Our Partners & Supporters

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Chic Peas Veg is a Black-owned, plant-based food business rooted in culture, care, and community nourishment. 

Known for flavour-forward, comforting meals made from whole, plant-based ingredients, 

Chic Peas Veg draws inspiration from African, Caribbean, and global traditions while prioritizing health, accessibility, and balance 

Their approach centers on food that is familiar, satisfying, and thoughtfully prepared—proving that plant-based meals can be both deeply nourishing and culturally resonant.

Beyond the kitchen, Chic Peas Veg is committed to community impact. Through catering, pop-ups, and partnerships, they actively support food access initiatives and community-led wellness programs, including elder meal support and plant-based education. 

Their work reflects a belief that food is more than sustenance—it is connection, dignity, and care. Chic Peas Veg continues to be a trusted contributor to Toronto’s growing Black plant-based ecosystem, using food as a tool for nourishment and collective well-being.

Info@chicpeasveg.com

Charlene Forde, widely recognized as The Melanated Vegan, is a Toronto-based vegan chef, private caterer, author, and culinary entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in the food industry, including more than six years specializing in plant-based cuisine. 

Her brand, Melanated Vegan, creates gourmet, flavour-rich vegan dishes infused with Caribbean flair, celebrating fresh ingredients and culturally rooted culinary traditions that make plant-based eating both exciting and accessible to diverse audiences. 

She offers services including private chef experiences, event catering, and cooking instruction, all centered around delicious, nutritious vegan food. 

Charlene’s journey to veganism was transformative: originally focused on mainstream fitness nutrition, she shifted to plant-based living for health and personal reasons, ultimately embracing vegan cooking as both lifestyle and craft.

 Through Melanated Vegan, she also authored a vegan cookbook that highlights her creative reinterpretations of Caribbean-inspired favourites and invites others to explore vibrant plant-based cooking in their own kitchens.

 Her work is rooted in community engagement, flavour innovation, and a mission to make compassionate, wholesome food that resonates culturally and nutritionally. 

melanatedvegan20@gmail.com
📍 Greater Toronto Area, ON
📸 Instagram: @melanated_vegan

Chef Andrae Cooke is a Toronto-based Ital vegan chef, cultural bearer, and community educator whose culinary work is deeply rooted in Rastafarian philosophy, African and Caribbean food traditions, and the principle of food as medicine. 

Guided by the Ital way of living—natural, clean, and life-affirming—Chef Andrae has spent decades preparing plant-based meals that nourish the body while honoring spiritual and cultural integrity. 

His approach emphasizes whole foods, minimal processing, and intentional preparation, positioning vegan cuisine not as a trend but as a return to ancestral wisdom and holistic wellness. 

Vital-Life Vegan Rastarant
📍 360 Broadview Ave, Toronto, ON M4M 2G9, Canada vitallifeveganrastaranton.com
📞 (416) 778-4890 vitallifeveganrastaranton.com
🌐 Website: https://vitallifevegan.ca vitallifevegan.ca
⏰ Hours:

• Wed–Thu: 11 am–8 pm
   
• Fri–Sat: 11 am–9 pm
   
• Sun: 11 am–8 pm vitallifeveganrastaranton.com
   

Corn Soup King, led by Chef Kurt, is a beloved Toronto-based vegan food business known for serving hearty, comforting corn soup rooted in Caribbean tradition and community care. 

With a focus on flavour, warmth, and nourishment, Chef Kurt has built a loyal following through markets, pop-ups, and community events, offering food that is both fully plant-based and deeply familiar. 

Each bowl reflects a respect for cultural foodways and the power of simple, wholesome ingredients prepared with care.

Beyond the food, Chef Kurt—also known as The Corn Soup King—is deeply committed to community service and food access. 

Through partnerships with community-led initiatives, including elder meal programs, he uses vegan food as a tool for care, connection, and dignity. His work is guided by the belief that plant-based meals can nourish both body and community. 

Corn Soup King remains a valued contributor to Toronto’s Black vegan food ecosystem, blending culture, compassion, and consistency in every serving.

Black Vegans of Toronto (BVOT) is a community-based organization advancing plant-based living within Black communities through culture, education, and economic empowerment. Founded in 2018 by Joe G. Thomas, 

BVOT was created to make plant-based wellness accessible, culturally relevant, and grounded in African and Caribbean food traditions. 

The organization brings together Black vegans, chefs, farmers, wellness practitioners, creatives, and allies to promote food as medicine, environmental sustainability, and community self-determination.

Since its founding, BVOT has grown into a respected platform for community connection and impact. Through festivals, public events, educational programming, and partnerships, 

BVOT supports Black-owned plant-based businesses, uplifts Black vegan chefs, and addresses food access and health disparities affecting Black communities. 

Its work bridges nutrition, culture, entrepreneurship, and care—from community markets and education to initiatives supporting elders and collective wellness. 

At its core, BVOT is about building a thriving Black plant-based ecosystem rooted in dignity, culture, and community leadership.

www.blackvegansoftoronto.com

Black Creek Community Farm is a vibrant urban agriculture hub located in Toronto’s Jane–Finch community, rooted in principles of food justice, land stewardship, and community empowerment. 

Situated on historically significant land, the farm fosters community through sustainable food production, environmental education, and cultural connection. 

By growing fresh, culturally relevant produce using ecological farming practices, Black Creek Community Farm strengthens local food systems while creating meaningful access to healthy food for communities that have been historically underserved.

Beyond food production, Black Creek Community Farm is a living classroom and community gathering space. The farm offers hands-on education, workforce development, youth mentorship, and public programming that centers equity, climate resilience, and food sovereignty. 

Through partnerships with local organizations, artists, educators, and food advocates, the farm fosters leadership, celebrates diverse foodways, and nurtures a deeper relationship between people, land, and nourishment—demonstrating how urban agriculture can be a powerful tool for social change and collective well-being.

Black Creek Community Farm
4929 Jane St., Toronto, ON M3N 2K8
📞 416-393-6381 | ✉️ info@blackcreekfarm.ca
🌐 www.blackcreekfarm.ca