Fooditude, a new food-focused show for kids age 8 to 12 based in Chicago, will debut with a fundraising screening and party tonight for parents and kids.
The event, "A Taste of Fooditude" takes place from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Architectural Artifacts on 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave. Producers and creators Jodi Balis, Cerry O'Tolski and Elise Jaffe hope the new show is well received locally as it features local kid chefs cooking and learning about food and nutrition, as well as guest appearances and visits with local chefs and business owners involved in sustainable living and healthy food production.
Balis is a dietitian and currently Nutrition Director at The Capital Area Food Bank in Washington D.C. Jaffe and O'Tolski are producers with a background in children's television. Balis said she, O'Tolski and Jaffe hope to foster kids' knowledge of cooking and nutrition, growing food, environmental stewardship, culture and history through each of the show's episodes.
"We want to bring this holistic awareness about food," she said.
The three began shooting segments last spring. They are now hoping to raise awareness of the program and create a pilot to pitch locally. Balis feels confident that Chicago is the best location for this type of children's program to succeed.
"There is such an amazing energy rallying around this," Balis said.
Tonight's event will feature 9 local chefs who will each take an adult spin on a favorite kid’s food. Kid chefs will assist them. There will also be live music, a silent auction and a presentation of Fooditude's mission video. Tickets may be pre-purchased online and are $40 per adult and $25 per child. Tickets at the door are $45 per adult and $30 per child.
-photo: Fooditude
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