Community round-up

Wake Robin chefs win ‘Best Bite’ at Vermont Fresh Network dinner

On Aug. 6, executive chef Bill Iliff and lead sous chef Ryan Meath battled with other area culinarians, winning “Best Bite” at the annual Forum Dinner from Vermont Fresh Network.

Partnering with Breana Killeen of Killeen Farms, also in Shelburne, the chefs served shishito pepper stuffed with smoked tamari mushrooms, garnished with pickled radishes and habanero lemongrass honey.

The fundraiser for Vermont Fresh Network took place at Shelburne Farms.

Wake Robin’s chefs prepare meals daily for about 400 residents who call the community home. As important as making every bite the best bite, they work to ensure nutritional needs are met and that sustainability — a pillar of the community at large — is carefully considered. For example, this means that food waste is addressed by utilizing compost digesters, and that the food served is locally produced, often right on the community’s campus.

The chefs were awarded the coveted Narin M Knife prize, handmade by Narin MacDonald of Monkton. Joining them in the winners’ circle was Mad River Distillers, which took the top honor for “Best Sip.”

Fall lectures to educate, enrich scheduled for South Burlington church

Education and Enrichment for Everyone is a lifelong learning organization established in 1990. Eleven lectures are held on interesting and diverse topics every fall and spring on Fridays from 2-3 p.m. live at Faith United Methodist Church, 899 Dorset St., South Burlington and on Zoom Webinar.

To enroll in the Education and Enrichment for Everyone fall series, mail a check for $55 per person payable to EEE, c/o Cathy Chamberlain, 2504 Brand Farm Road, South Burlington, VT 05403. Please include your mailing address, phone number and email. Memberships will also be accepted at the lectures. Walk-ins for individual live lectures are also welcome for fee of $8 (check or cash) and payable at the door for non-members.

For more information, visit the website, or email or call 802-343-5177. The fall lectures are:

• Friday, Sept. 8, “Public Health in Vermont,” Mark Levine, Vermont Commissioner of Health
• Friday, Sept. 15, “What’s So Great About Beethoven’s Fifth?” Larry Hamberlin, retired professor of music, Middlebury College
• Friday, Sept. 22, “A Deep Dive into the History of the Burlington Ravine,” Britta Tonn, architectural historian
• Friday, Sept. 29, “Labor in the Food System,” Teresa Mares, associate professor of anthropology, director for the graduate program in food systems, University of Vermont
• Friday, Oct. 6, “Let Me Ask You This,” Jane Lindholm, host and producer “But Why” and special projects, Vermont Public
• Friday, Oct. 13, “State of the Economy: Vermont and Beyond,” Mike Pieciak, Vermont state treasurer
• Friday, Oct. 20, “Electrifying flight and building the work force of the future,” Tyler Seeholzer, team member, BETA Technologies
• Friday, Oct. 27, “Rebel Memory: Indigenous Movements and Oral History in Bolivia,” Benjamin Dangl, professor and journalist, UVM
• Friday, Nov. 3, “The 1960’s Fluxus Art Movement: Blurring Art and Life,” John Killacky, former Vermont representative and executive director, Flynn Center
• Friday, Nov. 10, “Enabling Renewable Energy Integration with Grid Flexibility,” Mads R. Almassalkhi, professor of electrical engineering, University of Vermont
• Friday, Nov. 17, “City Place: Burlington’s Long-awaited Project Is on the Move,” David C. Farrington Jr., president Farrington Construction, general manager of Cityplace Partners.