This article originally featured on the EPALE Platform here
We were delighred that Zhiru He, a Chinese work-study student at LABA, shared her experience of participation in the first 3 Kitchens project workshop for the social and economic integration of migrant women through cooking.
“A Chinese student in Bordeaux since 2022 and a work-study student at LABA, I attended the very first volunteering workshop of the 3 Kitchens project on March 26, 2024, as an observer, but also to learn and share my own culinary culture experiences from China. This workshop took place at the inclusive Marie Curry restaurant in Bordeaux and I learnt more that the 3 Kitchens project is working to strengthen the capacities of migrant women in the sector of cooking and culinary heritage through three different paths: volunteering, employment and entrepreneurship.
This first workshop aimed to create interpersonal links between women from different countries through cooking and explore how volunteering can play a role. From the start, the warm atmosphere between the participating women broke down the barriers that differences in age and culture could create. We all came from very different backgrounds: Georgia, Morocco, Martinique, France, Niger and of course China. The authentic exchange began around croissants and coffee, while everyone shared their favorite spices, some of which were completely unknown to me. In a burst of shared passion for cooking, each participant had the mission of bringing back a specialty from their country that we had the opportunity to taste: thus we discovered Sichuan pepper, Char Siu Sauce. The language of cooking is universal. The exchanges with the participants and the facilitators took place naturally, facilitated by this common passion.
Sandrine and Judtyh, the project coordinators at Marie Curry and LABA, offered the participants work in pairs to create a recipe for a fictitious festival bringing together more than a hundred people. As a result, we have blended the flavors and culinary traditions of our different cultures, creating a truly unique and enriching taste experience. In my group we chose Cantonese rice and Pkhali (Georgian dish).
The workshop ended with a cooking glossary, led by Sandrine, who has worked in the sector for 20 years, and supports migrant women through the solidarity restaurant Marie Curry so that they can become professional chefs. Most of us do not have French as our first language, but mastering words specific to cooking is a major challenge for everyone who wants to get involved in it. Did you know, for example, that a “Marise” is not just the name of a lady, but also a cake spatula?
I am grateful to have been part of this workshop, which demonstrates the richness, cultural diversity, and power of cuisine as a vector of sharing and connection. I warmly thank the entire Marie Curry team who hosted and led this workshop, but also the participants for the sharing and good humor they showed during this morning.
Looking forward to the next “3 Kitchens” workshops!”
