Eat Fit, two pigs and exercise
Chef comes North to reclaim a 'lost generation of foodies'
Miranda Scotland
Northern News Services
Published Monday, April 7, 2014
KINNGAIT/CAPE DORSET
Two years after his first visit, chef Paul Finkelstein has returned to Cape Dorset with two suckling pigs, 90 pots and a team of people in tow.
He's in the North as part of his mission to reclaim a "lost generation of foodies." His message to Cape Dorset students: put down the prefab meals and get into the kitchen.
"What we're finding, and not just in the North but across North America, people are losing the ability to cook," said Finkelstein.
"Obesity and diabetes rates are growing ... and poor nutrition is a problem."
Finkelstein hails from Stratford, Ont., where he runs a culinary arts course at the local high school.
Together with health and fitness professional Erin Phelan, Finkelstein developed the Eat Fit program, which he's bringing to schools in Canada.
For the eat portion, students are learning knife skills, shopping techniques and how to cook from scratch.
"If you spread your shopping between the two stores and take advantage of what's being offered at discount, you're going to be able to shop for a lot less and save money within your grocery bill," said Finkelstein, reiterating what he told Cape Dorset students.
"Also, shopping is looking at food. If you want to buy potatoes, well if they're green you don't want to buy them."
Northern youth are also learning to follow 10 recipes handed out to communities by the territorial government.
Hopefully, Finkelstein said, participants will feel comfortable cooking for their families once the program is finished.
They will each receive a set of pots, donated by Lagostina, to bring home.
"Food isn't just about nourishment for the body," said Finkelstein. "They may suck at math, English and science. But when they get in that kitchen and they can make that dish everybody is enjoying it, it's fulfilling and such a positive experience for them and it spreads.
"If we can encourage them to take these recipes home and cook them for their families, it's one more notch of pride for them and also for their parents."
For the fit side, Phelan is encouraging students to get active for 20 minutes a day.
It's important for youth to be engaged in one hour of vigorous activity a day, while adults should be exercising for at least 150 minutes a week, she said.
"The two things I would say to parents is lead by example and find something you enjoy doing and you enjoy doing as a family, too," said Phelan, adding she is already impressed with how active students in Cape Dorset are.
"Last night is a perfect anecdote. Mike Soares (principal of Peter Piseolak School) opens the gym up to the school and the community on the weekend. We were kicking kids out of here at 10 p.m. who were playing volleyball. You would never have that back south. This would never exist."
Finkelstein and Phelan are joined by 10 Stratford students, two chefs and representatives of Neal Brothers foods.
Eighteen-year-old Kenny Edwards returned for his second visit to the community and is working on a promotional film for the Eat Fit program. He said it's nice to see some familiar faces.
Fit leaders Katelyn Hawkins, 17, and Joel MacDonald, 17, said they are both impressed by how friendly everyone is in the community.
"They've been really open to everything," said Hawkins, adding she feels she's learned more from the students then she's been able to teach. "It's cool learning you can be just as healthy as you can where you have everything you can possibly need, to coming here and you have to make it all work for you."
The Stratford group plans to continue the program from afar by providing support in terms of recipes or equipment. They may also conduct classes over Skype.
Getting back to the two suckling pigs, to mark the end of their time in Cape Dorset, the team will be digging a pit in the snow and roasting them up for a community feast.
"We're hoping it's the most Northern suckling pig ever prepared," said Finkelstein.
