Cooking Matters Launches in New Orleans

Posted by Leigh Ann Edwards on Tuesday, February 1, 2011

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breakfast In a community with tremendous food culture, New Orleans is a natural home for Cooking Matters. Last week, I had the pleasure of working with our new partner, the Second Harvest Foodbank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana (SHFB), to offer their first ever Cooking Matters class. Parents of preschoolers convened at Louise Head Start Center where their kids are already receiving care and education. The Center’s small lunch room was almost effortlessly converted to the Cooking Matters classroom then filled to capacity with 12 eager moms and dads and numerous volunteers ready to share their strengths!

After introductions, parents shared the reasons they want to participate in the course. A few examples include:

Ideas to encourage their kids to eat vegetables
Saving on their food budget
Cooking more healthy for their families

Parents will no doubt learn how to make healthy and budget-wise food choices and so much more over the next five weeks. Chef Tony Biggs, a seasoned Hospitality Executive before coming on board as the Director of Culinary Operations at SHFB, will lead parents through the remainder of the course. Chef Tony’s passion and enthusiasm are much bigger than his stature. Donning his ‘whites’ the parents marveled at his every word, especially his Italian-accented description of a Frittata and the various leftovers that could be added to please everyone at the table.

It was a delight to see parents so inspired by each other; as experts in their own lives they valued sharing solutions to their common challenges feeding their families. They worked elbow to elbow to prepare a colorful fruit salad and frittata with broccoli and onions, which they enjoyed together with pride. And, when asked what they learned that they would try at home in the coming week, most look forward to preparing the same recipes at home for their family!

By this time next year, SHFB will offer a dozen Cooking Matters courses teaching the city’s parents of preschoolers how to prepare healthy, affordable meals. Hats off to Tanya, Chef Tony and everyone involved their successful launch of Cooking Matters!

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