WSPA TV visits Furman, promotes event benefitting Loaves and Fishes

To help raise awareness for Taste of the Upstate, Christine Scarpelli of WSPA 7News spoke with Daneen Schatzle of Loaves & Fishes and chefs on the campus of Furman University. The event, which happens Sunday, April 13, at 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, benefits Loaves & Fishes, a Greenville nonprofit that rescues food and redistributes it to those in need. This year, chefs competing for bragging rights and awards in the event are encouraged to use local ingredients. Rob Jansen, retail executive chef at Bon Appétit, Furman University’s food service arm, prepared food at The Paddock using ingredients from the Furman Farm.

Chef Rob Jansen at Taste of the Upstate.

Themed “Livin’ La Vida Local,” the culinary celebration will feature live music and showcase some of the region’s best chefs and their creations while attendees get the chance to sample dishes and vote for their favorites.

On Sunday, Chef Jansen was interviewed again on WSPA 7News. He described the use of locally sourced food as being in an entirely different category than what’s available in grocery stores.

In more recent news, Bon Appétit Management Company and Chef Rob Jansen won two awards at the event. The People’s Choice award went to Jansen for his Upstate Southern Papusa, a griddled corn cake stuffed with smoked pulled pork, a dish that also snagged the award for Best Use of Locally Sourced Ingredients. Learn more on the Loaves & Fishes website. The awards were also mentioned in Greenville Journal.