Good Practices:
A Happy Kitchen

Those of us who work with family literacy programs recognize that one of the great bonding mechanisms at our disposal is the shared meal. Not only does it break down the walls of isolation, but also it helps to establish a mutual understanding of individuals and their cultures.

Now imagine that meal being prepared by professional chefs from the Austin's award winning restaurant, Kerby Lane. That is what happened this summer when the Communities in Schools' ASPIRE Even Start program opened its doors to La Cocina Allegre Cooking School. Sponsored by the Sustainable Food Center (SFC) of Central Texas, La Cocina Allegre provided a series of seven classes taught by Kerby Lane chefs and trained nutritionists. Classes included tips on cooking for children; making low-fat recipes that taste wonderful; and planning inexpensive, yet nutritious meals.

Sylvia Snodgrass, an ASPIRE intern, provides "a day in the life" of Cocina Allegre from her journal:

The ASPIRE Even Start Program met for a delightful evening of facts, fun and food. Jose Uribe, kitchen manager of Kerby Lane, prepared a mouth-watering main dish called 'E-Z Chicken with Ketchup,' for twelve enthusiastic mothers. Jose described the recipe in Spanish and demonstrated cooking techniques, as ASPIRE instructor Collins Selby translated the recipe into English.

As the 'E-Z Chicken with Ketchup' dish was baking, nutritionist Dahlia Gamez, R.D., introduced the food pyramid in Spanish, emphasizing fruits and vegetables. Jose and Ms. Gamez discussed more ways to prepare fruit, highlighting those which are appetizing to children. After twenty minutes, the E-Z Chicken was done, and all of the moms had an opportunity to sample the delicious results of Jose's culinary expertise.

To top off the evening, Jose gave his own personal testimony of a ten-year journey from dishwasher to kitchen manager at Kerby Lane. He spoke of the importance of learning to speak fluent English and highlighted his recent experience of becoming a U.S. citizen.

In addition to a wonderful series of meals, other factors made this program unique. The Kerby Lane chefs used only WIC approved food products while preparing the meals, and at the end of the lesson, the Sustainable Food Center provided participants with the ingredients to prepare that day's lesson as the evening meal for their family.

So what does this have to do with family literacy? When we consider what grew out of these classes the answer has to be "Why everything, of course!" The follow-up activities were almost as impressive as the meals themselves. ASPIRE instructors were kept busy assisting the students in modifying the recipes to meet the size of individual families, translating names of unfamiliar ingredients into familiar terms, creating new recipes based on information provided by the nutritionist, and developing a class cookbook. So much interest was generated by La Cocina Allegre, that the students (and staff) started a regular sharing of favorite recipes and dishes from their own backgrounds. A primary role of family literacy is to connect what goes on inside the classroom to what happens on the outside. What better way than through the shared meal? Unfortunately, this form of participatory education has added an extra inch to my waistline.

ASPIRE is an Even Start Program of Communities In Schools-Central Texas, Inc. ASPlRE stands for Achieving Success through Parental Involvement, Reading and Education. ASPIRE is dedicated to family literacy: helping parents become full partners in the education of their children, assisting children in reaching their full potential as learners, and providing literacy training for their parents. A sincere note of appreciation goes to Heather Fee and Suki Steinhauser for their input into this article.