LEARNING IN THE KITCHEN.
Chef Rob Lahaie teaches men how to cook their own meals at the Caldwell Family Centre
Photo by Kristy Wallace
No matter what their challenges are, men at the Caldwell Family Centre are finding a way to make social connections, while at the same time learning a thing or two in the kitchen.
“They’re in varied situations,” said Jim Devoe, the centre’s executive director. “Predominantly, they’re people who live in social housing and even if they had the ability to cook, they don’t have the means to buy the food or ingredients. So we’re giving them the opportunity to cook with things they can get at a good (food) bank.”
The idea for the Men Can Cook program came up just before Christmas.
Maurice Courchesne, in charge of programming at the centre, came up with the idea and didn’t expect it to be so successful, but after only a few weeks the program has attracted up to 20 participants.
“I was surprised, but I was happy about it because the guys are involved. They cook and they participate,” said Courchesne, adding the recipies are easy to make. “We try to show them that it’s a simple recipe and they can at least cook at home. That’s our goal.”
Devoe said the cooking classes also allow for men to socialize with one another and create a sense of community.
“It’s nice to see men coming together, and it’s an opportunity for them to converse about the challenges they’re facing,” he said. “Being a male, and a social worker, (my experience is that) men don’t often go to support groups.
“But if you frame it in a cooking class, it’s an opportunity to see them socialize in a confidential and closed environment.”
Rob Lahaie, a volunteer at the centre, is the class’s chef, a role he’s happy to take on.
“All my life, I’ve been cooking and I always loved it,” Lahaie said, adding that he worked in the automotive industry for more than 20 years before he went back to school to start a career in cooking.
He said he’s been volunteering at the centre for a long time, and wanted to get involved in the men’s cooking class.
“I could see what these guys go through and when I see them at the centre, I know what kind of food they’re getting,” Lahaie said. “I can help them cook something really good with the minimal amount of money they have, and it helps a lot.”
For more information on the Caldwell Family Centre, visit its website at: caldwellfamilycentre.ca.