Back in the summer, we teamed up with Starpic, a community organisation in Bingham, to run a series of free cooking workshops for local children. Over five weeks we worked with their older group, giving them the chance to build real kitchen confidence, try new ingredients and see their skills grow. In total, more than 25 young people took part, some returning each session, others just dropping in for one or two classes.
Cutting fresh gnocchi
Knife skills always featured heavily, as we believe that this is an important, foundational skill for cooking well. Learning how to make a safe claw with their hands quickly, the group mastered keeping little fingers safely out of the way when chopping food. With support from the brilliant Starpic staff, we avoided too many nicks and by the end of the month it was clear we had some excellent young chefs showing real control with their blades. Hopefully, these skills will stay with them!
The cooking itself was varied and seasonal. Dumplings, sauces, breads, pasties, vegetable muffins and cookies all made appearances, accompanied by plenty of fruit and vegetables. Sweet, Scottish strawberries were a big hit. We set up a ‘maceration station’ where berries were mixed with sugar and lemon (although plenty were eaten before they reached the bowl). There were jam-making sessions, scones topped with strawberries, and cheesecakes that went down a storm. “I can’t actually believe how tasty this is!” said one young cook, while another parent noted with surprise: “She never tries anything that isn’t plain.”
Not everything was instantly loved, but the group always tried what they had made; whether it was baba ganoush with flatbreads, courgette folded into chocolate muffins, or homemade tomato ketchup from summer tomatoes. Tastebuds develop with practice, and it was encouraging to see the children open to experimenting with new flavours.
Making dough together
One of the most popular sessions focused on gnocchi. With roasted potatoes ready to mash, the group worked the dough with flour and salt, then rolled it out into long snakes of varying lengths. A friendly competition broke out to see who could make the longest. The gnocchi was portioned and shaped, and the Italian theme continued with meatball-making. As one participant proudly put it, “The meatballs I made were amazing.” Another was just as enthusiastic: “I enjoyed mixing the dough,” while a third summed it up simply: “This is great and I love cooking.”
By the final week, the children had built up an impressive repertoire of dishes and a real eagerness to get stuck in. One member of Starpic staff reflected: “The sessions delivered by EFS were educational, interactive and all our young people enjoyed the process of preparation to the end result of eating what they made.” It was a month filled with conversation, hilarity, new skills, and plenty of nutritious, colourful and tasty food! We left Bingham with the sense that we might just have sparked a love of cooking in a whole new group of young chefs, and if even one child now feels confident enough to cook for their family, then we’ve done our jobs!
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