Our Community

Planet Organic Black Box Challenge

On Saturday October 20th, 2007 Citadel Halifax's Executive Chef, Michael Silvester, organized through Nova Scotia Chef's Association the Planet Organic Black Box Challenge on World Chef Day at Mic Mac Mall, where eight young chefs were asked to use 100% organic ingredients from start to finish. What is a Black Box? A competitor is given a mystery box of ingredients with which to conjure up a menu item as designated by the sponsors. The event was a huge success.

Since then, Chef Michael Silvester has been put in charge of spearheading the local chef's association to get involved with all local farmers and suppliers in view of supporting our local food growing community.

The Citadel Halifax has also launched a new fresh sheet menu that allows local suppliers the opportunity to supply the Chef and his brigade with goods that can be featured at its botaniCa restaurant. Chef Michael also teaches classes at the local Superstores in their community kitchens, showing people better ways to cook healthier and better tasting foods.

For a third consecutive year Chef Michael is working with two local chefs preparing a menu for the annual Chefs for Unicef Dinner, held in February of 2008, where approximately 500 guests are expected. He is also involved with the "Ready, Set Cook" program, where local Chefs pair with four high school students over 4 weeks, to teach them culinary skills. Following that period, all the teams are taken to the culinary college, where a full blown cooking competition will take place in April of 2008. Michael is also involved in public speaking in schools, in hopes of drawing some kids into the culinary industry upon finishing their high school studies.

Halifax Magazine (PDF)