Whitby, Ont. – Durham College (DC) announced today that Bistro ’67, its full-service restaurant, which is based on the field-to-fork concept and located at its Centre for Food (CFF), has received a Feast On™ designation. Sponsored by the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance, Feast On is a criteria-based program that promotes restaurants and other businesses that showcase Ontario’s unique, locally produced food and beverages.

“The Feast On program is a perfect complement to Bistro ‘67’s commitment to the field-to-fork concept, which emphasizes the purchase of locally grown fruit and vegetables, as well as locally sourced meat and other products,” said Kevin Baker, dean, CFF. “We’re proud to not only support our local suppliers but to join them as well, as much of the produce we use at Bistro ’67 comes from the CFF gardens, which are tended by Durham College’s Horticulture – Food and Farming students.”

To receive a Feast On designation, restaurants must demonstrate that at least 25 per cent of their annual food and beverage receipts reflect products grown and made in Ontario, and commit to promoting locally sourced products whenever possible. The program supports the hard work of Ontario farmers and food providers by encouraging restaurants to purchase supplies from local farms, which in turn benefits local economies. Feast On member restaurants purchased more than $14 million worth of Ontario food and beverages in 2015 while helping to build the province’s reputation as a destination of choice for food lovers and educating consumers about the importance of sustainability in the food and beverage sector.

The designation follows the college’s recent announcement that the CFF, including Bistro ’67, has been upgraded to a 3 Star Certified Green Restaurant® by the Green Restaurant Association, a non-profit that guides restaurants on becoming more environmentally sustainable through its Dine Green program. The 3 Star certification recognizes the college’s commitment to environmental sustainability in food and beverage preparation and presentation, and covers a total of nine areas at the facility.

The field-to-fork concept is based on the harvesting, storing, processing, packaging, sale and consumption of local food for local consumers. The CFF opened its doors to students in September 2013 and its grounds feature an apple orchard, agricultural planting fields, gardens and greenhouses that support academic applied-learning and research while growing fruits, vegetables and other produce for use in its kitchens, laboratories and Bistro ’67.

Named for the year that DC opened, Bistro’67 seats up to 70 guests and offers a variety of seasonal dishes designed to satisfy any palate, including the recently launched Summer Fresh Wednesdays series, which features produce from the CFF gardens. Meals are prepared and served by the college’s skilled staff and students, who create flavourful dishes inspired by local ingredients from across Durham Region. In addition to featuring the latest in culinary technology, Bistro ‘67 also offers a boardroom (available for public rental) surrounded by glass walls overlooking the kitchen and a living lab with exposure to all restaurant-related jobs.

To learn more about Feast On™ please visit the program’s website. For more information on Bistro ’67 and the CFF, please visit www.bistro67.ca and www.durhamcollege.ca/cff.

 

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About Durham College

At Durham College (DC), the student experience comes first. With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby and a learning site in Pickering, the college offers more than 12,000 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and 16 apprenticeship programs in a number of different disciplines, enabling them to develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market.

The Oshawa campus features the state-of-the-art Student Services building and the college will soon break ground on the Centre for Collaborative Education, a legacy project tied to DC’s 50^th anniversary in 2017. The new facility will bring together local, Indigenous and global communities, providing a new home for several of the college’s most innovative and ground-breaking programs. The Whitby campus features the Centre for Food, including Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a retail store featuring food prepared by students in the college’s culinary programs. For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

 

Media contact:

 

Bob Neufeld
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 6219
robert.neufeld@durhamcollege.ca