Eighth & Eight Creative Spaces introduce new food and beverage program
Located in the Massey Theatre Arts Complex, the spaces welcome two familiar faces from New Westminster’s dining scene
Yum Donuts.
Big Star Sandwich.
EIGHTH & EIGHT Creative Spaces have some exciting news on the food and beverage front.
Eighth & Eight Creative Spaces is located in the Massey Theatre Arts Complex, which includes the Massey Theatre, Plaskett Gallery, multipurpose studios (including a performance studio, dance studio, and digital labs), and more. Operated by Massey Theatre Society, the spaces offer artists a facility, resources, and support for the creation, development, and presentation of their work as well as opportunities for community engagement, wellness practices, and other initiatives.
Photo by Julie MacLellan/New Westminster Record
Guy Dubé of the former Coming Home Café is taking on the newly established role of Coming Home Program Director, through which he’ll coordinate 2SLGBTQIA+ social and creative offerings. Dubé opened and ran the beloved café on Sixth Street in New Westminster from 2005 until its closing in 2022. The inaugural president of New West (then Royal City) Pride Society, he was the host and producer of Quarantine Kitchen, a respite and place of connection during the height of the pandemic.
Dubé will be working with the team to create welcoming and delightful food experiences on-site. Kicking things off is Rainbow Connections Café, which takes place every Wednesday from 3 to 8 pm for coffee, conversations, and community-building.
Le Chalet Pâtisserie et Gâteaux.
Christopher McFadden of The McFadden Group, meanwhile, is Eighth & Eight’s new food and beverage program coordinator. After training with the International Sommelier Guild, McFadden worked in the restaurant industry across Canada, including roles at Biff’s French Bistro in Toronto, The Belvedere in Calgary, Hy’s of Canada Steakhouses, Vancouver’s Glowbal Restaurant Group, and at New Westminster’s Piva Modern Italian. He’s also cofounder and partner at Restaurant Leadership 101.
Eighth & Eight’s food and beverage program recently launched with an innovative pre-order system, offering Massey Theatre audiences the chance to order their pre-show and intermission refreshments and treats in advance of a production. The menu includes artisanal goods from local ventures like Yum Donuts, Le Chalet Pâtisserie et Gâteaux, MacShack Cookiery, Trove Desserts, Big Star Sandwich, and more. Also planned is a curated BC beer, wine, and cocktail menu, plus special events where tastings and cultural activities will be combined.
“Working with Christopher and Guy has been a wonderful experience as we explore the ways this Food and Beverage program will align with our values as an organization,” Jessica Schneider, Massey Theatre executive director, says in a release. “These two have different but complementary approaches with many established relationships to draw on. I’ve long admired Guy as a community inclusion champion, and having him as part of the programming team has been incredibly enriching and fabulous.”
Massey Theatre Society is also fundraising to build a Community Kitchen. With some equipment in place, the organization has a goal of raising $30,000 to cover design, construction, installation, and implementation.
More information is here.
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