the locavore chef - exploring alternative food networks in alberta
DESCRIPTION
“There’s so many more farmers that are selling to restaurants now than there was ten years ago. It’s been a massive change… because of the support of just a handful of restaurants. I can’t tell you how many farmers thanked me personally when I left the restaurant for keeping their family on the farm. And that’s huge! Talk about a fulfilling career!”TRANSCRIPT
The Locavore ChefExploring alternative food networks in
Alberta
Paul NelsonNaomi KrogmanMary Beckie
• Fastest growing province in Canada• Calgary 1.21M (2011); 12.6% growth (2006-
2011)• Edmonton 1.16M (2011); 12.1% growth (2006-
2011)• High Standard of Living
• $95000 Cnd. average annual household income (2011)
• Oil and Gas Activity• $4.51 billion in royalties (2011) • ~ 121000 jobs (1 in 16 Albertans) directly
employed in oil and gas extraction
Local Food Movement in Alberta
• Sept 2011 to August 2012 harvest year• Average $575/household spent at farmers’
markets• Farmers’ Markets valued at $724 million
• 22% of households reported choosing restaurants because they procure Alberta grown ingredients• Calgary > Edmonton• # of “local food” restaurants has
significantly increased over past 5 years.• Niche market driven by price premium of local
products?
Type of Food Establishment Chef *Urban Region Position
Fine Dining (Low Volume) Brian Edmonton Chef/Owner Curtis Calgary Chef/Owner Dean Calgary Chef/Owner Sandra Edmonton Chef/OwnerFine Dining (High Volume) Andy Edmonton Executive Chef Jason Calgary Executive Chef John Calgary Chef/Owner Sam Edmonton Executive Chef Scott Edmonton Executive ChefPrivate Club Lori Calgary Executive Chef
Corporate (multiple locations) Edward Calgary Executive Chef Patrick Calgary Corporate ChefFood Truck Matt Edmonton Chef/Owner Rob Edmonton Chef/OwnerCatering Blake Edmonton Chef/Owner Jeff Edmonton Chef/Owner Stanley Edmonton Chef/OwnerInstitutional Arthur Calgary Chef Instructor Henry Edmonton Chef Instructor Manuel Calgary Chef Instructor Marius Calgary Chef Instructor Shawn Calgary Chef Instructor Stuart Calgary Chef Instructor
Alternative Food Networks and Sustainability:- “food becomes a signifier for political, social, and ecological struggles that are otherwise easily ignored.”
~ Goodman 1999
- “Primary among the influences assuring the viabilityand vibrancy of regional food networks are the socialrelations of cooperation and trust that exist amongsuppliers, producers, workers, brokers, retailers and consumers who comprise the regional food network.”
~ Jarosz 2000
Farmer Chef Diner
Social
EnvironmentEconomic
Econo-Social Synergies
Commitment and Sharing Economic Risk
“ This year I paid for my garden before it was ever planted… the consistent quality and even the phone calls we got from the farmer saying ‘Here’s what we’ve got this week!” was phenomenal… I probably put out $10000 in food before we even opened the doors her because I wanted them to grow these products and for them not to wonder ‘Is he going to take this?’… I won’t change my philosophy on this because when you take that burden off farmers it allows them to show what they can do with products on their land.” - Brian
Econo-Social Synergies
Building Community
“Geographically we’re in a community… So that natural draw is the people in the community… You build that community and you build the relationships with the people within your neighbourhood… Families come in and sit at the rotisserie and they ask questions and they interact and they are part of it.” - John
Econo-Social Synergies
Scaling Up Local Foodsheds
“ There’s so many more farmers that are selling to restaurants now than there was ten years ago. It’s been a massive change… because of the support of just a handful of restaurants. I can’t tell you how many farmers thanked me personally when I left the restaurant for keeping their family on the farm. And that’s huge! Talk about a fulfilling career!” - Shawn
References
Alberta Energy. 2014. Oil Sands: Facts and Statistics. http://www.energy.alberta.ca/oilsands/791.asp [accessed July 25,
2014].
Goodman, D. 1999. Agro-Food Studies in the 'Age of Ecology': Nature, Corporeality, Bio- Politics. Sociologia Ruralis 39(1):17-38.
Government of Alberta. 2011. Alberta's oil sands: Economic Activity in Alberta and Canada. Edmonton, AB: Government of Alberta.
Jarosz, L. 2000. Understanding agri-food networks as social relations. Agriculture and Human Values 17: 279-283.
Statistics Canada. "Population and dwelling counts, for census metropolitan areas, 2011 and 2006 censuses," last modified Jan.
13, 2014. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census- recensement /2011/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table-Tableau.cfm?T=205&S=3&RPP=50 [accessed May 27, 2014].
Thank you!
Funding: Rural Sociological Society Canadian Social Sciences
and Humanities Research Council
Contact: [email protected]