Activities

10:30 - 11:30 a.m. | Saturday
CAH, Room 113 | Hands-on Class

Join the team of amazing chefs who cook nourishing meals for the early child-care centers at the YWCA in this hands-on cooking class. Chef Anessa Tolbert chose to share her Louisiana-family-favorite shrimp and grits recipe because it represents comfort, culture and creativity. YWCA’s lead cooks Mikael Thornquist and Chris Elliott will share how to make a fresh and vibrant salsa, featuring black beans, sweet corn and vegetables, finished with lime juice for bright and balanced flavor. This dish is commonly served at the child-care centers. 

11 a.m. - Noon | Saturday
CAH, Room 107 | Culinary Demonstration
Presenter: Chef Abang Brian

Join keynote speaker Chef Abang Brian as he prepares multiple dishes of his homeland, Malaysia, and he engages in conversations with other chefs and community food workers from Southeast Asia about the ways in which ingredients and traditions intersect among cuisines and cultures.

12:15 - 1:15 p.m. | Saturday
CAH, Room 227 | Hands-on Class
Presenters: Nikki Horner & Heather Mitchell

Michigan is abundant in fresh fruits and vegetables, even in April. Join this interactive cooking class and learn how you can be flexible in the kitchen and build a nourishing bowl of food using what’s in season and what you already have on hand. 

1:30 - 2:20 p.m. | Saturday
CAH, Room 113 |Hands-on Class
Presenter:  Shibani Kanugo

This salad is refreshing and nourishing, featuring boiled peanuts, a full rainbow of vegetables and Shibani’s special spice blend, which add flavor and character to this dish.

1:30 - 2:30 p.m. | Saturday
CAH, Room 107 | Culinary Demonstration
Presenter: Tip Maddux

If you were looking for something quick to eat on the go in Thailand, you may choose to stop by a street-food vendor and try sticky rice with grilled chicken. Maddux will be serving this dish with somtum, a salad traditionally made with green papayas, but adapted to Michigan’s abundance. Maddux prepares it with carrots and cabbage as the base. For those who do not eat chicken, Maddux will prepare tofu with peanut sauce and a quick vegetable pickle. 

1:30 - 2:30 p.m. | Saturday
CAH, Room 247

Join Taylor VanWinkle, climate sustainability manager at Kalamazoo County, and Jenny Doezema, executive director, Kalamazoo Climate Crisis Coalition, and learn about this newly released proposal outlining strategies for reducing emissions and promoting equitable climate solutions in Kalamazoo. Food and agriculture are part of the solution. Opportunities for discussion and feedback will be included. 

1 - 1:45 p.m. | Saturday

Meet on main floor by the front desk.

2 - 3 p.m. | Saturday

Join local experts on a half-mile walk along the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail from the Culinary and Allied Health Building to the Food Innovation Center. Learn about the native and invasive plant species that thrive in the Portage Creek and about the green infrastructure that helps minimize flooding in this low-lying part of Kalamazoo. After the walk, stay for a tour of the FIC and ValleyHUB Food Hub or return to the CAH on your own.

The Culinary and Allied Health Building is the home of the Kalamazoo Valley Community College brewing program and a microbrewery where students get hands-on experience in real time. Enjoy touring this state-of-the-art facility and get immersed in the process of beer making for a moment.

The cafe will be open for service, featuring traditional Malaysian cuisine, a salad bar, beverages and more. Local produce sourced through ValleyHUB will also be available for purchase. 

Get ready for a fun and colorful adventure in our Kids Botanical Paint Corner! In this exciting, hands-on experience, young artists will explore the world of nature-inspired painting using paints made from real plants, flowers and natural pigments. Kids will use these vibrant, eco-friendly colors to bring their imaginative ideas to life on paper. Each child can choose to create their one-of-a-kind bookmark or postcard. This experience is perfect for little hands eager to explore, learn and get creative with the magic of botanical paints.

In addition to food and habitat, plants and seeds can be a source of creative expression and art. Stop by this station to create your own collage using dried flowers grown at the Food Innovation Center, various seeds and other plant materials sourced nearby. 

Microgreens are tiny edible plants that are harvested after cotyledons (embryonic leaves) develop. They are full of flavor and nutrients, easy to grow and delicious to add to salads, sandwiches and soups. Sample several different types of microgreens grown at the Food Innovation Center and learn how to grow them and use them in your every day meals.

Despite notoriety as being poisonous to other plants, the majestic and prolific black walnut is anything but an enemy. With its rugged gray bark, dark heartwood and sprawling, nut-filled canopy, this native shade tree provides beauty, delicious food and incredible wood alongside many other species. Stop by arborist Devin Schmit’s station to sample roasted black walnuts and walnut syrup. Try your hand at cracking black walnuts using an antique cast iron nutcracker, learn about the tree and more.

Create your own Chef's Apron featuring your favorite foods. Become your favorite fruit or vegetable by creating a colorful mask. Take on the traveling seed challenge and test your plant-seed skills. After the Foodways Symposium, head over to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum for more fun and learning. General admission is always free!