Online cooking classes

SHORT DESCRIPTION

Food is a big component of people’s cultural identity. It is a part of who they are and how they connect to their cultural or ethnic group that they belong to. Especially for people with a migrant and refugee background, food acts as a way to retain their culture. Sharing the national cuisine with people from other countries contributes to sharing the national culture. Moreover, intercultural communication through food leads to enriching the relationship with other people, beyond the national borders.

 

EDUCATIONAL GOALS

This activity aims at intercultural communication through cultural sharing. Traditional recipes are a part of a country’s cultural heritage and can also be a part of a person’s cultural identity. Cooking and sharing them with people from different parts of the world is an easy way to bring people from different cultures together over a meal. Moreover, it can promote language skills of learners of a second or foreign language.

 

OF PARTICIPANTS

The number of participants may vary but usually around 10-12 people is the maximum in order to avoid technical issues.

 

AGE OF PARTICIPANTS

15+

 

TIME

Approximately 90 – 120 minutes. Duration depends on the selected recipes and the selected method (synchronous-asynchronous cooking)

 

ATTACHMENTS

A recipe card with the ingredients and the steps that will be followed.

 

TOOLS

Zoom access, computer, tablet or smartphone to connect during the live cooking sessions, camera and video recording programs, cooking material (such as pans, pots etc) and access to a kitchen.

 

STEPS

Option 1- Synchronous cooking

Step 1 (10 min) preparation

Before the online cooking class, a preparatory stage is needed. The recipe should be selected wisely to be feasible and easy to cook. An email with the recipe card, the ingredients and the steps should be sent beforehand so as participants to be prepared for the online meeting. Moreover, the link of the Zoom meeting should be sent, and the hosts of the virtual event should introduce themselves.

Step 2 (10 min) execution

At the beginning of the Zoom meeting the hosts should share a few details about the food that they are going to cook. For instance, in what occasion do they use to cook it, what are its origin, what that particular dish stands for them etc.

Step 3 (60 min)

Cooking time. With the hosts leading and sharing the steps and tips of the recipe, all the participants cook together simultaneously. While waiting for the dish to be cooked they can use the opportunity for further communication and intercultural exchange.

Step 4 (30 min)-optional

All the participants can virtually eat together under the sound of traditional music from different countries. This step though optional is a great opportunity that completes the activity promoting the social part of food and cooking.

 

Option 2- Asynchronous cooking

Step 1 (preparation time-60 min)

In this stage participants from a national group discuss and select a traditional and representative recipe from their country. They purchase the ingredients and select a place where they can cook. Moreover, they share roles: cook(s), film maker, producer of the video, editor etc.

 

Step 2 (filming time- 60 min or more until everything is done properly)

In this stage participants film the procedure of cooking the selected recipe. They should create an introduction (see option 1, step 1), then explicitly present the ingredients needed and the steps that should be followed.

 

Step 3 (uploading the video)

The video should be edited and uploaded in a You-Tube channel that can be created for the needs of the program. In that way a database with recipes can be created as participants from other groups are going to contribute to the content of the channel.

 

INFO CORNER

Educators and facilitator should bear in mind cultural differences for the selection of the food and present alternatives for the food to be inclusive. E.g., pork avoidance, lactose intolerance, vegetarian or vegan options of the recipe.

 

USAGE

This activity can be used at stages (b) and (c)

(b) development of the relationship; (c) learning about a topic

 

SOURCES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oLJ9a0SBeg