Nanaimo Community Kitchens Society

09/04/2026

A little clarification about Nanaimo Community Kitchens and commercial kitchen space in Nanaimo:

Many people have reached out to us asking whether Nanaimo Community Kitchens has a commercial kitchen space available for rent now that Rising Hope Community Kitchen is closing at the end of September.

The answer is no, we do not have commercial kitchen space available for rent.

We also want to clarify what Nanaimo Community Kitchens actually does, as our model is quite different from a commercial or shared-use kitchen.

Nanaimo Community Kitchens does not own or operate a commercial kitchen. Our cooking workshops are educational and community-based. Participants prepare food themselves, learn practical cooking and nutrition skills, and take the food home to share with their families. We are not producing food for sale, catering, or operating a food production business.

We work with a wide range of people in our community, including:

• Youth
• Newcomers to Canada
• Seniors
• Families and parents
• People living on lower incomes
• People with diverse abilities
• Community members looking to build their cooking and food skills

We also offer public community workshops and food education.

Because we don’t have our own kitchen, we go where the need is. We partner with organizations and use appropriate community spaces depending on the program and the people we are trying to reach.

There are many kitchens and community spaces available in Nanaimo, but that does not necessarily mean they are suitable for commercial food production. Commercial kitchens have very specific requirements, including appropriate equipment, ventilation, food-safe infrastructure and Island Health approval. Many churches, community halls and other community spaces simply do not have a commercial kitchen.

We also want to acknowledge the people and small businesses who are being affected by the changes at the Rising Hope Community Kitchen. For businesses whose livelihoods depend on producing and selling food, access to an approved commercial kitchen is essential. We understand why losing that space, particularly with a short transition period, is incredibly difficult.

At the same time, we want to recognize Island Crisis Care Society for having tried to make this type of shared kitchen space available. ICCS does important work in our community, particularly around housing and supporting people experiencing housing insecurity. If they have determined that continuing to provide the kitchen space is not financially feasible for their organization, it is understandable that they need to make a different decision. Providing commercial kitchen space is not their core mandate, and they are not required to provide that space indefinitely.

It is possible to recognize the very real impact this change is having on local food businesses while also recognizing that community organizations and nonprofits have financial limitations and need to make decisions that allow them to continue their primary work.

Nanaimo Community Kitchens will continue doing what we have always done: bringing food education and hands-on cooking opportunities into the community, wherever they are needed and wherever we can find an appropriate space.

We believe Nanaimo benefits from having a variety of organizations doing different things, and we hope everyone affected by these changes is able to find a workable path forward.

09/04/2026

A new home for Loaves & Fishes 💛

We’ve officially moved into the Tom Harris Regional Food Centre, marking an exciting new chapter for our team, volunteers and the communities we serve.

There’s still plenty ahead, but we’re so grateful to be here and to everyone who helped bring this space to life. We can’t wait for what this space will make possible!

09/03/2026

We would love to receive your quick and easy recipe submissions for our upcoming Senior Adventures Cafe cookbook. You can pick up a recipe submission form from our office, or email: [email protected].

09/02/2026

🌿 FARM TO FOCACCIA 🍞

Join Nanaimo Community Kitchens for a fun, hands-on afternoon of bread making, gardening and creativity!

We’ll make focaccia using sourdough starter + yeast, harvest fresh seasonal vegetables, herbs and flowers from the garden, and create our own edible focaccia designs.

📅 Wednesday, September 16
⏰ 3:00–4:30 PM
📍 Five Acre Community Park, Nanaimo
💰 $35 + Eventbrite fees
👩‍🍳 Limited to 10 participants

No bread-making experience needed. Take your focaccia home to finish baking and enjoy!

Register here: Eventbrite – Farm to Focaccia

09/02/2026

08/28/2026

Our Edible Canvas Workshop yesterday was a huge success!

A big thank you to everyone who came out and joined us. We had so much fun turning food into art, using colourful vegetable based dips as our “paint.” We then created beautiful edible canvases with fresh vegetables, edible flowers and herbs and charcuterie cups to go with this.

We’re sorry to those who had last-minute cancellations and weren’t able to join us. We hope you can join us next time.

Here’s a quick snapshot of some photos from the night, with more to come.

Our next workshop will be Farm to Focaccia at Five Acre Farm, where we’ll be making sourdough focaccia with beautiful artisan designs on top.

Tickets for the next workshop will be available on Eventbrite. We’ll be posting the details soon!

08/06/2026

Sheet Pan Cauliflower Shawarma with Homemade Greek Yogurt Pitas

Serves: 4–6

Sheet Pan Cauliflower Shawarma

Ingredients

Vegetables
• 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
• 1 can (540 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Shawarma Spice Blend
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Toss the cauliflower, peppers, onion, and chickpeas with olive oil and all of the spices.
3. Spread onto a large baking sheet in a single layer.
4. Roast for 30–35 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and caramelized.

⸻

🫓 Homemade Greek Yogurt Pitas

Ingredients
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2–4 tbsp warm water (if needed)

Instructions
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Stir in the Greek yogurt and olive oil until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Add warm water, one tablespoon at a time, if the dough feels dry.
4. Knead for about 5 minutes until smooth.
5. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
6. Divide into 8 equal balls.
7. Roll each into a circle about ¼ inch thick.
8. Heat a dry cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
9. Cook each pita for 1–2 minutes per side, until puffed and lightly browned.
10. Keep warm in a clean tea towel.

08/05/2026

Seasonal Abundance!

08/05/2026

These beautiful yellow beans are ready to be picked and enjoyed. Fresh beans are packed with fibre, vitamins, and flavour, and they’re so versatile in the kitchen.

08/05/2026

Our garden has been producing lots of green beans lately! One of our favourite ways to enjoy them is in a fresh summer salad using whatever vegetables are ready to harvest. If your garden is overflowing too, give this recipe a try.

🥗 Garden Green Bean Salad

Ingredients
• 4 cups fresh green beans, trimmed
• 2 carrots, peeled into ribbons or thinly sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 3–4 radishes, thinly sliced
• A handful of fresh parsley or dill
• ¼ cup crumbled feta (optional)
• A handful of toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds

Dressing
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Blanch the green beans in boiling water for 3–4 minutes, then cool them in ice water and drain.
2. Combine all of the vegetables in a large bowl.
3. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad.
4. Sprinkle with feta and seeds before serving.

This salad is easy to change up depending on what’s growing in your garden. Try adding snap peas, zucchini, peppers, fresh herbs, or even corn cut straight from the cob.

What are you harvesting this week?