Resident chef hired for new Culinary Education Center of Sanibel
A resident chef has been hired for the Community House to help run the new Culinary Education Center of Sanibel, scheduled to open this January.
“I don’t think we know its potential yet,” Marge Meek, a long time supporter of the renovation project, said of the education center.
Chef Jarred Harris, the resident chef is a Florida native, who has had training at Johnson & Wales University in culinary arts, which ignited 35 years of experience in the culinary industry. Twenty-five years of that experience has been spent as an executive chef in restaurants, five star resorts and high end country clubs, including the Sanctuary Golf Club.
His journey also led him to living in England, working as a private chef and becoming an owner of Gastro Pub. With a new outlook on organic farming and sustainable food sources, he returned to Sanibel eager to teach others.
“Cooking should be based on the finest and freshest seasonal ingredients that are produced sustainably and locally,” Harris said.
A huge undertaking of the remodeled Community House included a commercial quality kitchen that expands 800 square feet. The kitchen, Meek said was designed with the help of staff from the Sanctuary and Bailey’s and Melissa Talmage. She said they also hired a kitchen designer and firm to help with the layout and purchase of equipment, as well as training once it is installed.
The open feel of the kitchen will allow participants with the opportunity to sit directly outside of the kitchen viewing what is being cooked through an open window. Up to 20 people can also work with the chef in the kitchen because of the square footage dedicated to the space.
Meek said the new technology incorporated into the Community House will also allow them to stream live what is being done in the kitchen on either televisions throughout the house, or in individual homes through a cable network.
Meek said since the Community House is not scheduled to open until January, Harris will be catering parties for people throughout the holiday season at their homes. She said it’s an excellent way for the community to meet their new resident chef.
Those interested in Harris’ catering services, call (239) 472-2155.
The Culinary Education Center of Sanibel will feature classes taught by both Harris, and visiting chefs. The center will also offer cooking demonstrations.
“The kitchen will be open by early January and mid-January the cooking classes will begin,” she sad. “The emphasis is on health, learning and doing it (cooking) the right way.”
Meek said the concept is “farm to table” using more than 40 fruit baring bushes, shrubs and trees surrounding the renovated Community House, as well as the community garden. She said Harris will use the fruit to showcase different ways it can be incorporated into cooking.
“I believe people will be surprised at the variety of plants we have and will see fruit and produce that is rarely available in our stores. The taste and quality of our fruits will surprise you,” Meek said.”The volunteers, kitchen guild, are anxious to make jellies and assist the chef and learn new skills.”
The center will also include children’s programs, which will kick off with Nikki Rood of Sanibel Sprout. The children’s programs were made possible through the generosity of the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club and the Sanibel Captiva Kiwanis Club. She said the children will learn how to enjoy a meal from what they grew, as well as manners and how to use the tools of a kitchen.
The Community House will also offer catering and banquet opportunities.
In addition to the classes and demonstrations, the free potluck dinners will continue throughout the year the fourth Wednesday of the month. Meek said the potluck gatherings are a great way for new and small businesses to share what they do with the community.
In an effort to continue to raise money for the new Community House kitchen, the second annual Cooking with the Islands’ Stars will be held Saturday, Jan. 28. Five island family chefs are being sought to win the top two prizes – culinary tour of the Miami area, cooking with top chefs and visiting the diverse cooking scene.
The first annual event raised $162,000, which went towards building the new kitchen. This year’s event will help raise funds to stock the kitchen, pay the resident chef, assist with SCA events and train others in the proper use of the facility.
Those interested in becoming one of the five chefs for Cooking with the Islands’ Stars can call Meek, at (239) 472-2466, Salli Kirkland, at (239) 209-2514, or the Community House at (239) 472-2155. Applications, and rules of the contest, can be found at www.sanibelcommunityhouse.net.