Azaryn Allain and Olivia Turton of Thompson had the chance to strut their culinary stuff in the nation’s capital Oct. 21 after being two of 26 contest winners from across Canada invited to the Kid Food Nation gala at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier.
Sponsored by PC Children's Charity and the Government of Canada, Kid Food Nation teaches kids cooking skills, encourages healthy food choices, and develops healthy eating skills for life. The Kid Food Nation eight-week program runs at Boys & Girls Clubs in communities from British Columbia to Newfoundland and Labrador with a focus on teaching children aged seven to 12 essential culinary skills.
Olivia, 10, was the first of the Thompson pair to receive word that she had been selected to take part in the Kid Food Nation gala in Ottawa, which was hosted by YTV’s Carlos Bustamante and Spencer Litzinger, with invited guests including Members of Parliament, federal health department parliamentary secretary John Oliver and Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam.
Olivia, whose winning recipe was shepherd's pie with cauliflower in place of potatoes, said she found out she had been selected via a text from her mom.
“I kind of freaked out,” Olivia said. “I was just so happy.”
She also did what siblings usually do.
“I was kind of bragging about it [to Azaryn],” she admits.
Soon afterwards, 12-year-old Azaryn earned some bragging rights of her own when she was selected for her recipe, called lazy soup.
“You have chicken in it and chicken broth or you can put other meat in it,” Azaryn says. “You can put whatever you want in it if you don’t like the things that are in it but it has every single food group except for milk. I put vegetables like carrots, seasoning, chicken broth and chicken, mostly.”
Finding out that she was going to be at the gala in Ottawa with Olivia lifted Azaryn’s spirits
“I was so bummed out because I thought that they chose everyone that day [that Olivia was notified],” Azaryn said. “So when I got told that I entered, I go back to class, I’m sitting in my chair, everyone’s like, ‘What happened?’ so I tell them. I was freaking out.”
Azaryn said she started learning to bake when she was five. “We really liked baking sweets and then after I got taught how to cook other things and now here I am.”
Olivia remembers seeing an advertisement for the contest and gala.
“There was a commercial that popped up,” she says. “They said Olivia and there was a picture of cauliflower shepherd’s pie and the words and then it went Azaryn and a picture of lazy soup. I was really excited. I stopped it. I replayed it but I paused it to get everyone in the living room so everyone could see.”
"Having kids engaged in healthy meal preparation can have a tremendous impact on their health and wellbeing, and forms positive, healthy habits for the future," said federal Minister of Health Ginette Petitpas Taylorin a news release.
Azaryn and Olivia’s recipes will be featured in the Kid Food Nation cookbook, along with the other 24 contest winners.
"Through PC Children's Charity and the Kid Food Nation program, we will equip an entire generation with the culinary skills they need to make wholesome and nutritious meals for themselves and their families,” says Sarah Davis, chair of PC Children's Charity and president of Loblaw.
"The kitchen is the heart and soul of our Boys & Girls Clubs," says Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada CEO Owen Charters. "We know that instilling healthy habits and a love of good food at a young age sets a path for future success.”
Kid Food Nation also runs a website (www.kidfoodnation.com) that includes games, videos, tips about healthy eating, fun cooking facts, recipes and more.
