Kitchen tours benefit Fox Valley Food for Health

Kitchen envy isn't always a bad thing. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, five new, beautiful kitchens in St. Charles and Geneva will be open for tours, with proceeds benefiting Fox Valley Food for Health.

The kitchens on the walk were designed by Past Basket Design of Geneva. They range from small to large with styles ranging from casual to formal.

After the kitchen tours, from 3 to 5 p.m., a tented outdoor reception will take place at the Country Garden Cuisine Cooking School in Campton Hills. Participants can sample light snacks prepared by chef Doug Yeomans of Tarragon Catering. Also featured will be snacks prepared and served by FVFFH volunteer teen chefs.

Tickets, which include the kitchen tour and reception, can be purchased for $40 in St. Charles at Blue Goose Market, and in Geneva at Past Basket Design, the Paper Merchant, bb interiors, and Kernel's Gourmet Popcorn & More. Only cash and checks are accepted for the tickets.

Each kitchen on the tour will be showcasing a raffle basket full of goodies; $5 raffle tickets will be for sale at each home. Winners will be drawn at the reception and need not be present to win.

The event is sponsored by Cadence Health. All proceeds will go to FVFFH. For details, visit pastbasketdesign.com, or email fvffhkitchenwalk2014@gmail.com.

Local teens are making a difference in the Fox Valley. High school students from area schools volunteer their time weekly at Fox Valley Food for Health, a local not-for-profit 501c3 charity that teaches the students how to cook, under the tutelage of mentor chefs, then delivers the freshly prepared, healthy food to local residents who are experiencing a serious illness.

Fox Valley Food For Health was started in 2012 by Mary Fremgen and Susan Leigh. Their passion for health and nutrition and community involvement has evolved into incorporating teen volunteer cooks, as a way to impact the wellness of the generations of the future. Visit foxvalleyfoodforhealth.org.