Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Vocational Factory organized the first workshop of the “Not Lessons, Boiling Pots” project, with the aim of enabling young people to cook the healthiest meals with the most affordable budget and to acquire basic kitchen skills. After the theoretical training, the young people went to the counter, boiled pots and ate the most economical and healthiest meals together.
The Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Social Services Department Vocational Factory Branch Directorate has launched an important project, considering the importance of economic conditions and food safety. The first workshop of the “Not Lessons, But Pots Boiling” project, which was initiated with the aim of enabling Izmir youth to cook healthy meals with a reasonable budget, was launched at the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality’s Vocational Factory Course Center in Örnekköy. The youth, who sat at the counter with the guidance of instructor Tülin Korkmaz, received theoretical training on many subjects, from the reasons for different colored cutting boards to basic kitchen skills. The participants then made creamy tomato soup, pasta, chicken with curry sauce and a Cypriot dessert. The youth, who noted that the workshop was very useful, ate the meals they made together at the end of the training.
The project will continue
Providing information about the project, Vocational Factory Branch Manager Zeki Kapı stated that as a Vocational Factory, in addition to continuing vocational training activities aimed at employment, they also carry out certain projects that prioritize social benefit. Zeki Kapı said, “Our Project Development and Implementation Unit conducted a study with young people between the ages of 18-30 and collected the demands of the young people. The primary demands were access to affordable and healthy foods and acquiring basic kitchen skills. In this context, we are carrying out a workshop called Boiling Pots, Not Lessons. The young people prepared three types of meals with healthy foods that are affordable. Our trainer also made informative presentations to the young people in order to stay away from foods that are highly contagious and unhealthy. At the end of the training, a table was set up and they all ate the meals together. We will continue our project, which we organized in cooperation with Bortar Group, which provided material support.”
“I think I can cook healthier now”
Participating in the workshop, İzmir Democracy University Sociology Department student Sıla Yıldız said, “Today, we learned basic kitchen skills in this workshop. We learned which healthy meals we can make with the most affordable budget. This is especially important for students. While students usually prefer fast-food meals in the easiest way, here we saw how to reach healthy foods with the most affordable budget. Food is not eaten everywhere anymore. For example, I did not know the meaning of different colored cutting boards. Actually, it was not for adding color. Different products should be cut on different boards to prevent the risk of contamination. I do not know much about cooking, but I think I will be able to cook healthier after the workshop.”
“Meals that are not difficult and cost less”
Dokuz Eylül University Department of Economics student Tunç Coşkun Aydemir said, “Today we made creamy tomato soup, pasta, chicken with curry sauce and Cyprus dessert. These dishes are not difficult and cost less. It is easy for a student to learn these dishes. It cannot be said that we cook a lot at home. We did not go beyond eggs. We come here to learn. That is why the workshop is useful and enjoyable. I have never made chicken with curry sauce before but I love eating it. From now on, I will be able to make it at home.”
“I can make these dishes at home”
Seçil Mutlu, a distance learning Anadolu University Medical Secretarial Department student, said, “Our teacher told us tricks in the workshop. We learned everything, down to the color of the boards. Since everything is expensive, I learned how to cook nice meals with a more affordable budget. The recipes I learned turned into nice menus. I can try them myself at home.”
