Kelowna’s top kitchen talent come together for evacuees

Brock Bowes says he’d be heartbroken if he was forced to leave his home and not have a kitchen to cook a simple meal in.

So, when thousands ended up being forced to do just that as the trio of wildfires burned throughout the Central Okanagan, he and his colleagues wanted to step-up.

At Kettle River Brewing, members of the Okanagan Chefs Association quickly came together Monday night to craft a unique menu for evacuees.

“We put a post up online and donations instantly started rolling in,” Bowes told Kelowna10. “We came in and dissected all the produce we had and wrote a menu.”

As chefs, Bowes said he and his colleagues understand the importance of a meal, and how feeding people in a time of need can help alleviate stress and serve as a healthy distraction.

“As a chef this is what I like to do. … Putting together a roster of chefs like that today was very warm and pleasing,” he said.

“I love cooking with these guys and girls and its just it something we don’t get to do that often all together. This is something special for us to do, giving back to a community that has supported us so much.”

He said evacuees rolling through the door were very grateful for the warm and elevated meal, with many beyond belief for the outpouring of support.

He said many recognized the top-shelf talent in the kitchen.

“It’s a great feeling and [the evacuees] have amazing feelings back to us,” Bowes said. “It makes it rewarding for us.”