Cooking Demonstration at Homeward Bound Features Treats from New Edible Garden

Working in a professional kitchen can be pretty hectic.

“It’s a rat race,” said a chuckling Rocky Packard, a chef who works at Homeward Bound of Marin’s . “They’re loud. And it’s sort of Murphy’s Law in there. I’m convinced Murphy worked in a kitchen.”

Now, Packard and the other cooks and chefs at the Hamilton facility can make a quick escape to a new edible garden just a few steps away. At 4 p.m. Saturday, the garden will be named for the late Marion Greene and popular gardening expert Bob Tanem, who has a show on KSFO radio. Greene’s LEF Foundation provided the funding for the edible garden project, and Tanem has volunteered through the years for Homeward Bound.

“I'm quite honored. Who wouldn't be,” Tanem said. “I've worked with this organization ever since it became a reality as a part of my commitment to helping those around me who might need some help to remove themselves from homelessness to being productive members of society. It has been a rewarding experience.”    

The Tanem Greene garden replaces a grass courtyard at New Beginnings Center with cultivated beds and containers growing berries, lettuce, vegetables and fruit trees. Packard and fellow Homeward Bound chef Luis Realpozo will feature garden ingredients in a chef demonstration at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Slow Food Marin-Petaluma will offer recipes and information about incorporating fresh ingredients in economical daily meals. The group is participating in the national Slow Food USA $5 Challenge, offering a garden-to-table meal showcasing ingredients grown on site that make tasty fresh food available to any budget. A donation of $5 per plate is suggested; all proceeds support shelter and job-training programs at Homeward Bound.

Packard, who oversees the Homeward Bound kitchen operation, said his crew makes about 240 meals a day and close to 1,000 a week. Having access to fresh ingredients has been a pleasure so far, he said; several times an herb out there can be a last-minute touch to rescue an unimpressive dish. Right now the chefs have more tomatoes than they know what to do with, plus lots of squash and herbs.

Many meals are fed to the people at New Beginnings, a transitional shelter for those trying to get back on their feet financially. Also, the kitchen staff prepares food for the café at Whistlestop in downtown San Rafael.

“As a nonprofit, it’s also important to note that this helps us with costs and it’s an important part of our training program,” Packard said.

Packard has his own garden at home and enjoys walking through it in the mornings. When he gets home, he sometimes goes back out to his garden and does a little bit of picking, a little bit of pruning. It’s the opposite of the stressful environment at work, he says.

“When you do this for a living, growing your own food feels pretty special and you’re a little more into it,” he said. “You can always go to the grocery store and buy all you want, but when you grow it and you’re watching it mature, for me it’s sort of therapeutic.”