Connecting through cooking

I have been living in coliving spaces for periods of time over the last 4 years, and one of the things I have appreciated the most is how food can bring the communtity together.

There are two coliving spaces in particular where this daily ritual is a core component of how they build their comminity - one is Sende and the other in Anceu Coliving. In both spaces, colivers team up and take it in turns to cook dinner for everyone to eat together.

Although in both cases, the approach was probably born from a practical point of view, over the many stays I have had in both spaces I have observed how powerful this simple collaboration is for creating connection. For those new to a space it provides them with the opportunity to bond with a few people over a shared goal - great for anyone who is a little shy or reserved, or simply prefers to get to know people in a smaller group. Language barriers can be overcome too - mime and demonstration can be very effective in the kitchen!

Another beauty of this exercise is the opportunity to learn from other cultures. People often like to share a traditional dish from their home country - I think it can be motivated by pride, nostalgia, or simply a way of creating a sense of connection to their home. So this means I have enjoyed both cooking & learning about typical cuisine or national dishes from France, Italy, Germany, India, Poland, Spain, Romania, Brazil, Argentina, Morocco, Venezuela and more.

And finally, there's one important thing to add - cooking together can be so much fun too! Get the music switched on, good company and suddenly the prospect of slicing onions doesn't seem nearly as boring as it does when you cook solo!

So as write this I wonder if there's anything out there, exploring this more? I'm aware of initiatives that use food and cooking as a tool to support integration (migrateful, springs to mind) and others that use the act of eating of food together to create community (The Long Table for instance), but the act of cooking together to create community is something I think could be explored further...watch this space.