Light Cellar
Vibrant Foods: Natural Colours from Plants - July 3
Vibrant Foods: Natural Colours from Plants
Discover the Beauty, Nutrition & Creativity of Nature’s Colour Palette
Feature Class — Choose Your Format
Friday, July 3rd
6:30PM–8:00pm MST
Choose your experience
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In-Person Experience — $49
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Online Experience — $29
In-Person: Light Cellar Teaching Kitchen (limited seats)
Online: Live via Zoom (link provided after registration)
Explore the vibrant world of naturally colourful foods, herbs, and botanical ingredients
From brightly coloured candies and drinks to packaged foods and desserts, artificial colouring has become deeply woven into modern food culture.
But nature has always offered a far more beautiful—and nourishing—palette.
In this inspiring and practical class, Chef Alex Hamilton will guide you through the colourful world of plant-based pigments, herbal ingredients, and naturally vibrant foods that can transform your recipes while adding flavour, beauty, and nutritional value.
You’ll discover how to create stunning colours using herbs, fruits, vegetables, superfoods, and botanical extracts while learning why many artificial and “natural colour” additives found in processed foods are worth avoiding.
In this class, you’ll learn:
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The difference between artificial colours and truly natural plant pigments
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How colourful plants often indicate valuable nutrients and phytonutrients
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Ways to naturally create reds, yellows, greens, purples, blues, and more
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How to work with herbal powders, fruit concentrates, and botanical extracts
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Tips for maintaining colour vibrancy in recipes
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Creative ways to incorporate colourful ingredients into everyday foods
Recipe ideas and applications include:
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Icings and frostings
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Chocolates and desserts
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Smoothies and drinks
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Gummies and treats
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Naturally colourful snacks and family-friendly recipes
What you’ll experience:
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Guided tasting and ingredient exploration
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Live demonstrations and colour-making techniques
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Exploration of colourful herbs, superfoods, and botanical ingredients available at Light Cellar
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Inspiration for naturally vibrant recipe creation
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Practical ideas for bringing more beauty, nutrition, and creativity into everyday foods
Choose your experience:
In-Person Experience
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Ingredient tasting and demonstrations
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Direct interaction and Q&A
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Immersive classroom experience
Online Experience
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Join live from home
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Full teaching + Q&A
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Great for those outside Calgary or unable to attend in person
Continue your learning:
Related classes include:
Who this is for:
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Parents wanting healthier colourful food options
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Home bakers and creators
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Anyone wanting to avoid artificial food colouring
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People interested in herbs, superfoods, and functional ingredients
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Those wanting more beauty and creativity in the kitchen
Instructor
with Chef Alex Hamilton
Alex is currently the chef and culinary wizard at the Light Cellar and has a catering business called Feast. He has been cooking professionally for 23 years. He has cooked in many of Calgary’s top restaurants and even worked in China and Los Angeles. Having experience in all aspects of cooking and baking, he loves exploring other cultures' food and applying techniques to local ingredients. His current focus is foraging and fermentation, getting to know the Calgary area’s flora and fauna. He is deepening his understanding of the local supply chain and how to best utilize it and lessen waste. He explores how to make delicious food healthy and healthy food delicious, integrating time honored food traditions that promote better well being. There is a deep importance for a healthier and more synergistic relationship with food and the energy systems of our body.
After you register:
All participants will receive:
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A reminder email with full event details
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The link to join live (for online attendees)
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Access to the session recording after the class
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Any recipes or supporting resources shared during the session
If you can’t attend live, you’re still welcome to register and watch the replay.