by Jo Dickins

Photographer Jo Dickins captured Jamie Kennedy and friends’ communal table dinner, June 19 at the Evergreen Brick Works in this Good Food Revolution exclusive photo essay. For many the dinner, attended by several hundred keen foodies, signaled the comeback of one of Canada’s best known chefs and one of Ontario’s great local food pioneers. After something of an ‘annus horribilis’, with help from Keith Froggett, Anthony Walsh, Brad Long, Michael Dixon, Eric Walker, Adam Colquhoun, Yasser Qahawish and Crosstown Kitchens, Chef Kennedy got back to basics and back to having fun. Dickins offers her shots and notes below. – Malcolm Jolley, Editor.


Guests enjoy the reception area – although I was a little too busy with other matters to try anything by the guest chefs, my husband Chris fondly mentioned Chef Anthony Walsh’s Spiced Pickerel Steam Buns at least 7 times in the day following the event.


JK’s signature mason jars, local foliage and candles decorated the 2 long tables which totaled 300 feet in length; Evergreen Executive Director Geoffrey Cape, standing, chats with guests shielding themselves from sun’s rays. Forecast had called for rain and thunderstorms all week!


The straw hat belongs to special guest, dairy farmer and “ex-con” Michael Schmidt – he charmingly commenced the meal by saying grace.


The lovely Jodi McBurney, Manager of JK Kitchens, checks in with the big cheese; a guest samples the Charles Baker Reisling. Henry of Pelham wines were paired with the other courses.


Server dudes


Parade o’server dudes got in lots of exercise; talk about calm cool and collected! JK chats with Eric Walker, formerly of the Pantry, who was part of the kitchen team.


The lovely and gracious Flavia and, JK’s eldest son, Micha psyche themselves up to plate some kick ass fish soup!


Beautiful greens from Antony John’s Soiled Reputation were paired with a trio of gorgeous Monforte Dairy cheeses; Chef dresses the greens.


Hmm. Table decoration intention: simple, beautiful, and cost effective. Table decoration reality: simple, delicious and extremely expensive.


Dawn’s dessert was a huge hit, and tasted as incredible as it looked.


Chef brings out his team to thank then and his guests for a beautiful and memorable experience.


At the evening’s end guests lingered over coffee and tea by Merchants of Green Coffee and Oikos, here artist Tom Dean and chef Brad Long converse; Dean’s work lights up the space.

Jo Dickins is a Toronto-based professional photographer. Find out more about Jo Dickins at jodickins.com.

[Photo: John Gundy.]