Luciano Loi
VFR: Luciano, you’ve delivered a remarkable 31,700 pounds of food to local nonprofits, which is equivalent to over 26,000 meals. This is huge! What initially interested you in volunteering with VFR? What keeps you volunteering with us?
LL: Wow! Six months already? How time flies. I have enjoyed every minute and every food rescue so far. When I found out about VFR online, I decided to help out with a few food rescues; but the need is great and many of the rescues are close together and also in my neighbourhood. I try to do a few at a time – I’m strategic about this. I claim back-to-back food rescues, so I can do three rescues in a row in about 1.5 hours – this way, I can have a big impact (hundreds of pounds of food delivered), but in a short amount of time.
VFR: Tell us a bit about yourself, especially your background in the food industry.
LL: I moved to Vancouver from Italy and worked in several hotels and restaurants until I partnered with an Italian Chef to own our restaurant in Steveston. After being in Steveston for 10 years, I moved to the West End on Haro Street for my restaurant, Adesso, which I sold in 2018.
I know the food industry well, and I remember years ago when I was wondering about what to do with all the surplus food we had. Many of us in the food industry, especially in the restaurant sector, were thinking about this issue. At the time, I reached out to the health department to ask about how to distribute this surplus food, but they were concerned about the health and safety, very strict about this.
I feel things have changed now. As a society, we are more aware of not wanting to be wasteful, this focus on sustainability, and people know about the BC Food Donor Encouragement Act, which offers liability protection for individuals donating surplus food in good faith. In addition, food businesses now have a free and easy way to donate their surplus food through Vancouver Food Runners. At this point, it’s about encouraging all food businesses to start donating their surplus food.
VFR: What has surprised you the most about volunteering with VFR? Can you please share about some special “moments” you have had while doing food rescues?
LL: It’s not a surprise to me that there are people in need, that there are individuals experiencing food insecurity. You hear about it on the news, but I was surprised by how many people are food insecure – right now, it’s 1 in 5 people in Canada.
This is a huge societal issue, and it’s one thing to learn about it through the media, but it’s quite another thing to see it up close. When I drop off food donations at nonprofit sites, I’m often greeted by someone saying, “God bless you.” They wait for me outside, knowing that I am on the way. There is extreme gratitude for this extra food that is so needed right now, but, really, more must be done to adequately address this challenge for the long term.
VFR: Please tell us about your favourite food rescue and why you enjoy it.
LL: I do a lot of different food rescues, so it’s hard to pick just one favourite rescue. I have had the pleasure on some of the food rescues to meet the owners and managers of the food businesses. We chat, and they let me know how appreciative they are that VFR is helping out with food recovery. We talk for a while, and I let them know how their generous food donations are well received by the nonprofit sites. I tell them to please keep donating – don’t stop!
The Coho Commissary to Lord Roberts Elementary School delivery is special for me. Sometimes I get to chat with Chef TJ. Some of the food donations are used for the LunchLAB program at the school, which Chef TJ helps to operate. Luca, who works with Chef TJ, often needs a ride from Coho Commissary to Lord Roberts Elementary (he works at both sites), so I also drive Luca from Coho to the school. I have a nice time talking to Luca on the ride over. I get to drop off food and help with carpooling!
VFR: Patio season is upon us! What are some of your favourite restaurants and cafes in Vancouver that folks should check out?
LL: Vancouver is one of the culinary capitals of the world, in my opinion. There are so many wonderful places to eat, and you can sample delicious food from around the world. The culinary scene is diverse and global. We also have some of the best patios, too. Places I would recommend include Les Faux Bourgeois, Mangia Cucina, Arriva, and Soprasotto. These are all restaurants in my neighbourhood. I also like Cactus Club for its consistency, but I’m open to trying different places at least once.
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