Harvest: A Feast of Fall, which moved to the Ottawa Art Gallery in 2024, returns Sept. 17.
Building on the success of past years, this year’s event has a mouth-watering list of guest chefs that will craft creative, fall-inspired dishes to accompany delicious beverages, all while supporting Youturn Youth Services. In the first two years, an impressive $60,000 has been raised! Foodies or those looking for a fun night out that supports a great cause should definitely add Harvest to their fall calendar. Tickets are available online and include food and drinks.
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One of the highlights of the event is interacting with chefs and learning about their use of local products and the thought process behind creating a new dish. This year’s list of 19 participating chefs includes returning favourites and new additions: Joe Thottungal from Coconut Lagoon and Thali, David Vinoya from Tulip, Raghav Chaudhary from Aiana Restaurant Collective, Ben Baird from Pelican Seafood Market and Grill, Simon Beaudry from Les Fougères, Ric Watson from Chef Ric’s and The Ottawa Mission, David Godsoe from Restaurant 18, Justin Champaigne-Lagarde from Perch, Kenton Leier from 1 Elgin, Cameron McGihon from Bar Lupulus, Ian Carswell from Black Tartan Kitchen, Jason Sawision from Stofa, Matt and Ashley Atton from BAMM’s Snack Shack, Mike Radford from the Whalesbone Group, Nouk Couturier-Bernard from Elise, Charley Nelson from Paper Tiger Noodle Bar, Teegavarapu Sarath Mohan rom Ek Bar, and Tu Le from Parlour.
It’s important to stay hydrated while touring the chef’s stations, and the beverage list also features new and returning offerings from Beyond the Pale Brewing, Casa-Dea Estates Winery, Maison Charron, and The Hyde.
This year, we reached BAMM’s Snack Shack co-owners, Ashley and Matt Atton, to learn about their dish and their reason for participating. Located in Lowertown, BAMM’s is a hidden gem of the community known for its creative dishes and amazing doughnuts. You can find BAMM’s bright and inviting restaurant at 74 Cobourg Street, across the street from Macdonald Gardens Park and a short walk from Rideau Street.
Apt613: Can you tell us about BAMM’s Snack Shack?
Ashley Atton: BAMM’s Snack Shack was opened when we saw an opportunity to create a third place in our neighbourhood. Matt and I were looking for a community-oriented space where everyone would feel welcome and comfortable with food as our binder.
Your website discusses community and how your menu is forever changing and customizing to the neighbours’ needs. Can you tell us more about what that looks like?
We have a set menu that is available at all times with prices that reflect affordability in our neighbourhood. We have daily and weekly specials that allow us to spread our wings and use our creativity, both to keep us happy and engaged as well as impressing customers with new and innovative food.
Participating in this event helps us support local organisations with a positive impact on communities in need.
Harvest raises funds for Youturn Youth Support Services. What does it mean for you to participate in this event?
Participating in this event helps support local organizations with a positive impact on communities in need. Having been foster parents, we recognize just how important the services are: it is important to us that we find ways to invest in youth support services.
What can you tell us about your dish? How did you go through the process of creating something that pays homage to the bounty of the fall season?
When thinking of fall, the first things that come to mind are an abundance of vegetables and vibrant colours. Fall is always a joyous and busy time: there is so much food that has been harvested that needs to be processed for the winter.
We chose our dish (pulled beef tacos, coleslaw, pickled onions) with that in mind. Pickled vegetables, cured and smoked beef, hearty root veg: it combines all of these specific foods and processes that humans have developed to preserve our fall harvest over the winter, all into a single bite.
What are you most looking forward to at the event?
We always look forward to these events, watching people enjoy our food while socializing with other chefs, all the while knowing we are making a difference, is definitely something to look forward to.
BAMM’s Snack Shack. Photo: Hannah Manning
Is there anything else Apt613 readers should know?
Take the chance and come to Lowertown! The experience won’t disappoint you: this area is definitely a hidden gem.
Harvest – A Feast of Fall takes place on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at the Ottawa Art Gallery (10 Daly Avenue). Accessibility information for the venue is available online. Tickets are available online for $125 and include cocktail-style food and drinks. Funds raised support YouTurn Youth Support Services, a non-profit organization that provides individualized services to our most at-risk youth.
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