Video summary
At Queen's Park, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario has distinguished itself by earning the prestigious Feast On certification, a mark that highlights its dedication to serving food grown, made, and sourced entirely within the province. This commitment transforms the heart of the government into a showcase for local culinary excellence, where delicious Ontario produce takes center stage on every plate. The operation, led by Director Tim Liliman, spans various venues including the Quorum Cafe for daily meals and extensive catering services for events throughout Queen's Park, with the in-camera dining room serving as the jewel of the crown for members and their guests during legislative sessions.
Achieving this standard requires creativity and resilience, particularly given Ontario's specific growing season which does not always allow for fresh produce year-round. To overcome these challenges, the kitchen employs innovative solutions such as a living wall that is harvested regularly and a robust preservation program that allows the culinary team to store fresh ingredients for use throughout the rest of the year. These preserved items are seamlessly integrated into menus across the dining room, cafe, and catering operations, ensuring that the high quality of local food remains consistent regardless of the season. This effort has been recognized by Rebecca Mackenzie, president and CEO of the Culinary Tourism Alliance, who noted her personal connection to Queen's Park through her great-grandfather, a former Speaker of the House, while praising the initiative for strengthening the bond between consumers and farmers.
The passion for local food extends beyond professional duty to become deeply personal for the staff, particularly Sous Chef Lesia Burlak, who was born on a farm and understands the unique flavor profile of fresh, local ingredients. She highlights specific items like cherry tomatoes on the vine as favorites that not only look beautiful but offer superior taste compared to non-local alternatives. By prioritizing Ontario's rich farmlands, which produce exceptional cheeses and meats, the chefs are able to showcase the best the province has to offer, reinforcing the idea that local ingredients provide a fresher and more flavorful dining experience for everyone from Members of Provincial Parliament to the public who can reserve tables during sessions.
Ultimately, the Feast On certification at the Legislative Assembly is about fostering a meaningful connection between what appears on the plate and the people and places across Ontario that make it possible. This initiative supports local producers, strengthens communities, and ensures that Ontario's food story remains front and center in daily life. By continuing to highlight these growers and producers, the assembly helps build more resilient food systems while celebrating the regional identity of the province. For Michelle Jobin reporting on this effort, the result is a dining experience that not only tastes better but also tells an important story about the strength and quality of Ontario's agricultural heritage.
Read the full video transcript
[music]
>> At Queen's Park, it's not just about
provincial politics and policy. Here,
you'll also find Ontario on your plate.
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario has
earned Feast On certification,
recognizing a commitment to serving food
grown, made, and sourced right here in
the province. So, here at the heart of
our government, delicious local food is
taking center [music] stage.
Tim Liliman is the director of
parliamentary food services here at the
LAO. It's an operation that spans the
Quorum Cafe for a quick breakfast,
lunch, or snack, the many catering needs
for events throughout Queen's Park, and
>> the jewel in the crown is
uh the in-camera dining room, where we
feed the members and their guests
uh every day that the the house is in
session. And uh we pride ourselves on
the food that we're serving that
features a lot of Ontario produce.
>> And it's not just MPPs and their guests
who can experience it. While Parliament
is in session, members of the public can
also reserve for lunch at the in-camera
dining room by visiting ola.org or
calling 416-325-7395.
>> We really want to promote Ontario
produce because it's exceptional. It's
It's the best in the world. And we want
to incorporate that into as many menus
as we can.
>> Given Ontario's growing season, that
commitment isn't always the easiest
route, but the solutions are as creative
as they are delicious, including a
living wall in the dining room that's
harvested regularly, and a preservation
program.
>> We are preserving fresh produce that we
then in turn can serve during the rest
of the year. The culinary crew, the
brigade, has done an exceptional job.
And we're incorporating those in our
menus both in the dining room, the cafe,
and in catering.
>> This commitment to Ontario-grown and
made products has earned the Legislative
Assembly of Ontario a Feast On
certification from the Culinary Tourism
Alliance. That organization's president
and CEO, Rebecca Mackenzie, also has a
personal connection to Queen's Park. Her
great grandfather, James Deckon Hepburn,
served as Speaker of the House in the
1940s.
>> Feast On is Ontario's food service
certification program that recognizes
restaurants, culinary experiences, and
agritourism experiences that put what is
grown and raised in Ontario front and
center for the consumer experience. I
think it's fabulous that the Legislative
Assembly of Ontario is a Feast On
certified food service experience. It's
great that members of Provincial
Parliament and their guests and staff
get to dine in an establishment where
showcasing what's grown and raised on
Ontario is front and center and it's
celebrated on a day-to-day basis. It's
really important for us to continue to
support Ontario growers and producers
and really highlight them as often as
possible when dining out. It helps us to
build more resilient food systems. It
strengthens that connection between
consumer and farmer and ultimately it
also taste better.
>> It's a meaningful thing for the chefs
here at the LAO to cook with and serve
the best that Ontario has to offer.
>> I love Ontario for its farmlands. I love
the fact that we have rich lands that we
can grow produce here. We make amazing
cheeses. We have amazing meats. And I'm
so proud of that. What better way to
showcase it than here at the Legislative
Assembly of Ontario?
>> Sous Chef Lesia Burlak says that passion
for Ontario grown food isn't just
professional. It's deeply personal as
well.
>> It also has a personal importance to me
as well because I was also born on a
farm. We grew everything. So I know what
fresh is. I know what local is. I know
what it tastes like to pull something
out of the ground and eat it and cook
with it. There is nothing fresher or
more flavorful than local ingredients.
>> And those fresh local Ontario
ingredients serve as inspiration.
>> One of my favorite things is um
uh cherry tomatoes on the vine or plum
tomatoes on the vine. I just love the
look of them, the color of them. They're
always flavorful, especially when
they're local. Um it's a nice way to
present a dish or it's a nice way to
garnish a dish.
>> At its core, the Feast On certification
here at the Legislative Assembly of
Ontario is about connection. Linking
what's on the plate here at Queen's Park
back to the people and places across
Ontario that make possible. And as we've
heard, that connection supports local
producers, strengthens communities, and
helps keep Ontario's food story front
and center. For the Legislative Assembly
of Ontario, I'm Michelle Jobin.