Ministry of Food Celebration: Barnet

10 October 2023

Empowering Barnet’s communities with good food for good health: Ministry of Food cookery courses offer invaluable skills for young people and parents in Barnet

This summer, local young people and parents completed two pilot Ministry of Food cookery courses delivered by local volunteer trainers following the Jamie Oliver programme. The courses aim to teach practical cooking skills that will inspire, educate, and empower individuals, families, and communities to cook healthy, balanced meals from scratch at home.

Lois, who participated in the young person’s course, shared her experience: “I was really surprised that the healthy recipes are so easy, I’m going to cook them at home for my family and show everyone what I’ve learnt.”

Sarah, a parent who participated in the course said, “It has been fantastic, I have learnt a few things I never knew about nutrition and cooking. I’m a lot more open to trying new types of food and I’m looking forward to cooking recipes at home with my family.”

The 8-week courses were delivered by four volunteers from the local community, selected by Barnet Public Health and trained by the Ministry of Food team.

Barnet resident Sanaz Abolfazil delivered the course for young people at Unitas Youth Centre: “Having witnessed the lack of cooking skills and food knowledge in some families, I made it my mission to teach and mentor young people facing food poverty. Drawing on the traditions of my Iranian heritage in my cooking, I’m passionate about helping young individuals embrace cooking as a means of nourishing their bodies and fostering a lifelong skill. I was delighted to have the opportunity to be a Ministry of Food trainer – the experience has given me new skills and deepened my culinary knowledge. Together, we are reshaping the future, ensuring that cooking skills and a love for healthy eating become a priority in every young person’s life.”

Barnet resident Laboni Khanam delivered the course for parents at Saracens High School, with support from Nathalia Basilwa and Fardowso Jama. Laboni said, “I grew up watching my grandma cook in Bangladesh and have always had a keen interest in cooking. I work for the food department at Saracens High School and have enjoyed learning the nutritional science behind the Jamie Oliver recipes. As a mother myself, I particularly enjoy helping to instil this background to the parents and encourage them to enjoy cooking at home.”

Dr Tamara Djuretic, Director of Public Health, said, “It’s fantastic to see our young people and parents complete Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food course, taking recipes and skills home and being inspired to continue cooking and eating well both for themselves, and for their families. Our volunteer trainers have done a brilliant job to adapt Jamie Oliver recipes to suit their classes, and their passion for creating delicious and healthy food is an inspiration for all of us.”

Following the success of these two pilot courses, Barnet Council hopes to deliver further courses in the borough to continue supporting families to enjoy good food and learn to make healthy choices.