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WORK WITH US
Meaningful work rooted in nature, respect for the land, and good food.
Founded in 2015 by the passionate duo Benjamin Patarin and Célia Auclair, Forest for Dinner is a testament to a dream of reconnecting people with wild, foraged foods. Operating from the heart of Vancouver Island’s wilderness, we specialize in the harvesting, processing, and selling of wild foods. Our mission extends beyond our products: we aim to educate, inspire, and cultivate a deep appreciation for our natural world, rooted in respect for the environment and social justice.
Let’s join our team! Explore current job openings.
There are currently no open positions at Forest For Dinner. However, if you are passionate about wild foods and think you would be a great fit for our team, feel free to reach out.
– Production helper –
Food and beverage processing
Location: Port Alberni, BC
Type: Part-time (20-30h/week) with potential for a full time employment
Compensation: $18–$22/hour, depending on experience
About the Role
As a production helper, you’ll support the production of small-batch wild food products, helping to prepare, preserve, label, and package our seasonal harvests. You will work in a collaborative, values-driven team with a strong focus on product quality and workplace cleanliness. This is a great opportunity for someone who is curious about wild foods and enjoys hands-on, physical work.
Key Responsibilities
Production support – 50%
-
- Assist in preparing wild ingredients for processing
- Help with cooking and preserving (jams, jellies, pickled mushrooms, teas)
- Operate small equipment for drying, blending, or freezing
- Support the Production Manager in daily tasks as needed
Inventory & packaging – 30%
-
- Label and pack finished goods
- Track quantities of materials and finished products
- Prepare orders for online delivery and holidays sales
Facility maintenance – 20%
-
- Maintain a clean and organized work area
- Follow daily and weekly cleaning procedures
- Support dishwashing, garbage, recycling, and basic equipment care
Qualifications
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- Experience in food handling, kitchen work, or light manufacturing
- Food Safe Level 1 preferred (or willingness to obtain)
- Reliable, organized, and detail-oriented
- Comfortable working independently or as part of a small team
- Interest in wild food, sustainability, or small-scale food production is a plus
Working Conditions
- Employee status (not contractor)
- Work performed at our Port Alberni facility (processing plant – No windows)
- Standing for long periods and lifting up to 40 lbs required
- Some shift work and flexibility during peak production seasons
How to apply?
If you feel drawn to the world of wild foods and want to be part of a small team that works with care, purpose, and connection to the land, we’d truly love to hear from you. Please send your resume and a short cover letter to info@forestfordinner.ca sharing a bit about yourself and why this role caught your eye.
Forest for Dinner is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals — including, but not limited to, women, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and individuals from 2SLGBTQIA+ and other equity-deserving communities.
Our Core Values
High Quality + Hard Work
High quality is our signature. We carefully select only the very best wild foods and work hard to deliver the perfect products, each and every time.
Ethical + Trustworthy
Our ultimate aim is to be fair, loyal, and respectful toward our clients, our partners, and above all, the natural world.
Authenticity + Enthusiasm
We’re a small business working with local products. Being authentic and transparent is more than just words—we live it every day. We want to share our knowledge about plants and foraging with future generations.
Harmony + Balance
We work in rhythm with nature, foraging responsibly to sustain both the land and our communities. Through mindful stewardship, we deepen the connection between people, food, and place.
Our Team
Benjamin Patarin
Co-Founder | CEO
“I’ve always been an avid forager. When I was two years old, I collected wild blueberries in the French Alps with my mother. Since then, everywhere I’ve been, I can’t help putting my hands on every edible fruit, plant, or mushroom I find.
After completing my master’s degree in agroforestry, I focused on wild edible food and Western Canada’s wild edible mushrooms in particular. Combined with a passion for cooking, I created my dream job with Forest for Dinner. We hope you love eating the delicacies we find in the forest as much as we enjoy picking them!”
Célia Auclair
Co-Founder | Managing Partner
“Coming from the French Alps, every summer we would harvest delicious and juicy myrtilles (wild mountain huckleberries). Those childhood memories resonate deeply in me now, as I pass on this knowledge to my own children and teach them how to forage wild delicacies in the forests and mountains of Vancouver Island.
With my bachelor’s degree in business administration in Quebec, I soon understood that business could be carried out in many ways. Forest for Dinner is a perfect combination of my love of nature, the Canadian wilderness, and my desire to run my own business. Now my office is in the wild, and my work feels in line with my values of preserving the ecosystem, educating people about ways we can do that, and transmitting food knowledge to future generations.”
The Foragers
Every year, we team up with many foragers from all over. They all share a passion for wild food, no matter their diverse backgrounds and origins. We feel honoured to partner with harvesters who share our core values. We offer a safe, respectful and inclusive work environment and invite all our collaborators to do the same.
If you’re interested in working and collaborating with us, please get in touch!
If you’re interested in working and collaborating with us, please get in touch!