Samples from the plant-based foodtruck Sage Against the Machine were displayed at the food fair. Charlene Davatos // AS Review
By Charlene Davatos
Associated Students Environmental and Sustainability Programs, in conjunction with Students for Sustainable Food, held its first Sustainable Food Fair on April 18. The event featured five local restaurants showcasing menu items and options for locally sourced, sustainable, organic and ethically sustained foods.
“I think the goal [of the Fair] is about spreading intention. Having intentionality with your food, and the way you interact with your food and the way you eat, can make your options more sustainable,” Katie Winkelman, the event’s coordinator and director of the ESP, said.
Cuisine featured included mac and cheese from Boundary Bay, meatballs from Cosmos Bistro, bruschetta from Twin Sisters Brewing, buffalo chickpea caesar pita wraps from Sage Against the Machine and crispy potato cakes from Western’s dining services.
For a $2 admission fee, participants sampled food from the five vendors and voted on their favorites. The non-profit event gave the proceeds to the vendor with the most votes. Twin Sisters Brewing won first place, followed by Cosmos Bistro and Sage Against the Machine.
Twin Sisters Brewing’s winning bruschetta included a pineapple mango salsa and a sweet potato curry slaw.
“I wanted something that had big fresh flavors to celebrate the spring,” Chad Bumford, Twin Sisters executive chef, said.
Cosmos Bistro served meatballs and samples of bread. The meatballs and bread had both vegan and non-vegan options.
The Sustainable Food Fair allowed the vendors to exhibit their cuisine, as well as interact with members of the community.
“We don’t want to just operate as business,” Ilana Kanudsen, Boundary Bay Brewery catering manager, said. “We want to be a productive member of Bellingham, and that includes reaching out to the community.”
Restaurants are the face of a community, Nate Johnson, Sage Against the Machine operator, said.
“It’s food. We touch a lot of people, and if they see us [practicing sustainability], hopefully that will transfer into homes and houses, and maybe residents will do it,” Johnson said.
The food truck, which Johnson operates with his wife, Tara, is the first “ocean friendly” food truck in Washington, as designated by the Surfrider Foundation. This means that the food truck uses no plastic, serving cutlery-free cuisine.
Each vendor focused on different ways to promote sustainability, such as donating extra food to missions and shelters, using local and organic products and including vegetarian or vegan options.
Aramark Catering, which serves Western’s dining halls, was there in order to reach folks on campus who otherwise don’t have an interest in food, Steve Erbe, campus executive chef, said.
“It’s a great opportunity to share all the local farms we work with,” Erbe said.
Event-goers and first-year students Naomi Tyler and Anna Horejsi, attended to eat the food and to gain awareness.
“I want to support businesses, local businesses, that are thoughtful and aware of the impact they’re having on the people,” Tyler said.
Food waste is such a huge thing, and people eat food every single day, she said.
Awareness through food has so much potential, and supporting the local businesses goes straight back to the community, according to Tyler.
The event was open to both students and faculty, as well as members of the community.
Wendy Watson, a Bellingham resident, said that she had never been on the campus before this event, but said that it connected well with the community.
Ashley Wright, another Bellingham resident, said that she came to the event because sustainability is important to her.
“I feel like I’m investing in my daughter’s future, for the planet to be better for her. I feel like I’m making a change even if it’s with my food,” Wright said.
Winkelman said the event had been in the works since February.
“All the vendors have been so great to work with, they went above and beyond with their own spins,” Winkelman said.
Winkelman hopes next year’s officers can organize the event again.
“It could be a legacy event of some sort,” she said.