. Jolof Empire in the Senegambian region of West Africa, over the centuries this dish spread across Africa, and crossed the Atlantic with the African Diaspora to become the foundation of American rice dishes like Jambalaya and Hoppin’ John.

served with

Moroccan Chicken (Halal/GF)
Chicken marinated with preserved lemons and blend of Moroccan spices, roasted and served with a silky onion and olive sauce.

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Moin Moin (Vegan/GF)
Moin moin is a very traditional West African dish, a gently spiced savoury brown bean pudding steamed in banana leaves which lends it a unique flavour.

and

Moroccan Beet Salad
Colourful marinated beets, dressed with parsley and cilantro in an olive oil and lemon dressing

Nigerian Coleslaw
Finely chopped red and green cabbage mixed with carrots mixed in a cool, creamy dressing.

Moroccan Orange cake
A rich, flourless cake made from almond flour, fresh eggs and fragrant oranges.

Nigerian Banana Cake
Similar to a classic upside-down cake or tarte Tatin, this luscious dessert features a decadent topping of caramelized bananas.

Beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages are available for purchase on site.

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$79 + HST

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The Centre for Social Innovation is comprised of a group of dynamic co-working spaces animated by a vibrant community. CSI catalyzes, inspires and supports people to create, develop, adopt and integrate new and renewed concepts and practices that put people and planet first. We envision a world where our systems – economy, government, culture and communities – serve to create a healthy, just, resilient & regenerative society full of meaning, equity & happiness. @csitoronto
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