Little Chefs Big Chefs CIC

How it all began

Little Chefs Big Chefs CIC was formed in May 2016 to encourage children and families to eat healthily by offering cooking and food education activities that are fun and practical.

This is done by teaching the necessary skills to cook, including the boring bit of washing up, as well as encouraging people to have fun eating together as a family.

The focus is on introducing good eating habits at a young age, which not only helps children develop physically but also plants the roots for maintaining a good diet for the rest of their lives and hopefully preventing many health issues.

Making a difference

The group came to us in February 2019 requesting funding to deliver 18 family cooking workshops to run twice a week during the school holidays in deprived areas, helping to make the workshops accessible to all. The workshops were designed to get families together to develop the skills needed to plan, prepare and cook a meal, then sit and eat together afterwards.

The kids get to learn basic nutritional knowledge, the responsibility of good hygiene and safe techniques, but by encouraging them to read recipes and weigh out ingredients they also build on maths, literacy and science skills. Budgeting and shopping tips are also passed on to parents/carers. For many the workshops provide a chance for families to try new foods and expand their palates to include more vegetables, fruit and wholegrains.

Previous family cooking workshops have brought people together where new friendships have been formed and grandparents have been involved and valued for their skills and experience. Recipes are provided at each workshop to take away and hopefully encourage families to cook together again, ensuring that our impact goes beyond the delivery of the sessions. The group were awarded a grant of £3,765 towards room hire costs, food for the project, equipment and publicity costs.

With thanks to you

” Me and my three daughter’s totally love these cooking workshops, they cannot wait for the next! My little fussy eater tries so many different foods she would not dream of eating at home and likes to cook the recipes provided. I have also learned so much and now cook a wide variety of food for me and my children on a low budget.”