Cultiv8 CHEF is a food product development program for students which links food security, preservation, and entrepreneurship. Student participants in the program learn kitchen skills, food preservation, and food product development through taste, texture, and presentation. Working collaboratively across different teams, cultures, and experiences, student volunteers develop special skills which will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

Program Highlights and Learning Opportunities:

• Learn kitchen basics from a chef 
• Make and test recipes 
• Pursue food security 
• Innovate with food 
• Create value-added food products 
• Link food security with food preservation 
• Link preservation to entrepreneurship 
• Work with a team of students 
• Learn about taste and texture 
• Develop your own food product
• Have great discussions

Provided by Chef Reiner Boermans and Cultiv8 Manager Jason Grant, students are first introduced to kitchen basics through following recipes to create products. Ultimately, student groups will build their own recipe and product, gain feedback from others, and use that feedback to improve their product. The program concludes with a showcase, where student groups present their Cultv8 CHEF journey and products to a panel of enthusiastic supporters!

For 3 hours, once per week for 7 weeks, students benefit from a low-risk, mentor-driven opportunity to explore cooking and product development, all in Dalhousie University's Cox Institute Food Lab.