Nourish Vancouver opens new Cafe & Cooking School in Point Grey and Kitsilano
Their mission was simple – celebrate delicious, high-quality locally organic-grown food and sharing it with the community. And now, after two successful years on Granville Street, owners Dan Cheung and Abbey Pires expands to open the new Nourish Café & Cooking School at 3742 West 10th Avenue this week. Located on the borders of Point Grey and Kitsilano, the larger 1,500 square feet space is a gathering place for those to relish, enjoy, and learn how to cook 100 per cent organic, plant-based dishes in a variety of cuisines.
“Creating a family-friendly space focused on good food has always been part of our vision,” says Cheung, who founded the business as an organic salad delivery company in 2014 with wife, Pires. “Nothing warms my heart more than to see people enjoying our food, and I am so excited to now share my love for local, organic, sustainable food in our cooking school.”
The 16-seat cafe’s menu is similar to Nourish Vancouver’s current offerings, including the popular Kale & Squash, Bangkok Quinoa, and Soba Noodle salads, as well as the Spicy Moroccan Stew and Red Lentil Soup. There will also be a small kid’s Farmers’ Market and kitchen play area made available mid-May. Beverage options include local company The Juice Box’s fresh, organic cold-pressed juices; an organic roast from East Van Roasters; and East Vancouver’s Hoochy ‘Booch Kombucha, a sweet and tart bubbly drink in a selection of flavours.
An open cooking school kitchen is designed behind the cafe to provide classes for both adults and kids (8 years plus), reinforcing Nourish’s mission to inspire a healthy and environmentally-conscious eating lifestyle. Just like the cafe menu, classes also focus on a 100 per cent organic, plant-based approach, featuring local produce and global flavours. Some classes will include organic animal protein and/or sustainable seafood options as well, with dishes changing regularly to reflect the season’s harvest.
“Our classes will include a range from Italian to Asian to even macaron making,” explains Cheung, who is an instructor for a few of the classes. “We hope it offers people a fresh perspective on how delicious and fun plant-based and organic eating can be. To us, eating is all about quality not quantity, and balance – that’s why we even have dessert classes using all natural, organic ingredients.”
The rustic-chic space was designed by local interior design collective, Studio Coalesce, and inspired by a modern take on a French Farmhouse. Project Designers, Meghan Pitt and Aarti Gandhi, describe these details can be seen in repurposed elements such as the reclaimed wood shelving, white-wash wood paneling, and vintage hanging windows, along with traditional moulding details and polished quartz counters. Original fir hardwood floors were uncovered and refinished after years of wear and tear, maintaining the true character of the original building. Timeless and traditional elements are emphasized throughout with contemporary execution.
Nourish approached Arithmetic Creative for a brand refresh that reflects the rustic sensibility with qualities of the new space. The agency’s principal, Margherita Porra explains, “When we set out to build the new brand for Nourish, we were inspired by the image of a farmhouse set in the French countryside during the mid-war years. A time when it was common to grow your own food and prepare each meal with adoration, a time where wealth was fleeting and family values ran deep. We envisioned a setting where luxe, yet old family heirlooms mixed in with weather worn country living – a sort of weathered luxury where nostalgia happily greets contemporary nuances.”
To leverage the root of the brand story, the Arithmetic team created a custom tailored visual language, expressed through subtle nods to Art Deco in the typography and use of brass detailing in the exterior brand signage and interior menu system, paired with weather worn white washed wood to provide a duality of special and rare, mixed with approachability.
The Nourish story extends through the space into the feature wall art where dried flowers have been lovingly captured and framed with brass accents to express the “flavour of not hurrying.”
Nourish Café is open Monday to Saturday, from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Nourish Cooking School will have classes from 4:00pm to 8:30pm, starting June to the public. In addition, Nourish is expected to launch a summer kids cooking program during the summer and weekdays. For more information, visit www.nourishvancouver.ca
About Nourish Vancouver
It was a labour of love for husband-wife team Dan Cheung and Abbey Pires. What started out as an organic salad delivery company in 2014, Nourish Vancouver has grown to really capture the attention of Vancouverites with its focus on globally-inspired meals using local, organic, seasonal ingredients and ethically-sourced proteins. And, their mission was simple – celebrate delicious, high-quality, sustainable food and sharing it with the world. The pair has been helping the community make better decisions for their bodies and planet at its Granville Street location and now launches its new Nourish Café & Cooking School at 3742 West 10th Avenue. www.nourishvancouver.ca
