Soup's back on: Hamilton food fest returns to convention centre after 'challenging' time for industry
CBC
For Kristy Van Beek, this past weekend was all about soup.
The owner of Apothecary Kitchen in the Hamilton Farmers' Market spent the weekend with her 84-year-old grandmother chopping carrots and squash, and making broth — enough to make at least 175 litres of vegetable soup.
Van Beek will be dishing it all out Tuesday, part of Soupfest at the Hamilton Convention Centre.
"Grandma owned a catering company for years and taught me all the ropes of this business," Van Beek said Monday.
Apothecary Kitchen is one of 15 restaurant taking part in the event, a fundraiser for Living Rock Ministries, whose programs for at-risk youth including drop-in events, free meals and clothing.
The event, now in its 21st year, is also competitive — after tasting, attendees and judges vote in a number of categories.
"We are thrilled to support the important work of Living Rock and as a small business it would mean the world to me to win the 'best soup' competition," Van Beek said.
A $20 ticket gets you four bowls of soup, between 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Julie Conway, operations director of Living Rock Ministries, told CBC Hamilton she was initially worried if restaurants would rejoin the festival in-person this year, after the pandemic forced a change to a remote system in 2021. Customers have been going to individual restaurants instead of at a central location ever since.
"There was definitely a sense of uncertainty," said Conway. "The pandemic has been really challenging for the restaurant industry, but it's been wonderful to see restaurants come forward to participate."
Conway said attendees are in for a treat on Tuesday.
"What these restaurants put forth is absolutely a culinary masterpiece. You're hit with so many complex and amazing flavours and Hamilton loves soup," she said.
She said she hopes to see up to $40,000 to $50,000 raised for Living Rock Ministries.
In addition to the "best soup" category Van Beek hopes to win, there's also a vote for the "most heart smart," "most creative" and "best presentation" soups.
City staff would like Londoners to take a good look around their home and ask themselves a direct and possibly difficult question: Could everyone in your family survive at home, without leaving and with no other help, for a full 72 hours?
Liberal Leader Mark Carney will officially become Canada's next prime minister within a few hours, taking the reins as the country barrels toward a general election and continues to fend off verbal and economic attacks from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Recent cyberattacks in Newfoundland and Labrador should have been a wake up call for the federal government about the reality of an increasingly hostile world, says one cybersecurity expert.
A recent CBC News analysis found that Nova Scotia is rapidly losing some of its most affordable apartments, but housing experts say there are ways to prevent that.
Premier Susan Holt is defending her decision to not use electricity exports to Maine as leverage against U.S. tariffs, arguing the move might cause long-term pain for New Brunswickers.
Montreal's St. Patrick's Day parade first started on Saint-Paul Street in 1824, and a couple centuries later, this annual tradition is still going strong.
A congregation in Carman, Man., is coming to grips with the loss of their Anglican Lutheran church, a fixture in the community that was ravaged by a fire on Thursday.
Kayla DeMong fought tears as she described the dire conditions on the front lines, pleading for more help from the province as staff at the harm reduction site she leads try to keep up with the recent spike in overdoses.
A B.C. woman who has been detained by U.S. immigration officials for 11 days, after trying to enter the country, will be released on Friday, according to her father.
Toronto is doubling the number of automated speed cameras on city streets.
Health Minister Adriana LaGrange is alleging the former CEO of Alberta Health Services was unwilling and unable to implement the government's plan to break up the health authority, became "infatuated" with her internal investigation into private surgical contracts and made "incendiary and inaccurate allegations about political intrigue and impropriety" before she was fired in January.
Hudson's Bay Company filed for creditor protection last week, saying it's struggling to pay landlords, vendors and employees — and it's a process that could lead to the sale or closure of Canada's oldest company.
Still sleepy from this week's time change?