Community cookery project sends cooking skills out across Bucks

Community, Cultural and the Arts, Food and Drink, Health and Social Care

At the end ofFebruary, in two well-attended two-day training sessions – at Aylesbury and High Wycombe – the Let’s Cook Project presented representatives of 20 Bucks school and community groups with ideas and new skills to get their own community cookery clubs up and running. The sessions were provided in arrangement with the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire.

Each of the groups will also be providing ten workshops during the year for Bucks residents in their area.

Launching the first session in Aylesbury, the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire Chairman Cllr Bill Chapple OBE said: “Part of the reason we waste so much food as a society is that many of us don’t have the skills and confidence to cook from scratch with simple ingredients, so we end up relying on ready-meals and often fail to use up the ingredients we do buy.

“The Let’s Cook Project addresses this by giving representatives of local groups the tools they need to promote cooking skills in their own communities. And they will also be running workshops for local residents – so keep a lookout for news on our website www.recycle4bucks.co.uk.”

Course coordinator and co-founder of the Let’s Cook Project James Shepherd said: “A lot of the people who come along to Let’s Cook are already competent cooks, but these sessions give them the extra skills to convey their knowledge and enthusiasm to people in their own communities by setting up their own local Let’s Cook cookery clubs. Cooking is a practical skill, but it’s also great fun and provides an excellent opportunity to get together with others.”

The two-day Let’s Cook Project sessions ‘train the trainers’ by providing:

  • Plenty of practical cooking and food preparation tips
  • Food hygiene advice and practical ways of ensuring safe practice
  • Demonstration techniques and solutions for running successful cooking sessions
  • Understanding of allergies, special dietary needs and religious requirements
  • Ways to promote a healthier lifestyle
  • Food waste reduction advice with tips on menu planning, smart shopping, portion size, batch cooking and freezing.

All the people attending the Let’s Cook training will meet again for a follow up day later in 2018 to celebrate successes and share achievements.