Some of Dora Hos most distinct memories with her mother were in the kitchen.
Standing on a chair, she would help as her mother tried out a new recipe idea.
Its one of my most precious memories, said the culinary arts instructor at McNair secondary.
It became a learning experience for both of them her mother had to be taught how to boil water in her 20s.
She then continued to pick up cooking tips from bridge parties Hos parents attended, where other wives would share recipe secrets.
When Ho was 13, her mother died of cancer, but these memories of food and how people bond over food stuck with her, forming the first steps towards her career.
She also began participating in the Ride to Conquer Cancer in 2009. Next month, in her fifth year, Ho and her friend Jennifer May embark on the 250 plus kilometre bike ride from Vancouver to Seattle.
Each biker has to raise $2,500, meaning that after five years, Ho needed to get creative with her fundraising and turned to food.
This Friday (today), the duo will serve gluten-free energy bonbons while riding on stationary bikes in Vancouvers Olympic Village from 6-9 p.m. The treats are a mix of nuts, dried fruits and chocolate.
Therell be a lot of variables, but its something different and I think its going to be a lot of fun, she said.
Her enthusiasm for food is something she hopes to pass on at McNair.
The kids are curious about it, she said. I think it opens their eyes to what they can do with food, it gives them that exposure.
In the next few weeks, Ho will begin writing a regular food column for the Richmond News, based on some of her conversations with the students and other topics such as food security and recipe ideas.
Im going to use the column as a springboard to write about whatever inspires me and the kids.
During her 2010 ride, Ho was also riding for her colleague Lorne Bodin. It was Bodins idea to get involved with the ride and the two had joined together in 2009.
Within a year, Bodin was diagnosed with stomach cancer and lost his battle in 2011. Ho and May named themselves Team Bodin. Theyve also arranged a less competitive ride this Saturday (May 25), the first annual Lorne Bodin Bike Ride. Registration is now closed, but proceeds went to the Lorne Bodin Memorial Scholarship fund.
