14 September 2022

30th Anniversary At-Market Celebration: Chef Demos!

Join us at PSU Farmers Market on Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 10:30 am – 12 pm for Chef Demos!

As part of our 30th Anniversary at-market celebration, we’re hosting a couple of chef demos presented by two fabulous PFM vendors, Elsy Divil of Creole Me Up and Laura Bennett of Eloisa Organic Farm.

First up at 10:30 am, Elsy will be playing with beets!

She will feature a few different Haitian dishes starring this amazing taproot. Elsy’s positive energy, exuberance and enthusiasm are infectious. If you are not already an Elsy fan, you will be one after watching her demo!

More about Elsy, PFM vendor since 2021 (excerpt from her website):
My name is Elsy, and I am originally from Jérémie, Haiti. In 1991, I came to America with a full-ride scholarship to study in the United States. I was among just 20 Haitian students selected for this great opportunity. I studied Food Science Technology, graduated, and then, as part of the scholarship agreement, returned to Haiti for two years. I came back to the United States in 1999 after working at the United States Agency for Development (USAID) for two years and at CARE-Haiti for six years. Currently, I am in the process of completing my MBA with a concentration in strategy.

I grew up in the kitchen. In fact, in Haiti, girls don’t have a choice. As soon as my mother started cooking, my sisters and I were in the kitchen helping with all sorts of chores, and my main task always was to crush the ingredients to make the épis (marinade) of the day to marinate the main meat for dinner.

Needless to say, I love to cook and enjoy bringing close and new friends together over tasty food.

My business, Creole Enterprises LLC, was launched on August 21st, 2017, after a six-year-long struggle with digestive issues and a colon surgery. I have a solid understanding of how foods can nurture and heal the body, and at the same time, negatively affect someone’s health. I am especially focused on helping people overcome health challenges through simple choices in the food they eat. My goal is to provide chemical and allergen-free plant-based products with rich flavors, which offer an alternative in the kitchen, all while staying true to my Haitian roots, culture, and background. This is the biggest inspiration behind my business.

Photo in Featured Image by Cook First PDX and photo above by Creole Me Up

Then at 11:30 am, Laura will showcase late summer produce in a gorgeous salad!

Laura will create a delectable seasonal salad with peaches and ingredients sourced from the farm. Longtime PFM shoppers may recognize Laura – she has been vending at PFM since 2017 and participated in our Chef in the Market series in 2018 & 2019. We are thrilled to have her in this special event – she makes cooking simple, delicious, fun and accessible for all!

More about Laura:
With a background in Horticulture and Critical Food Studies, I have been working on organic vegetable farms in the Willamette Valley for the last ten years, including farming, food processing, writing & marketing, farm tours, and cooking demonstrations.

At Eloisa Organic Farm, I harvest, wash, pack & deliver produce, aid in Spanish-English interpretation, manage CSA, restaurant sales, and farmers markets. It’s an honor to work for a couple who have gone from farmworkers to farm owners who are producing truly beautiful high-quality produce. Their story is one that is important to Oregon agriculture.

In addition to farming, I am also the communications coordinator at the Pacific Northwest CSA Coalition where I’m helping CSA members make the most of their weekly CSA box. I continue to work with student groups at Oregon State University and am building an online educational resource to help people get vegucated and grow their food activism at The Vegucation Station

For those of us who often didn’t grow up eating with fresh foods or just have super busy lives, cooking and eating with local produce can be intimidating. With my cooking I focus on helping others get to know vegetables and how to make super simple delicious meals at home with them.

We hope that you can make it to these Chef Demos this Saturday! These demos will be happening beside our Market Information Booth near the center of the market.