Seymour. Photo: UVic Photo Services.

Though the concept of food sustainability may be new to many people, Heather Seymour and her team at University Food Services have been "doing it local" as long as she can remember.

"We've always had the attitude of 'let's buy local' if at all possible," Seymour says. "Now we're just formalizing it in our supplier agreements, and students are showing more interest in where their food comes from."

Seymour has been with the university for 21 years, since starting as head chef in 1989. Now the coordinator of production and purchasing, she oversees food production for the 11 campus food outlets plus the university's catering and food pick-up service. "We give local companies as much business as we can, and I believe we're very connected to the community," says Seymour. "Dealing locally gives me a better sense of where our food comes from, and we're also reducing our carbon footprint by decreasing our transportation and delivery needs."

The percentage of locally sourced food available at campus food outlets now sits at around 46 per cent. Out of 24 food suppliers, 20 are from Vancouver Island or Vancouver. One hundred per cent of baked goods originate on the Island, from well-known sources including Bond Bond's and Six Mile Bakery. Over half the vegetables are grown on the Island and supplied in season as is almost 40 per cent of the meat, including up to 1,200 chicken portions every day. Specialty cheeses come from the Comox Valley, while fair-trade coffee beans are roasted at Creekmore Coffee in Qualicum Beach.

"Local businesses need to meet our stringent food safety standards and be able to sustain the volume of supply," Seymour notes. "We're also looking more closely at ethical production methods. Last year, for example, we switched to free-run eggs, which was something the students asked for even though the cost is slightly higher."

In addition to the emphasis on local food supply, most food sold on campus is actually prepared here. "Virtually everything is made from scratch from ingredients that are fresh every day," Seymour says. "If we can't make something in-house, we go out and develop a partnership with local firms who can make it to our specs."

It's clear on a whirlwind tour of the main Cadboro Commons production kitchen that Seymour, a self-described "food nerd," is proud of her operation. In a walk-in fridge she points out recently arrived potatoes, carrots and onions from the Saanich Peninsula, and large bags of local vegetables for the 176 pounds of stir-fry dishes served daily.

Pulling down an oversized binder from a bookshelf, Seymour thumbs through recipes she has developed. In fact, she and her head chefs have personally developed all the recipes for campus food outlets, including soups and salads. "It's an exciting and creative job," she says. "We log all the ingredients and test the recipes to ensure our food is nutritious and high quality. And we keep the prices close to cost because that's what's affordable for students."

Asked what foods the university can't buy locally, Seymour responds with a laugh that "there aren't a lot of lemon trees on the Island. Sometimes despite our best efforts there are reasons beyond our control that mean we can't find a product locally."

As a member of the recently formed UVic Food Security Committee, Seymour is looking forward to spreading her passion for keeping it local while building connections with other campus and community groups with an interest in food sustainability.