Pre-requisite(s): This activity targets those TCN(s) who have sufficient knowledge of the local history and are quite familiar with local narratives.
Estimated Duration: 3 hours (minimum)
Related to:
Step: 3
Dimension: Cognitive
Qualitative Indicator: Local history/narratives, Local food
Type of Activity: Group
A voluntary local chef participates in this activity as mentor to the TCN(s). He/she provides the TCN(s) with 5 cards representing 5 local dishes and 5 cards representing 5 local ingredients/products that are necessary for these dishes to be cooked. He/she also brings to the class the ingredients/products represented in the 5 cards, in order for the TCNs to prepare the represented dishes at a later stage. Before the TCN(s) match the dishes’ cards with the ingredients/products’ cards, the chef also provides them with information related to the dishes and ingredients/products shown in the pictures. After matching each dish with the correct ingredient/product, the TCN(s) have to choose one of these dishes along with the relevant ingredient to cook it. While cooking, they have to repeat to the rest of the group the story of the selected dish. The chef will help the TCN(s) with the cooking. At the end of the activity, all participants have to discuss in plenary about their experience. The basic output of this activity is for the TCN(S) to interconnect local cuisine with local history and/or narratives.
The active engagement of the TCN(s), with the guidance and motivation by the voluntary local chef, to the local cuisine will help them deeply understand the connection between local cuisine and local history and/or narratives. The voluntary local chef has to make questions through the procedure of cooking, based on the history of the dish and the main product contained in the dish, the history of the place/area where this dish is usually cooked, and the occasions in which this dish is prepared. Also, he/she has to give the opportunity to the TCN(s) to connect the chosen dish, ingredient/product, and place/area with a dish, ingredient/product, and place/area of their country of origin. Τhere must be an interaction between the voluntary local chef who plays the mentor’s role and the TCN(s), not only through questions and answers but also through the participation of both in the preparation of the dish, with the TCN(s) as the cooker and the voluntary local chef as his/her assistant.
- One voluntary local chef.
- Cooking equipment for the preparation of the dishes.
- A place for group meetings, where there will be suitable space to place the pictures of local dishes and ingredients/products, the actual ingredients/products, and where the TCN(s) will cook.
- 5 cards representing local dishes.
- 5 cards representing local ingredients/products, necessary for the above local dishes to be cooked.
- Action plan(s).
Implementation Steps
The voluntary local chef will bring 5 cards with local dishes and 5 cards with local ingredients/products, representative of specific areas, cities, or villages of the host country and provide the TCN(s) with the history and/or narratives for each dish and ingredient/product. The TCN(s) have to match each dish with the main local ingredient/product which is necessary for the dish to be cooked.
The TCN(s) must choose a local dish along with its main ingredient/product among these represented in the pictures in order to try to cook it.
At this stage, the TCN(s) start to cook the selected dish with the help of the voluntary local chef. The chef has to make questions during the procedure of cooking about the history of the dish and the main ingredient/product contained in the dish as well as about the history of the place/area where this dish is usually cooked, the occasions in which this dish is prepared and the reason why he/she selected the specific dish. Based on the TCN(s)’s answers, the chef can give them extra local historical information, if necessary, in order for them to supplement their knowledge. Furthermore, it would be useful for the TCN(s) to connect the selected dish, ingredient/product, and place/area with similar dishes, ingredients/products, and places/areas of their country of origin.
After completing the cooking process, all participants will discuss in group about the activity, focusing on the interconnection between the local cuisine and cooking traditions with the history and/or narratives of the host country in general.
After that, the mentor will sign the action plan(s) of the TCN(s) as completed.