Calling all cooks. Here’s your invitation to take part in a unique community event during Leith Festival. World Kitchen in Leith is based on the simple idea that food is the best way to bring people together so we can celebrate the many different cultures that make Leith the most vibrant part of Scotland’s capital city. [See also World Kitchen Cooks up a Storm]
Gurmit and Mridu, cooking up plans for the World Kitchen in Leith
The idea begins with Gurmit Singh, an active member of the Sikh community in Leith as well as being a member of the Leith Festival Programming Committee. Keen to promote community integration, Gurmit sent an invitation to every minority ethnic community group he could think of inviting them to take part in a cookery demonstration to celebrate their culture.
First to reply was Mridu Thanki, an enthusiastic vegetarian cook who has just started a cookery series, The Worldly Vegetarian, on Leith FM. “I love food, I love food from all over the world and I love to learn,” says Mridu explaining why she comes to be preparing for a 15 minute demonstration of Indian vegetarian cookery on Leith Links on Gala Day (13 June). For Mridu, who is writing a cookery book, food can be a creative art as well as a necessity of life. But it is also a social event. “Food not only brings pleasure, it brings people together.”
Now Leith Open Space has joined Gurmit and Mridu in their weekly planning sessions at Out of the Blue. Sharing food, as we discovered at our first multicultural discussion event in 2005, is probably the best way of breaking the ice; making connections between different cultures and traditions. We have always wanted to build on the friendly buzz of the lunchtime break during our Open Space events. This seems too good an opportunity to miss!
Rami Okasha serving lunch at our 2006 Leith Open Space multicultural discussion event on the theme”How can we widen opportunities?”
Why not join us? There is plenty of room in the World Kitchen. As Gurmit says, “In our busy lives we do not always get a chance to meet people in other communities. We can become isolated. Through World Kitchen we want to celebrate all the vibrant colours, all the flavours and all the people who make Leith a unique place. We would like many ethnic communities to join us and make it a really colourful event.”
With enough support, Gurmit hopes, World Kitchen in Leith will keep on growing long after the cookery demonstration on Gala Day. “Whatever happens, we will have fun trying.”
Keep watching this space. We will let you know how plans are progressing. Meanwhile, please pass the word on – and if you are interested in getting involved just email leithopenspace@btconnect.com. Or leave a comment on the blog. We will be delighted to hear from you.
FEAST brought Chinese and Scottish communities together for a creative celebration of food and music in Out of the Blue in 2007.