The Valley Food and Farm Collective has announced that Canadian chef Ned Bell will be the keynote speaker at the first-ever Fraser Valley food symposium, Grounded, on Monday, April 29.
The event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at University of the Fraser Valley’s Abbotsford campus and is followed by a reception at 6 p.m. at the Railway District Community Market at 2518 West Railway Ave.
The reception will showcase local food and drink prepared by local chefs.
Bell is the Ocean Wise executive chef, culinary director of The Vancouver Club, chef ambassador for Dinner in the Sky Canada, and author of the bestseller Lure: Sustainable Seafood Recipes from the West Coast.
He founded Chefs of Oceans in 2014 and rode his bike 8,700 kilometres across Canada.
Bell has hosted two dozen events that featured some of the best chefs in the country striving to raise awareness for healthy lakes, oceans and rivers and sustainable seafood.
RELATED: Valley Food and Farm Collective now open
RELATED: Musicians hope new site can solve Abbotsford stage shortfall
He is inspired and passionate about crafting dishes that lean heavily on plant-based, nutrient-dense ingredients with an emphasis on sustainable seafood.
Bell has worked in some of the country’s top kitchens in Vancouver, Niagara, Toronto, Calgary and Kelowna.
He spent seven seasons on Food Network Canada’s Cook Like a Chef, and his many accolades include being named Canada’s Chef of the Year by Service and Hospitality Magazine’s 2014 Pinnacle Awards.
Bell is also ambassador of the Men’s Health Organization and is the special presenter this October in Ireland at Food on the Edge.
In 2017, he was given the Global Seafood Champion Award for Advocacy at the SeaWeb Seafood Summit.
The Grounded food symposium will bring together innovative people from the food community, including producers, processors, chefs, restaurateurs, drink experts, food retailers, food media, destination marketing organizations, and business and community leaders.
Topics during the day include Defining the Valley, Local Through Innovation and Hops of the Valley. There will also be a panel discussion on Branding the Valley and a Field to Craft beer tasting.
Tickets for the symposium and reception are available online at valleyfoodandfarm.com.