Contrary to the classic saying, Men’s Kitchen has proven that old dogs can be taught new tricks – cooking and kitchen tricks to be precise. Launching in Sydney in 2016, the initiative has been a resounding success and is now making the move to Canberra.

The not-for-profit will be setting up at the Woden Valley Uniting Church on 27 March to demonstrate what a coaching session would look like. Lessons will start shortly after. 

The program aims to teach men aged 60-plus how to cook, while also providing the mental health benefits of social interaction. Organisers say there are over 30,000 men in Canberra in this age group, many of whom have no kitchen experience.

“Learning how to cook is great, it’s really enjoyable and you can leave with some really great cooking skills, but I think the most important part of it is the mental health benefits of getting together. Especially for people in that age group getting together and they become friends,” says Sam Silver, volunteer lead in Canberra.

Founder and president of Men’s Kitchen, Peter Watson knows that for some, retirement can be a time when they lose a sense of purpose or miss interactions with colleagues. Believing two key factors in longevity and good health are good nutrition and social connections, he combined the two.

“He got to a stage in his life where he realised he needed to learn how to cook as he got older and he didn’t have the skills, and he was losing the social connection that he was used to,” says Ms Silver. “So, he established a kitchen to provide a safe space for men to come together and learn how to cook and develop some camaraderie.”

Ms Silver’s interest in the initiative was sparked by seeing how a program like this could be beneficial for her own father. Unfortunately, with the onset of dementia, Ms Silver’s father won’t be able to participate in the Canberra program but she remains passionate about the positivity it can bring into men’s lives.

“They go to the cooking lessons, they form friendships and then they do their own cooking sessions in their own homes with the Men’s Kitchen participants, it’s sort of taken on a life of its own. They enjoy it so much that they form genuine friendships which is great for mental health, especially for men that are isolated in that age group,” she says.

For just a $20 sign-up fee, participants receive an apron, cookbook and access to the cooking classes. Incorporating learning and enthusiasm for good food in a relaxed setting, up to 10 participants are guided by volunteer instructors to prepare a dish together before sitting down to eat.

“They start out with fairly simple meals,” Ms Silver says. “They get quite creative, especially in their desserts. They learn some basics, even knife skills, various recipes, then they go to desserts which are a little more complicated, they travel along that journey which is lovely.”

Not just for bachelors, principal cooking instructor Chris Chandler says that it has shaken up the family dynamic for some of the participants, some of whom were previously never allowed in the kitchen. The professional chef has even created a cookbook of recipes from around the globe for Men’s Kitchen. 

“What I have learnt over five years with Men’s Kitchen is that the men we teach have a very open palate, which I love. To this end, the recipes are classic and modern at the same time, from no-waste pumpkin soup, beef and bacon pies, to smashed lemon cheesecake.”

Once signed up, it isn’t compulsory to attend every session; each person registers their interest in which coaching sessions they would like to attend. Here in Canberra, sessions will run monthly to begin with. Ms Silver hopes that as more volunteers come on board, sessions can be increased to two or three times each month.

And it’s not only the participants who benefit from the program. Ms Silver says the volunteers also get a great deal of satisfaction. As the program is still so new to Canberra, she is the only volunteer who resides in the region, and is hoping to get at least 10 more volunteers so the program can run to the best of its ability.

“It’s really great for volunteers as well because we get to meet really interesting people and I think gives volunteers a sense of purpose,” smiles Ms Silver.

While not associated with the Men’s Sheds across the region, Ms Silver says they have been in contact and both parties are keen to collaborate once everything is up and running.

Men’s Kitchen Canberra is set to launch on Wednesday 27 March at Woden Valley Uniting Church. Find out more at menskitchen.org.au/canberra-kitchen or to register your interest as a volunteer, email [email protected] 

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