Calgary based photographer Jeremy Fokkens shot The Offcuts 2016: YYC Food Crew Stripped Down Charity Calendar featuring men from Calgary’s food scene. While they devote their lives to creating the best food and drink, they are also committed to raising money for a valuable organization – Brown Bagging For Calgary’s Kids.

How the Project Came Together
By Jeremy Fokkens:

Sometime in February 2015 Kevin Kent of Knifewear approached me with a project he wanted to do highlighting Calgary’s top chefs and business owners in hopes to raise money for Brown Bagging For Calgary Kids: (bb4ck.org). The concept was simple play off the idea of the fireman’s calendars but instead of sexy ripped abs you get chefs. Obviously chefs are not known for their physique and that was the whole point. A tongue and cheek calendar all while raising money for a great cause. I immediately said yes and requested I have full control over the creative portion where I met up with each chef for a concept meeting coming up with ideas that highlight their restaurant, their cuisine, and their brand. Once concepts were finalized, then came the scouting, then the shooting, then post production. We shot between June-September and in total over 300 hours was donated on my end just in the photography portion alone.

BEHIND THE SCENES: Offcuts 2016 Charity Calendar – YYC Food Crew Stripped Down. from Jeremy Fokkens on Vimeo.

Our locations ended up all over the city and even as far as 15km outside of Cochrane.

Mr. June: Michael Allemier of SAIT Culinary is a huge supporter of sustainability of fish so we put him in the river.

Mr. July: Dwayne of “Open Range & Big Fish” features a lot of Alberta cuisine so rather than the whole cowboy on a horse why not a cow… a cow named Mona.

Mr. April: Pierre Lamielle You’ve seen a meat chart, why not a human meat chart.

To be honest I have never had more fun shooting a project and everyone involved was on board from the start. We are looking to sell 4000 calendars and are already a quarter of the way there. The Offcuts Calendar is $20 and can be ordered online from Jeremy Fokkens or from @charbar_yyc @charcut @sidewalkcitizen @philandseb @vinearts @toolshedbeer @kentofinglewood @knifewear @alloydining @the_brasskens @winebarkensi @foodonyourshirt.

To make an additional donation to Feeding The Kids of Calgary visit bb4ck.org. Stay tuned for the 2017 calendar @offcutsyyc