Meals Together at the Long Table

PLANT-BASED CHEF, NUTRITION PROFESSOR, AND RESEARCHER AMY SYMINGTON SHARES HER TAKE ON CREATING MEALS THAT SUPPORT COMMUNITY, CONNECTION, AND HEALTH.

- KALIA KELMENSON

Long-table dining was part of Amy Symington’s childhood. She grew up on a farm in southwestern Ontario, and relatives and friends frequently gathered around an antique oak dining table—one that is now used by Amy’s own growing family. Amy lost her mother to breast cancer, which inspired her to devote herself to sharing the health benefits of a plant-based diet. She runs the culinary nutrition program at Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto, named after comedian Gilda Radner, who died of cancer in 1989. It’s one of 20 Gilda’s Clubs in North America.

Symington spoke with S&H about the joys of eating together and her new book, which serves as a comprehensive guide for anyone who wants to prevent or manage a chronic disease through nutrition.

S&H: Gilda’s Club exists to help people touched by cancer. How did the long-table concept evolve there?

Amy: Originally, the supper club program was just about being practical. There are wellness meetings in the evenings, and people were trying to be able to attend those. It started so people could come straight from work, or they didn’t have to worry about feeding their kids—they were actually able to do the social and emotional work that they needed to do.

The supper club has become one of the most popular programs we have. The team of volunteers and I feed about 75 people a week with health-promoting, nutrient-dense meals focusing on plants—what the research suggests in terms of what type of diet you should be consuming for disease prevention and disease management.