Imagine Capitol Hill street festival to feature Sustainable Cooking Demonstrations by faculty and students of Seattle Central Community College’s Seattle Culinary Academy
Media representatives are invited to attend Sustainable Cooking Demonstrations presented by faculty and students of Seattle Central Community College’s Seattle Culinary Academy (SCA) at Imagine Capitol Hill: a sustainability festival – Sunday, July 20, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
“Imagine Capitol Hill” is a one–day outdoor street fair designed by Sustainable Capitol Hill to inspire participants to imagine what Capitol Hill could be like as a more sustainable community. “Imagine Capitol Hill” will spotlight local businesses, musicians, artists, food producers, and organizations; celebrate current sustainable practices in the neighborhood; and showcase attainable action steps for moving the community towards sustainability. The fair will have interactive, hands–on activities, including:
- Ideas and Demonstrations on sustainable living including greening your home, native planting, composting, alternative transportation, and more
- Outdoor street café with free tea & coffee
- Interactive Art & Performances by Urban Alchemy, Democracy Improv, Them Roustabouts, People’s Republic of Comedy, Re-wear Fashion, and others
- Sustainable Cooking Demonstrations, featuring the following chefs: Jonathan Sundstrom of Lark, Kären Jurgensen of the Seattle Culinary Institute at Seattle Central Community College, Peter Jakubisin of Crave, Becky Selengut of Cornucopia Cuisine, and Eric Bahn of Monsoon [see detailed schedule below]
- Bike Repair Clinic
- Children’s Learning Area
- Capitol Hill Walking Tours
- Food Drive by Jewish Food Services
These presentations represent the culmination of two years of intensive study in the college’s highly-regarded visual communication and design programs. All portfolio shows are free and open to the public.
When
Sunday, July 20, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m
Sustainable Cooking Demonstrations:
11:15 a.m. Jonathan Sundstrom of Lark
12:15 p.m. Becky Selengut of Cornucopia Cuisine (also a graduate of the Seattle Culinary Academy)
1:15 p.m. Kären Jurgensen, Seattle Culinary Academy faculty member and chef, assisted by SCA students Cherryl Grabicki and Bri Dotson, presents a cooking demonstration and tasting using local, seasonal, organic and sustainably-grown foods provided by Capitol Hill Farmers Market and Madison Market. Chef Jurgensen will also discuss sustainable food systems during her presentation.
2:15 p.m. Eric Bahn of Monsoon
3:15 p.m. Peter Jakubisin of Crave
Where
East Thomas & 10th Avenue East
Next to Broadway Farmer’s Market
Free & open to the public
Background
For more than 60 years, Seattle Central’s Seattle Culinary Academy has been the Northwest&s premier culinary school. Its Culinary Arts and Pastry Arts programs provide an intensive, hands–on course of study to prepare students for professional entry into the food service industry. The rigorous and comprehensive programs, specializing in international cuisine and sustainable food practices, are taught by a highly skilled faculty in five kitchen facilities. In addition, Seattle Culinary Academy students operate two full service restaurants and a “Chef’s Express” lunch line that are open to the public. Students train in every position in each restaurant kitchen and dining room.
In the fall of 2005, the Academy formalized its commitment to sustainability by offering a course in Sustainable Food Systems Practices – the first culinary program in the Northwest to offer such a course. “Sustainability is redefining the way kitchens interact with the ecology of the earth, and chefs are in an ideal position to teach this healthier and more environmentally conscious way of living,” said Linda Chauncey, Associate Dean of the Seattle Culinary Academy (SCA). “Sustainable Food Systems Practices is an excellent way to introduce our students to the politics of the food systems, raising their awareness of issues from agriculture, fisheries, the dairy industry, meat and poultry production, water and waste, to trade, health, and social justice issues,” according to Chef Instructor Kären Jurgensen.
Chef Instructor Kären Jurgensen (presenting a sustainable cooking demonstration and tasting at 1:15 p.m.) Kären Jurgensen is one of the leading authorities on sustainability. She brings 28 years of restaurant experience to Seattle Culinary Academy. Chef Jurgensen teaches sustainable food systems courses at the Academy and is the Chef Instructor at Quillisascut Cheese Company’s Farm School, where she teaches professional chefs, culinary students and agricultural professionals farm-to-table practices and philosophy. In addition, Chef Jurgensen does restaurant consulting and cooking at events around the state.
Chef Jurgensen is active in the food community founding the Seattle chapter of Chefs Collaborative, a member of Slow Food, Les Dames de Escoffier, and is a member and mentor of Women Chef’s and Restaurateurs. She speaks regularly at restaurant, seafood and agriculture functions. Kären has been the recipient of many culinary awards and accolades, and has earned a reputation for creating cuisine that is both artistic and delicious. She is the co–author of Rethinking the Kitchen, the sustainable kitchen handbook. Her second book on sustainability will be released in October 2008.
To request an interview with Chef Jurgensen, please contact: Judy Kitzman at (206) 934-5487 or jkitzman@sccd.ctc.edu.
Sustainable Capitol Hill
Sustainable Capitol Hill is a network of neighbors, businesses and community groups dedicated to making Capitol Hill a sustainable community. We are working to create a vital neighborhood – – one with strong connections between people, place, and the local ecosystem. Through education, organizing, and action we can make our neighborhood a model for a sustainable future. For more information about Sustainable Capitol Hill, please contact Gabriel Scheer at (206) 391-5433 or visit: www.sustainablecapitolhill.org.