Three local community members who have helped transform the city of Long Beach through their work with food are gathering together at MADE by Millworks this Friday to share their stories.<\/p>\n
During the April installment of \u201cThe MADE Storytelling Hour(s)\u201d Chef Paul Buchanan of Primal Alchemy catering, owner Kerstin Kansteiner of Portfolio Coffeehouse and Berlin Bistro and Sasha Kanno, founder of Long Beach Local and Farm Lot 59, will join writer, filmmaker and host of the evening Steven Deeble.<\/p>\n
Deeble, who has volunteered for local nonprofit Food Finders and picks up leftover produce from the Marina Farmer\u2019s Market for shelters and hospices, chose the theme of food and community because in an increasingly divisive world \u201cfood has a way of bringing people together,\u201d he said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese three people represent the spectrum of our relationship with food,\u201d stated Deeble. \u201cChef Paul prepares meals for hundreds of people at a time. Sasha educates people about how to grow their own food. And Kerstin\u2019s coffeehouse transformed 4th Street and the surrounding neighborhoods. I\u2019m really looking forward to hearing what they have to say.\u201d<\/p>\n
Buchanan, who sets himself apart from other Southern California caterers by using sustainable, organic foods, attended the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Prior to establishing Primal Alchemy in Long Beach, Buchanan gained valuable experience in the kitchens of a multitude of fine restaurants throughout the region. Chef Paul also works as a restaurant industry consultant.<\/p>\n
Kanno founded Long Beach Local, the nonprofit that holds the lease for Farm Lot 59, a local organic farm and education center. As the farmer and visionary behind the farm, her mission is to grow the best produce suited for Long Beach\u2019s coastal climate and to foster the next generation of urban farmers. She has been awarded numerous grants and awards for her work in the community as a leader, innovator and driving force in the local food movement, according to the release.<\/p>\n