962cd2eb-f89f-47e3-b4b6-5a7d7cbcc125September 23, 2014 ““ How would you like” to attend a wonderful dinner in an idyllic farm setting, that will simultaneously honor, celebrate, and raise money for a unique local program?” The” Teen Kitchen Project” (TKP)” is holding its” second annual farm dinner on” Saturday, October 4, at Watsonville’s Live Earth Farm. “Harvest Moon” tickets are $100 and include a three-course feast featuring organic, locally sourced ingredients, prepared by TKP executive chef Stephanie Forbes and her teen crew.The evening promises to be festive and inspiring. A few clients and teens will share their stories. Attendees can enjoy generously donated beverages such as microbrews from Couch Distributing and wine from Storrs and Corralitos Wine Company. Food featured at the dinner has been donated by several farms that regularly contribute produce to TKP, and Driscoll’s provided berries for one element of the dessert.

Dinner menu:

Salad: Live Earth Farm heirloom apple salad with radicchio, celery root, and hazelnuts

Meat entre: Herb-crusted Mariquita Farm Dexter beef with zinfandel glaze served with savory mushroom kale bread pudding and braised vegetables from Coke Farm and Route 1 Farms

Vegetarian entre: Savory mushroom kale bread pudding OR delicata squash stuffed with mushroom and wild rice (gluten free/dairy free) and braised vegetables from Coke Farm and Route 1 Farms

Dessert: Vanilla Mousse and berry parfait (featuring organic berries from Driscoll’s)

10672126_730006890398038_9071287886435596460_nA small silent auction will include prizes from local artists and restaurants. The Emily Intersimone Trio, who played at last year’s signature event “Taking Root,” will again perform what TKP executive director Angela Farley refers to as “great funky jazz.” Music, wine, and appetizers (including roasted spiced Live Earth Farm delicata squash rounds, and mini pies from Sweet Elena’s bakery) begin at 5 p.m.

Farley, a part-time” teacher, launched the Santa Cruz nonprofit TKP in September 2012. The impetus was her son being diagnosed with cancer; he has a good prognosis at this point. After he finished chemotherapy and a series of surgeries, Farley realized she wanted to help other families affected by cancer so they could receive nourishing food, compassion, and companionship during their journeys. “I knew first hand the isolation and challenges when trying to eat well and being overwhelmed with treatment,” she says.

As she explored ideas for fulfilling this goal, the project became something much larger than one mother’s love for her son and her community. It has blossomed into a group that just delivered its 20,000th meal, and it’s a place where teens grow as individuals as they learn how to cook delicious, healthy food that helps others. “The teens learn about the impact of their food choices on themselves and the planet, and how to prepare many kinds of meals in a commercial kitchen,” Farley says. “They also connect with their capacity to contribute to the greater community.”

The meals teens prepare””which are nutrient-rich and organic” are delivered free-of-charge to individuals and families in the Santa Cruz/Watsonville area who are in crisis due to life-threatening illnesses like cancer. TKP serves approximately 30 families each week; the goal of the Oct. 4 dinner is to raise enough funds that they can expand and serve 50 clients each week in 2015.

In a wonderful display of symbiosis, TKP which serves families in the community so generously” receives donations from other parts of the community in order to be successful. In fact, the local community was crucial in TKP’s beginnings, tending the initial seeds that were starting to sprout in Farley’s mind and helping grow TKP. Farley was on a tour of Live Earth Farm and mentioned her ideas to co-owner Constance Broz, who offered vegetables. ” Then she discussed the topic with the parent of one of her former students, who owned a commercial kitchen. “He offered his kitchen free while we started up,” se says. “I asked all the chefs I knew and people who were organized and inspired. ” I kept asking and people kept saying “Yes’!”

11283_712884482110279_6125658477617359206_nThe generosity and compassion of many local farmers continue to help TKP. Every Saturday, chef Stephanie goes to the Westside Farmers Market at closing time, and Live Earth Farm and Route 1 Farms both donate leftover produce. “What she collects is supplemented by donations from Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo, Mariquita Farm, and Coke Farm, who deliver their ingredients to the TKP kitchen.” Once everything is gathered, she creates the weekly menu of three main dishes, a salad, soup, and dessert.

Chef Stephanie guides the teens” ages 14-19″ as they work on Monday and Tuesday afternoons in a Soquel commercial kitchen. Since inception, 120″ local teen volunteers” from most of the area’s high schools” have volunteered 3,000″ hours. The teen learning program has become so popular that it’s currently full; TKP will re-open registration in mid-November.

Most who volunteer need community service hours and this program fulfills that requirement. There are also teens that hear about TKP and sign up just because they like to cook. The commitment is every other week for a minimum of eight weeks.

Chef Stephanie, a certified nutrition consultant who specializes in whole food nutrition, has been with TKP since the beginning. “Angela approached me with the idea because I would come into her classroom and cook with the children, and she knew I was a nutritionist.”

It has been a role that truly fits Stephanie. “One of the things I love about TKP is, it really is a full circle,” she says. “We’re using seasonal organic produce from local farmers, bringing teens into a commercial size kitchen where they learn hands-on how to cook and use this produce, and””further””how to cook whole food meals. One of the greatest joys is watching and experiencing a teen after he/she goes through a recipe, finishes the dish and tastes their work. The sense of accomplishment is priceless.”

Stephanie says that lots of teens stay with TKP way past community service hour requirements. A few weeks ago, one said to Stephanie, “I would always see beets in the store but never tried one.” This was after hand chopping 20 pounds of beets into” matchstick pieces for a vegetable borscht soup, which she really liked!

“To complete the circle, the teens package and place the containers into bags that get delivered to cancer patients/” terminally ill people who get to eat this nutritious food at home,” says Stephanie. “It truly feeds all of us on so many levels!”

Farley adds that local organizations like PAMF Palliative Care, Katz Cancer Resource Center, WomenCARE, and Jacob’s Heart Childhood Cancer Support Services have been great about referring clients to TKP. “The organization is unfolding in front of our eyes in ways we never imagined. ” Our clients love the menus designed by Chef Stephanie,” says Farley. “Our chef and volunteers, especially those who are in the kitchen every week, and our delivery drivers, are also amazing and we couldn’t do any of this without their generosity.”

Recently, Jamie Smith joined TKP as a part-time “mentor chef.” He provides lessons to the students and consults on a variety of food related topics. For those unfamiliar with Smith, in 2013 he launched Foodsmith, a company that sells affordable, delicious ready-to-eat meals made with local ingredients and hires teens from youth empowerment/food justice program FoodWhat?! Smith is an experienced chef who studied at the French Culinary Institute under legends like Jacques Papin.

For tickets, visit http://teenkitchen.bpt.me

For more info on Teen Kitchen Project and/or the Oct. 4 event, visit teenkitchenproject.org or call 831-316-4540