There’s nothing that warms the soul like a good meal – food brings people together, and when you cook with friends, family and your community, the benefits are doubled.
That’s why ‘social cooking’ events are the perfect activity for your community hub to add to your calendar. They are easy to organise, attract plenty of visitors, and build a loyal visitor base.
What’s more, if you have a Steelplan semi-commercial kitchen, you also have the perfect place to do it. They are hard-wearing, welcoming and easy to clean, meaning that you can organise maximum fun with minimum fuss.
If you’re tempted to set up a social cooking event but don’t know where to start, let our guide inspire you.
1. PASTA MAKING CLASS
If you’re struggling to start your ‘social cooking’ series of events with a bang, start with pasta. Soul-warming, filling and fun to prepare, all you need to do is set up a few separate stations:
- One group can prepare dough and (later) have the fun of running it through pasta machines
- Another group can focus on preparing meats and/or veggies for a sauce.
In the time it takes for the dough to rise and the sauce to simmer, why not break bread and share a drink? With no more than an hour of prep, you can dedicate the rest of the evening to enjoying the delicious meal you made together.
Tip: Pasta machines are easy to come across and endlessly useful – you might want to show them off on open trestles, but when storing them, make sure they’re behind doors: otherwise, they will accumulate dust, no matter how regularly you use them.
2. FRENCH PÂTISSERIE/BAKERY MORNING
Not everyone can make an evening performance at a theatre – that’s why there are matinées. In much the same way, if pasta-making will attract your night owls, then a morning of making delectable French delights will be sure to please the early birds.
That being said, you don’t just have to prepare morning favourites, such as croissants or pain-aux-raisins – set up a series of events gradually introducing even more elaborate recipes, such as millefeuille and tarte tatin: they are sure to be a big hit whatever time of day they eat them.
Tip: Expect lots of dough and flour to spread – with the stainless-steel worktops included in your Steelplan kitchen, you can quickly wash away mess with a microfibre cloth, water and dish soap. You can equally choose to install an easy-to-clean but luxurious granite worktop.
3. SUSHI-MAKING CLASS
Pasta-making and French pâtisserie may be immediate hits, but with a bit of nurturing, you might just find it easier to fill spaces on a sushi-making class.
Sushi-making kits, including bamboo rollers, nori (seaweed) and sushi rice are much more common than they once were, and even if it might seem like a delicacy, sushi is a healthy lunch alternative your visitors can learn to prepare in batches at a surprisingly low cost.
Playing with your food is half of the fun of this class – experimenting with different fillings and building sushi cones or ‘sushi dogs’ are great ways to get even fussy eaters excited about these eastern treats.
4. ‘TROUBLESHOOTER’ CLASS
Cooking is fun – but it’s not without its frustrations. For those in your community who are looking to make the jump from amateur to expert, why not consider setting up a series of ‘troubleshooter’ classes to help them perfect some of the trickier dishes out there?
Here’s some inspiration for foods that your budding chefs will be delighted to master:
- Soufflés
- Macaroons
- Beef Wellington
- Baked Alaska
- Chinese Boiled Dumplings
Tip: If your community centre has a suggestion box or online mailing list, ask them for their input – that way, you can tailor classes exactly to their needs.
5. ‘AS SEEN ON TV’ COMPETITIONS
Last but not least, we have the telly to thank for inspiring so many cooks – so why not attract an audience of your own with some energetic cooking competitions?
A home kitchen may not be able to withstand a lot of movement and clattering pots and pans, but a strong and durable mild steel kitchen from Steelplan can. So, whether you want to set up a Great British Bake-Off-inspired event, or a frenetic round of Ready Steady Cook, all it takes is a sturdy kitchen that can handle the heat.
Tip: Remember that ‘frenetic’ doesn’t mean unsafe – this will only work in a larger kitchen, and you will need to ensure your visitors have everything they need ready for them in dedicated cooking spaces.
Our parting advice for making any of these classes work is to work with your community – gauge their interest, field their suggestions, and organise events well in advance to have the best chance of making them a success.
With a Steelplan Kitchen made of polyester powder-coated mild steel, you can create an environment that isn’t just durable and hygienic enough to withstand a lot of usage while being easy to clean – but with a limitless choice of colours, it can also be a welcoming space that represents your community.
If you are looking to install a new kitchen, a semi-commercial kitchen from Steelplan is the perfect balance between a cosy home kitchen and a practical industrial one.
Learn more about Steelplan Kitchens here and get in touch with our expert design team here if you would like to talk about your community centre or church kitchen’s needs.
