With the continued buzz surrounding the local-food movement in Toronto, the Drake Hotel—often praised for its seasonal menu and commitment to local producers—proved a fitting venue to host the fifth annual Earth Day Canada celebration gala Wednesday. The food-centric event changed its format this year from a sit-down dinner (the event has previously been held at the Intercontinental Hotel) to a cocktail-style reception with food stations on all three floors of the venue.
Four chefs, including Michael Stadtländer of Eigensinn Farm and Drake head chef Anthony Rose, created a menu of local (and mostly organic) foods like fried rabbit with spring onion dressing, wild strawberry skewers, and grilled lake trout sandwiches, accompanied by Ontario wines. To emphasize the role of local food producers, Stadtländer offered a whole roast pig with a video playing alongside the carving station depicting the animal's upbringing."We're here at a location where we can really express ourselves and change the whole tempo of the event, so it's going to be a lot of socializing, a lot of networking," said Jed Goldberg, president of Earth Day Canada. (The EDC Web site described the event's new location as "uber-hip.") Goldberg and his organization's staff worked with the Drake Hotel to organize the gala, where two lawyers received awards for their environmental work.
Other environmentally friendly features of the event included eight bicycle-powered EcoCabs to shuttle guests to the west-end hotel (the two-seater cabs are part of a summer program in Toronto put in place by GO Mobile Media and sponsored by Lipton). The use of Bullfrog Power offset electricity use for the gala. Singer/songwriter Sarah Harmer, who runs an organization working to preserve the Niagara Escarpment, performed among other acts in the Drake's Underground.
Four chefs, including Michael Stadtländer of Eigensinn Farm and Drake head chef Anthony Rose, created a menu of local (and mostly organic) foods like fried rabbit with spring onion dressing, wild strawberry skewers, and grilled lake trout sandwiches, accompanied by Ontario wines. To emphasize the role of local food producers, Stadtländer offered a whole roast pig with a video playing alongside the carving station depicting the animal's upbringing."We're here at a location where we can really express ourselves and change the whole tempo of the event, so it's going to be a lot of socializing, a lot of networking," said Jed Goldberg, president of Earth Day Canada. (The EDC Web site described the event's new location as "uber-hip.") Goldberg and his organization's staff worked with the Drake Hotel to organize the gala, where two lawyers received awards for their environmental work.
Other environmentally friendly features of the event included eight bicycle-powered EcoCabs to shuttle guests to the west-end hotel (the two-seater cabs are part of a summer program in Toronto put in place by GO Mobile Media and sponsored by Lipton). The use of Bullfrog Power offset electricity use for the gala. Singer/songwriter Sarah Harmer, who runs an organization working to preserve the Niagara Escarpment, performed among other acts in the Drake's Underground.
EcoCabs outside the Drake Hotel
Photo: Courtesy of Earth Day Canada
Singer/songwriter Sarah Harmer performed in the Underground at the Drake Hotel.
Photo: Courtesy of Earth Day Canada
Chef Michael Stadtländer carved a whole roast pig from his Eigensinn Farm.
Photo: Courtesy of Earth Day Canada
Chefs prepared flat-bread pizzas with spring vegetables, cured meats, and local cheeses on the hotel's patio.
Photo: Courtesy of Earth Day Canada
Eight EcoCabs (sponsored by Lipton) provided free rides to and from the hotel.
Photo: Courtesy of Earth Day Canada
Passed hors d'oeuvres were passed on long slabs of wood to emphasize the local and organic theme.
Photo: Courtesy of Earth Day Canada
Cascades, the event's presenting sponsor, set up displays throughout the Drake Hotel.
Photo: BizBash
