Inaugural ‘Harvest Table’ brings island food and community to Cowichan’s Keating Farm

Inaugural ‘Harvest Table’ brings island food and community to Cowichan’s Keating Farm

Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Food Day Canada and Keating Farm have come to the table to present ‘Harvest Table’ a new annual celebration of Vancouver Island food, farming, community and place at Cowichan Valley’s Keating Farm on Sept. 26.

“Food is the invitation, but the relationships are the destination,” said Keating Farm co-owner and Harvest Table co-founder Rebecca Papadopoulos. “Harvest Table is our invitation to gather, share in the abundance of the season and get to know the people who bring Vancouver Island food to the table.”

“Food Day Canada has always been about celebrating the people and places behind the food we grow, harvest and share,” said vice-chair Paul Stewart. “Harvest Table brings that idea to life on Vancouver Island by creating a place for farmers, chefs, students, community organizations and guests to come together, build relationships and celebrate the local food system.”

So much more than a one-day culinary event, Harvest Table — A Taste of Vancouver Island was designed to create opportunities to strengthen relationships across agriculture, culinary, tourism, education, community and Vancouver Island’s wider food system. The inaugural celebration beginning at 11 a.m. at the farm at 5250 Miller Rd., will bring the Island food community together through local food and beverages, farm experiences, children’s activities and a Community Harvest meal which will also put a spotlight on the next generation of culinary talent.

Students from Vancouver Island University’s Culinary Arts Program will work alongside Chef Buddy Wolfe, while students from North Island College’s Culinary Arts Program will work alongside Chef Jonathan Frazier to prepare a five-course menu showcasing Vancouver Island ingredients.

The culinary dream team will include Chef Ronald St. Pierre who was named Canadian Culinary Federation’s 2026 Chef of the Year. He will be joined by other guest chefs from Culinary Team Canada along with renowned Vancouver Island chefs including Chef Warren Barr, Chef Oliver Kienast, Chef Dan Shipley, Chef Fatima Da Silva, Chef Michelle Plain, as well as Chefs Matias Sallaberry, and Emily Davies.

Harvest Table, which is supported by both Tourism Cowichan and 4TVI, with participation from farmers, fishers, producers, culinary teams, and community organizations from across the island is not just about gathering together, it’s about giving back. Organizers say that after covering event costs, and responsibly reserving funds to help plan the following year, available proceeds will then go towards supporting organizations and initiatives that strengthen food, farming and community.

For more information on Harvest Day and its ticket prices visit harvesttablevi.ca.

“We hope every guest leaves with a full belly, and a full heart, with a stronger sense of belonging, new connections, fresh ideas and a renewed sense of possibility to carry forward into their own lives and communities,” said Papadopoulos.