The Conscious Plate: Local, Seasonal & Sustainable

Name: The Conscious Plate: Local, Seasonal & Sustainable
Start: 2026-02-10T17:00:00-05:00
Location: Hungerford Nature Center & New Britain Youth Museum

Schedule

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026 at 05:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Hungerford Nature Center & New Britain Youth Museum | Berlin, CT

REGISTRATION REQUIRED. You MUST register through the library's website: https://berlinpeck.org/events/the-conscious-plate-local-seasonal-sustainable/
Learn to make mindful food choices and turn seasonal ingredients into everyday meals.
Chef Kashia Diaz will cover topics from The Omnivore’s Dilemma, buying and cooking seasonal & local foods, a cooking demonstration, and an opportunity to sample the food prepared during the demonstration.
Co-Sponsored by Berlin Social Services.
Registration is required. Registration opens January 12 and closes February 5.

Part of a town-wide initiative to read and learn together!
One Book One Berlin is a collaboration between the Berlin-Peck Memorial Library, Berlin town departments, local organizations—and you! Our purpose is to bring the community together to promote reading, discuss ideas, and break down barriers between people.

About the Presenter
Kashia Diaz is the owner of KD Gastronomy Consulting LLC, where she supports food pantries, food hubs, and nonprofit organizations through culinary arts education, program development, and capacity-building. She is also the founder of My City Kitchen, a 501(c)(3) public charity, and previously operated MCK Gourmet in Shelton from 2017 to 2019. Her extensive nonprofit leadership includes overseeing food programs for the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport and the Bridgeport Rescue Mission.
Kashia currently serves as Executive Chef for Middletown Public Schools, where she is leading a district-wide transformation of school meals. Her mission centers on scratch cooking, culturally responsive menu innovation, and the use of locally sourced ingredients to nourish students and reflect the community’s diverse culinary heritage.
A graduate of the Lincoln Culinary Institute and the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners in Italy, Kashia has cultivated international partnerships that promote culinary exchange between Italy and the Caribbean. Her humanitarian work has extended to countries including Kazakhstan and the Philippines, and she frequently collaborates with UCONN and local organizations to deliver community-centered cooking and nutrition education.
Kashia’s leadership, creativity, and service have earned her numerous distinctions, including the Rotary Foundation Paul Harris Fellow Award (2024) and recognition as one of the 100 Women of Color Honorees (2025) for her contributions to Leadership and Public & Community Service. Her work has been featured nationally and internationally across television, print, and film in Trinidad & Tobago, Rome and Turin, Italy