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Soup Sisters warming souls

Top chef supervises Fairmont preparation

By: Ashley Prest

Posted: 03/12/2013 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Executive chef Jeremy Langemann says he loved having the event in his kitchen. (MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

What is it?

One Sunday per month Soup Sisters make soup, which is donated to Osborne House for women and children affected by domestic violence.

How can I help?

Go to www.soupsisters.org, click on Winnipeg on the left margin, click bookings at the bottom of the Winnipeg Soup Sisters and Broth Brothers page.

Soup warms the stomach and the soul, both of which were reached by 43 volunteers after Sunday's soup-making charity event at The Fairmont Winnipeg hotel.

The event was organized by Soup Sisters, a non-profit charitable organization that operates in 12 locations across Canada, with each volunteer paying a $50 registration fee, which covered the ingredients and supplies.

In the Fairmont Winnipeg kitchen under the direction of executive chef Jeremy Langemann, 280 individually packaged servings of soup were produced and donated to the Osborne House emergency shelter for women and children affected by domestic violence.

"Soup is very much a comfort food. It's a completely healthy meal in a bowl but we call it a bowl of love," said Barb Judt, Osborne House CEO. She said Soup Sisters founder Sharon Hapton of Calgary had called her with the idea a few months ago. "It's just this incredible idea she had where the community can come together, make a wonderful bowl of soup and share it with people who are in need."

The packages of soup servings were delivered on Monday morning to Osborne House.

There is a two-year commitment by Soup Sisters and the Fairmont Winnipeg to supply soup on a monthly basis to Osborne House. The next four events are sold out.

"People were chopping and peeling and browning meat, taking turns stirring the big pot," said Judt, adding she helped make hamburger soup. "Everybody had such a good time, the camaraderie was fun, we kept that poor chef running all night long!"

Langemann said it was "organized chaos" but he loved having the event in his kitchen.

"It's smiling hearts, the message is your community cares," said Langemann. "We bill ourselves here (at the Fairmont) as being amabassadors for our community. I've been here for about a year and this is a way we can get out there and get involved."

Langemann said Sunday evening tends to be quieter at the hotel so the timing was also a good fit.

"When I sent the email to Jeremy to see if the Fairmont would partner with us, 24 hours later I was in his office," said Miriam Bronstein, a retired music teacher from the Gray Academy who is a Winnipeg co-ordinator with Soup Sisters.

"He had read all about us from our website. There was nothing he didn't know and nothing was a problem for him. The Fairmont was completely on board and as a result, the event was beautiful.

"The energy in that kitchen was amazing, it was creative bedlam."

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 12, 2013 B2

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