Making a Difference One Slice, One Stir and One Meal at a Time
When we picture hunger, we often imagine far-off countries facing famine and crisis. But the truth is, food insecurity exists silently all around us, even here in Canada, sitting next to us in the cafeteria. Learning about the common myths surrounding food insecurity pushed us to look closer to home and reflect on students in our community’s relationship with food. That curiosity led us to the Vanier Food Club, a space that, while rooted in a love for cooking and sharing meals, also happens to foster connection, inclusion and access along the way. This student-led initiative isn’t just about food, it’s about education, empowerment, and making sure no one is left behind at the lunch table.
Come along with us to spend a morning with the Vanier Food Club and then sit down with their President for the inside scoop.
Nestled in the Early Childhood Education department, N-186 is where the magic happens. Half class, half kitchen, the room is used by nutrition classes and Vanier Student Life activities. Thursdays, hosts the college’s newest club. The day begins early for the Vanier Food Club. Upon our arrival at 8:30am, they were already getting things going starting with, arguably, the best part of any meal: dessert. At the time, there were just four club members, but the rush was yet to come. In this quiet moment, we took a second to ask those cooks how they got involved with the club. They answered how a friend or teacher let them know about this hidden gem of a club. All the members knew each other, making jokes, talking about class, showing us how food really does bring people together. After the brownies hit the oven, it was time to get the main course going. On the menu today: Spaghetti!
At 9:00am, Chef Toni arrived to run the show. She teaches club members knife skills, food safety, and the steps to make simple, flavorful, healthy meals. For most people to be able to cook and taste, the club makes weekly plant-based meals, with gluten-free options, sharing their love of food with nearly 150 people.
Towards 10:00am, containers start pouring in. The food sampling system is simple, drop your clean container and get a taste!
By 10:30am, things were really starting to come together. The pasta was in, ‘meat’ (vegan substitute) sauce was simmering, the brownies were being cut. Club members partook in every step, painstakingly peeling the garlic, crushing the canned tomatoes themselves, even picking basil leaves off the plant, all under the guidance of Chef Toni. Chef Toni views cooking as her creative outlet. As an eleven-year-old, she uncovered this passion, telling me how “having a bit of skill coupled with passion allows you to.
learn anything”. That in and of itself can be the Vanier Food Club’s mission statement. A community of Vanier foodies learning, growing, and reconnecting to the food we are so often disconnected from.
The day in the life gave us crucial insight into the club’s process. However, we wanted to learn about the behind-the-scenes and how the Vanier Food Club came to be.
We sat down with Jon Michael Caluza, whose “role for the Food Club is that [he] is the founder and […] also the president.” He got the inspiration for creating the Vanier food club when [he] was doing the English class called Writing as Activism. In this class, [they] talked about different issues in the world, like racism and discrimination.” When doing a project for this class on food security, he realized that “a lot of people are not eating correctly” after speaking to students in the cafeteria.
Pressed for time or funds, students often resort to “going hungry […], or because healthy food is expensive, [buying] junk food and candies.” He also pointed out that [he’s] seen some other initiatives in other schools, such as People’s Potato in Concordia and Midnight Kitchen in McGill ” that pushed him to create a similar initiative in Vanier. The Vanier Food Club “[has] been officially operating for three weeks now” and they have been cooking up a storm for about 3 weeks (at the time this article was written) and plan on doing many enticing projects.
This active community participation, fueled by support on Clubs Day, leads to students and members “spreading the word around.” The club aids individuals in learning valuable life lessons, Caluza adds, “A lot of people have told [them], they don’t know how to cook much, but then they went to the food club[…]. Even if they’re just chopping onions, [participants are] really happy to be helping out and just being there with people their age, making something and having fun.” The dishes chosen also reflect different cuisines from diverse cultures, bringing people together through food and new culinary experiences. The president of the club also wishes to see the club flourish in the coming semesters, with support from students and becoming a pillar of Vanier.
When asked about the core mission of the club, Caluza had this to say “We never know everyone’s situation. So the value of the Food Club is giving out food to people and teaching them how to cook and how to create a community where we can collaborate […].” He goes on to talk about the importance of helping anyone no matter whether they appear to need it or not, for the simple sake of giving. Hammering home this point he adds, “ Even if just one out of a hundred people that come every week really needed that meal, maybe they haven’t eaten something healthy or not eaten at all. Then that bowl of spaghetti we gave might have made their week. Maybe it helped them on an exam because they weren’t hungry anymore. And we’ll never know that, because they won’t tell us, but we do it anyway because we hope we’re making a difference in someone’s life.” This is what the Vanier Food Club is truly about; bringing people together with food first, and letting the benefits of that speak for themselves.
Through our visit with the Vanier Food Club, we saw firsthand how students are working to learn and take action. What started as a simple idea has grown into a powerful initiative that brings people together through food and community. Whether it’s teaching knife skills, serving plant based dishes, or simply offering a welcoming space, the club is creating a culture of care and awareness on campus. At the end of the day, one bowl of spaghetti can do more than just feed som eone, it can remind them they are seen, supported and not alone.
