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The one-day Food & Nutrition Forum is an exploration of trends and research in food science, nutrition, and health, connecting you with leading food researchers and experts in the field of agriculture and food production. Located on the Growth Hub Stage, The 2024 Forum will include interactive presentations from clinical researchers in Nutritional Sciences, educators working in hands-on food learning, and culinary experts, who all explore how we make connections to the food we eat.
Join a discussion of the role of science and research in navigating conversations in food and nutrition.
Dr. Fabek:
Dr. Hrvoje Fabek is a Senior Research Associate in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, and Program Manager of the NSERC Program in Food Safety, Nutrition and Regulatory Affairs. Dr. Fabek earned his PhD in 2015 at the University of Guelph in the Department of Food Science, Ontario Agricultural College. His research focus is on understanding the relationship between food structure and physiological functionality. He has carried out work using simulated digestion models to understand the role of dietary fibres and glycemic reductions and his work now is focused on exploring the functionality of an array of functional foods, including dairy, pulses, potatoes, and novel ingredients such as proteins extracted from an array of Canadian crops. He has teaching experience in food science, food chemistry, nutrition, and regulatory affairs.
What does it take to get your food to your plate?
The documentary Before The Plate sought to answer that question, from the farmers who dedicate their lives to growing food, to distributors, to the restaurants who serve food to you.
In this session, speak with the filmmakers and stars of the film about the project or tracing the production of every element of a single meal – and what they have learned about how we think about the food we eat.
Featuring Dylan Sher, Sagi Kahane-Rapport, and Chef John Horne.
John Horne:
In his role as District Executive Chef, John Horne oversees the culinary direction at Canoe, Auberge du Pommier, Biff’s Bistro, O&B Yonge & Front, Maison Selby and most recently, The Joneses, where he incorporates his passion for refined flavours, seasonal ingredients and explosive presentation.
After graduating from the Niagara College Culinary Management program, John worked at Almeida in London, England under the tutelage of Chef Ian Wood for two years. With experience at Michelin starred restaurants such as L’Escargot, The Square and the Orrery under his belt, John honed his classic French techniques for seven years as the Senior Sous Chef of Auberge du Pommier, one of Toronto’s most celebrated French restaurants, working under Chef Jason Bangerter. With his love of learning always in gear, John returned to Europe to work at Crillon le Brave.
In 2010, John was appointed Chef de Cuisine at Canoe. There, John took his cooking to the next level, constantly inspired by quality Canadian ingredients, a revelation that came as a result of his travels abroad. John’s international experience set him off on a mission to push forward the notion of Canadian cuisine and showcase his heritage through Canada’s many treasured ingredients.
John proved his culinary prowess, taking home the gold award at the 2014 Gold Medal Plates competition after going head-to-head with nine of Toronto’s finest culinary masters at the prestigious culinary event.
In 2015, Chef John was appointed District Executive Chef of Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants, where he continues to oversee the culinary direction of a diverse portfolio of restaurants across Toronto.
Dylan Sher:
Sher, creative mind behind Before The Plate started the project as a result of experiencing the misinformation about the farming industry first hand. Growing up just outside of Toronto, Dylan’s initial impression of farming came from urban information sources that had a very negative view of modern agricultural practices. After enrolling at the University of Guelph for agricultural business, Dylan has realized the weight and scale of false information that consumers are exposed to which sheds farmers in a bad light. Dylan plans to use his urban upbringing as an advantage to the project as he has a better understanding of areas that are of concern in the cities and what social implications those carry.
Sagi Kahane-Rapport:
Kahane-Rapport, director of Before The Plate, is an independent filmmaker with a passion for telling stories. Sagi brings his professional work experience in the film industry to the project, including commercial work for clients such as Nike and Telus, and music videos for eOne and Sony Music. Since founding and running his growing film production company, he has directed projects across the spectrum of film, including a TV pilot which was successfully picked up by Rogers Cable Canada. His love of film has taken him and his projects around the world, and he hopes to bring Before The Plate to as wide an audience as possible.
How can learning about growing food start at and in school, even in an urban environment? Speaking to the entrepreneurial process through which the program and infrastructure at Don Mills CI came to be, Dan Kunanec will share the ways in which working in growing food can enhance understanding of nutrition and health and wellbeing, especially in an urban environment.
Dan Kunanec
Assistant curriculum leader and teacher of the Emerging Green Technologies and Environmental Stewardship program at Don Mills Collegiate Institute in Toronto, ON, Dan is a teacher and co-learner with his students through urban farming and outdoor experiential learning.
Dan has been teaching at Don Mills Collegiate Institute for 25 years during which he has worked to build and grow their outdoor and experiential learning program. Growing up in east Scarborough to first-generation Canadian parents, he describes his family’s self-reliance and love of the land as coming from a Ukrainian prairie farming background, and informing his approach and values in his current practice. As a student, he often felt a lack of excitement and frustration in his classes and following high school he began his career in design. But, with the advice and recommendations of friends and family, he eventually returned to school at OISE where he fell in love with experiential learning during his practicum placement. Since starting at Don Mills, Dan has brought learnings from his entrepreneurship and design background and brings curiosity, thoughtfulness, and collaboration to his day-to-day practice in the classroom both inside and outside.
If you have any questions or comments that you would like to share with us, please feel free to reach out to us directly, or fill out the form on our contact page.
