Slow Food Denver

Please join us in giving a warm, joyful welcome to our newest Snail of Approval awardee: !

Blooming Kitchen embodies everything the Slow Food movement stands for – celebrating good, clean, and fair food that connects us deeply to the earth and our community.

Blooming Kitchen is a unique culinary and wellness project dedicated to the art of edible flora, founded by Courtney Thompson. Through workshops, sensory experiences, and seasonal creations, Courtney teaches our community how to safely grow, harvest, and cook with local flora.

If you're looking to slow down and reconnect with nature, Blooming Kitchen’s Edible Flower Club is the perfect sanctuary. It offers a gorgeous monthly dose of edible flower recipes, growing tips, nature-inspired wellness rituals, and a community of like-minded souls. Plus, members get a front-row seat to the creation of her upcoming edible flower cookbook!

Welcome to the Slow Food movement, Blooming Kitchen! We are thrilled to honor your work.

A sold-out room, endless bubbles, and a true celebration of community!

Our Joyful Dinner at on June 24th was the perfect reminder of why we gather around the table. Chef Peter Ryan and his team beautifully showcased the incredible bounty of Colorado's local farms – from roasted beets and harissa cauliflower to a stunning boozy cherry tartlet, all perfectly paired with a global lineup of sparkling wines.

Huge thanks to Chef Peter, the hardworking plimoth staff, and our amazing community for packing the house and supporting Good, Clean and Fair food for all. Together, we celebrated the joy of good food.

If you’ve been to a Slow Food Denver event lately, chances are you’ve met Regina! She is officially one of our most involved team members – not only bringing magic to our Seed to Plate classrooms, but also jumping in to support our Annual Farm Dinner, baking up treats for our bake sale, and showing up to our workshops and events. Regina truly embodies the heart of our community!

In the classroom, Regina creates a judgment-free zone where curiosity thrives and simple rituals turn into lifelong skills.

We caught up with Regina to chat about her favorite moments from cooking with Denver youth this year:

*What is your favorite part of cooking with kids? "Seeing their confidence and curiosity grow! I get to help them build useful skills that they will likely remember and build upon, but at the heart of it, I love the simple ritual of cooking and sharing food."

*Any funny or profound moments that stuck with you? "I had one student who would earnestly ask to be the 'lunch lady,' meaning he wanted to help serve the warm meals we prepared. It was a helpful gesture, but also meaningful that he identified this as an important role. By the end of the season, one of the younger kids wanted to learn from him how to be a lunch lady, too!

More profoundly, students often relate to the cultural aspects of food. I've had kids say our flatbreads remind them of African bread or homemade tortillas, or get excited to cook tofu because it's what their families eat. These moments spark great conversations and normalize culturally diverse food experiences."

*What recipes do the students love most? "Favorite recipes include the lemon poppyseed shortcakes with macerated fruit and fresh whipped cream, tofu mushroom lettuce wraps, and black bean soup with masa dumplings. These recipes have exciting flavors and techniques that the kids love!"

Whether she’s teaching a classroom of kids or helping us execute our biggest fundraisers, we are so incredibly lucky to have Regina on our team.