A group of seven young, budding chefs from Northern Ireland, were selected from almost 200 entries as finalists in the Grandmother’s Hands cookbook competition. The culinary juniors joined local celebrity chef Suzie Lee at Brook Hall Manor & Gardens in Derry, to cook their recipes which will feature in the Grandmother’s Hands cookbook.
The Grandmother’s Hands project is run by SEEN – a Barnardo’s initiative that aims to create better outcomes for children and young people of African, Asian and Caribbean heritage.
Schools, community groups and colleges from across Northern Ireland took part in the competition.
Suzie Lee said, “It has been wonderful to be involved in the Grandmother’s Hands project, as intergenerational cooking is something very close to my heart. Intergenerational cooking is so important, it preserves cultures and creates family bonds, even when some family members are no longer with us.
“I lost my Mum very suddenly when I was 16 years old and I became 'Mum' to my 15-year-old brother and my seven-year-old cousin overnight. It was then I started making proper family meals for everyone.
“Fast forward 20 something years later when I gave birth to my children. The need to reconnect with my culture and heritage was huge. I wanted to show my children their heritage. Food and family are entwined in Chinese culture and as many people know my family own a Chinese takeaway, so food has always been a big part of my life.
“I am now writing my third cookbook and these books are an ode to my Mum. They hold the recipes I grew up eating, what my Mum made for us and what my Grandparents passed on to her, and now I get to pass these onto my children. For me that is so special.”
Elijah aged seven from Belfast, is one of the competition winners, he said, “It was great to cook with Suzie today, show her my recipe and get some tips from a top chef.
” I made an omelette with some lovely local Fermanagh eggs. Eggs are so versatile, and you can have them in so many different ways, they use eggs all over the world. I think an omelette is a great way to showcase our local ingredients, including some homegrown scallions and it’s a nice healthy option.
Dean Walker-McKenzie National Programme Manager at SEEN said, “It has been really special to meet all the competition winners and their families today. We are thrilled that Suzie has been involved in the Grandmother’s Hands project. The aim of the project is to start conversations around food and its pivotal relationship to our identity, physical health and mental wellbeing.
“Through the competition and the cookbook, we are trying to rebuild the connection and personal relationship that children and young people have with food. All of the recipes they have made here today are special to the children and their families, they represent their heritage and identity and it has been a privilege to share that.
“By reigniting food as an aspect of our identity, we hope that children, young people and families will recognise food as an integral part of our wellbeing. We want to promote the fact that food is the single most important lever for improved wellbeing not only for ourselves, but for the entire community.”
The Grandmother’s Hands cookbook will be available to buy in the new year. For more information on healthy eating for families visit Healthy eating | Barnardo's Family Space