Humber College is getting a PWYC soup bar

Sep 25, 2018 | News

Tillana Desai

Humber College’s new pay-what-you-can Soup Bar is finally in business and students can barely contain their excitement.

The team that came up with Toronto’s first pay-what-you-can grocery store has opened a soup bar with a similar concept at Humber’s north campus. This comes as a boon to students who are a little tight on pocket money because it is PWYC.

The community food program of Feed It Forward (FIF) will serve soup, stew and freshly baked bread to students using rescued produce and leftover ingredients from Humber’s culinary program.

The soup bar run by Chef Jagger Gordon, who is also the executive chef of Humber’s culinary program, will have a weekly rotating menu with two to four items offered.

“This initiative is for students struggling with food insecurities. We are trying to address those and fill up their bellies,’ Gordon said.

“When I see how much I spend on food monthly at school, I feel it is a welcome change that the campus finally gets a PWYC bar. Especially with winter round the corner I think it’s a classic move,” Yesha Thaker, student of Multimedia Design and Development said.

According to FIF, culinary interns and volunteers will source ingredients from local bakeries and local grocers. Chefs will then use these to knock up nutritious meals. The soup bar is scheduled to operate two days a week before going on full time.

The FIF has operated as a community food program for several years and worked hard towards keeping food away from landfills.

A similar endeavour has been initiated at the University of Toronto.

The FIF said there is no minimum amount that needs to be paid by students for a hearty meal.