A Gathering Place in Centennial Park
Built by hand from clay and straw, the cob oven in Centennial Park served as an outdoor kitchen and gathering point for Cowichan Community Kitchens. It hosted workshops, celebrations, and seasonal events that brought neighbours together over shared food and fire.
Events at the Cob Oven
Walk of the Nations — May 31
The cob oven hosted the Walk of the Nations, welcoming participants to the outdoor kitchen space in Centennial Park.
Culinary Festival — October 4
Held between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., the festival featured cooking workshops led by Chef Zak Zorisky, who prepared 500 servings for attendees. Roughly 150–300 servings of soup and about 400 servings of Apple Crisp were served over the day. True Grain Bakery of Cowichan Bay supplied bread and sweets, and the event was made possible by a grant from the Koerner Foundation.
Winter Solstice — December 21
Amanda and Linda hosted a Winter Solstice gathering at the cob oven, offering hot cocoa and sweets to those who stopped by.
The organization also kept a garden plot at the Centennial Park Community Garden, where Amanda took on planting duties, while Linda moved on from her role as assistant co-ordinator of the oven.
Meals cooked around the cob oven echoed the recipes and catering dishes shared across Cowichan Community Kitchens — hearty soups, fresh bread, and seasonal treats made for sharing.
Explore More
See how the cob oven connected with the wider work of Cowichan Community Kitchens.