Carleton Place’s Hunger Stop showcased in TV episode with Chef Spencer Watts

A local fixture of the Carleton Place community is being celebrated on the national stage as The Hunger Stop, Lanark County’s local food bank, was recently featured in a television segment with celebrity chef Spencer Watts.

The episode, filmed in February 2025, was part of a production highlighting local food initiatives across Canada. Watts and producer Matt West brought their crew to Carleton Place, where they spent the day capturing the efforts of the volunteers, clients, and programs at the heart of the organization’s mission of battling food insecurity.

Tammy Parent, general manager of The Hunger Stop, told Lanarkist that her team jumped at the chance to be involved.

“We were approached about participating in this taste adventure initiative, and we jumped at it,” Parent said. “We were so excited. We thought it would be a great opportunity for us to showcase all of the good things that we do here at The Hunger Stop and it turned out beautifully.”

According to Parent, the TV crew spent a full day filming at their location, producing a 22-minute segment that included local clients who chose to participate.

“Anybody that had booked an appointment in advance to be in on that day, we told them about it so they could decline if they didn’t want to participate, and everybody was excited to be part of it,” she explained.

Parent hopes the video will help people better understand the impact and scope of the food bank’s work in the community.

“Not everybody understands how many people are actually taking in the services at the food bank,” she said. “I think it will just help paint a more clear picture to our donors or potential donors, and even potential volunteers, to just understand the scope of the organization.”

You can watch the full 22-minute episode online through the Vimeo platform.