Famous French master chef, Louis P. De Gouy said, “Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any one other dish.” Spirits were certainly lifted and appetites were nourished at the second annual Eminence Kids Soup Nights event this January. Eminence staff volunteers served hundreds of bowls of handmade, organic soup to families and sick children undergoing treatment at British Columbia Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, Canada.
A unique two-night event, the Eminence Kids “Soup Nights” were created by our president, Boldijarre Koronczay, as a way to provide healthy foods for seriously ill children to eat as an essential part of their treatment, healing and long-lasting health.
This year’s Soup Nights began at professional culinary school Dirty Apron, where 30 Eminence volunteers, supervised by top-rated chefs, cooked Chicken Corn Chowder, Butternut Squash & Apple Soup, and Ribollita Soup. Each recipe exclusively featured locally sourced, organic and non-GMO ingredients to ensure the highest possible nutritional content.
The following night, another group of Eminence volunteers delivered and served the organic soups – along with warm, organic whole-grain rolls and organic juices – to pediatric patients and their families. The bright family-style dining room and two of the house kitchens were decorated with balloons and Eminence Kids teddy bears, creating a celebratory atmosphere. Laughter rang out as Eminence volunteers and the children played after dinner. Over 100 bowls of soup were delivered, and over 500 additional servings have been stored for the families to access a healthy and organic meal at their convenience.
Since the inception of Eminence Kids in 2013, over 13,000 gallons of organic, cold-pressed juice, almost 4000 pounds of organic locally sourced fruit and over 1200 gallons of handmade organic soups have been provided to children worldwide.
A portion of the proceeds from every product sold supports the Eminence Kids charitable initiative, borne from Boldijarre’s own trial and recovery with acute myeloid leukemia when he was a small child. We would like to extend a special thank you to the Ronald McDonald House BC which provides long-term housing to sick children and their families; Avalon Dairy which donated a portion of the essential organic ingredients; also four amazing employees from our spa partner, Loft Hair Studio and Beauty Bar, who donated their valuable time to help us cook the soups.
