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| THE COMMUNITY
Kamloops’ downtown food scene boasts many international cuisines. We represent the community of multicultural gastronomy entrepreneurs and foodies downtown.
We chose 3 restaurants in our community to represent the multicultural cuisine, and these restaurants showcase popular dishes celebrated across three distinct continents around the globe; Africa, Asia and South America. They serve as hubs where people can explore different flavours, traditions, and cuisines from around the world, and they essentially create an environment where we can foster diversity, celebrate cultural heritage, and learn about the culinary experiences.
| Hoja Mongolian Grill – 256 Victoria St
Representing East Asian Cuisine.
Hoja Mongolian offers a delicious taste of Asia with its customizable stir-fry dishes, embodying the rich flavors and cooking techniques of Mongolian cuisine.
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| Afrofusion – 326 Victoria St
Representing West African Cuisine.
Afrofusion proudly presents the rich and vibrant flavours of West Africa, and offers a dining experience that pays homage to the diverse culinary heritage of the continent.
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| Casa Azul – 330 Victoria St
Representing South American Cuisine.
Casa Azul brings the fiery and colourful cuisine of South America to life, with its bold flavours, fresh ingredients, and traditional recipes.
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| THE OPPORTUNITY
With so many options for international cuisine in the relatively small downtown area, we see the chance to engage the chefs and owners in coming together as a multicultural food group force, to both promote their establishments, but also to represent Kamloops as a small but potent provider of international cuisine.
Vision
Our vision for the multicultural food tour is to create collaboration, innovation, and celebration of diversity. We aim to showcase the flavours and stories of Kamloops’ diverse culinary scenes and shape the future of our city’s cultural landscapes.
Partnership/Sponsorship
We plan to partner with the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce and follow their guidelines, ensuring we’re on the right track to host our food tour. Teaming up with the Chamber will allow us the opportunity to advertise our activity and potentially help draw in a wider customer base for our restaurants, putting Kamloops on the map as a must-visit destination for food enthusiasts. With their backing, we’re able to receive our own enhanced online business directory listing, which could potentially receive over 4000 views every month, meaning we could potentially expand to include even more multicultural restaurants in the future.
Sustainability/Fees
Our venture will operate on a sustainable business model, with a cost of $65 CAD per participant. We will provide a $5 CAD commission per person to our advertisement platforms, allocate $10 CAD per person to cover operational expenses such as transportation costs, and allocate $40 CAD directly to the participating restaurants to ensure fair compensation for their involvement and cover the cost of meals as per the average cost per person rates provided by them. This not only fosters long-term partnerships but also ensures the continued success of Kamloops’ small businesses.
Time & Location
Our aim is to ensure that our clients can enjoy pleasant weather while exploring the streets during our Food Tour.
Considering the available timings provided by Casa Azul, Afrofusion & Hoja Mongolian Grill, winter being the low season, is not conducive to the experience we want to offer. We will strategically plan the event in summer, fall and spring (peak seasons), where all our restaurants extend their operating hours, opening from Tuesday to Sunday, around 11:30am, each restaurant with a similar recommendation to visit around noon. Therefore, we will organize our event to accommodate participants at this time, ensuring a memorable experience for everyone involved.
The reason we chose these three restaurants was that they are all on the same street, which means that having our guests walk there is easy and it will ensure that we have enough time to enjoy the activity.
Marketing
The core of our mission is to empower small businesses within Kamloops. By partnering with these 3 local restaurants, we provide them with a platform to showcase their traditional dishes to a broader audience thus giving exposure. The participation of each restaurant not only supports their growth but also fosters a sense of community and collaboration among Kamloops’ culinary entrepreneurs.
| THE EXPERIENCE
– It’s all in the ingredients –
With a group of four to six people, each person will individually select one of the three restaurants to explore, where they’ll learn about the restaurant’s history, learn about signature dishes, and engage with the owners and chefs. Our participants will also get to prepare a meal under expert guidance, then savour their culinary creation.
Following the participants’s individual selection, we will have our participants meet up at the Kamloops Library where it is central and easy to escort our guests to the three restaurant locations, allowing them to take in views of Downtown Kamloops and other notable historical locations.
The owner and head chef will greet the participant/s upon arrival at the restaurant. A five to ten-minute conversation regarding the day’s schedule will be conducted, then there will be a storytelling session about the restaurant’s history and culture. A brief health and safety talk will take place before preparation of the food commences.
The participants will engage in hands-on cooking and preparation while learning about the ingredients, seasonings, preparation techniques, and backstories of each dish. Our guests will be able to learn about the restaurant, the history of the cuisine, many facets of the culture, and the preparation process. This will take approximately two hours depending on the meal prepared.
As the day concludes, our guests get to engage & sit down to enjoy the meal they’ve prepared for the time remaining.
| THE BENEFITS
– Celebrate Diversity & Inclusivity –
Celebrating diversity: This multicultural event provides a platform for communities to share their traditions, art, and heritage through a culinary experience, promoting understanding among different cultural groups.
Enhancing community engagement: Organizing this event engages the local community and encourages participation from various cultural groups, strengthening community bonds and fostering a sense of belonging.
Boosting tourism and economic impact: The event aims to attract visitors, boosting tourism and generating economic benefits for the local area through authentic cuisine and cultural offerings.
Growth of small businesses in Kamloops: Encouraging participants to share their experiences can expand the customer base for these restaurants, supporting the growth of small businesses in Kamloops.