Community Kitchens: Cooking Up Community!

Karen Winston, ADS Planner

At left, participants in the Rainier Community Kitchen participate together to create several days' worth of delicious, nutritious meals.   

When I first heard about community kitchens, I was really intrigued and wanted to learn more. There's just something about a kitchen full of people preparing food that makes me feel alive, nurtured, and connected. One of my coworkers extended an invitation to visit the Rainier Community Kitchen, which meets once a month at the Rainier Community Center. I immediately jumped at the opportunity and I'm so glad I did.

What is a community kitchen? Community kitchens can be loosely defined as community-based cooking programs in which small groups of people (called "kitchens") meet regularly to prepare one or more meals together.¹

The Rainier Community Kitchen was conceived almost two years ago by Diana Vergis Vinh, a registered nurse with Public Health of Seattle-King County focusing on chronic disease prevention. The community kitchen aligned well with the agency's goal of bringing culturally appropriate nutrition and physical activities to King County residents. After receiving training from Community Kitchens in Canada, where the concept has flourished, Diana collaborated with the community center to start the kitchen in the Rainier Valley.

Five individuals were involved in the very first "kitchen" in July 2007, and Leika Suzumura, a Nutrition Educator with PCC, was one of first participants. Leika now coordinates the project. "Food is a human right, not just a privilege, so everyone should have access to quality food," says Leika. This can be accomplished through cooking together.

The cost for participation is $25 per person, and most of the money is used to purchase the food. Menu planning is sometimes challenging, but the primary focus is to have a variety of whole grains, fresh organic fruits and vegetables, meats, and dairy products represented in each meal. A secondary goal is to prepare foods that freeze well, with each participant taking home four to six meals.

During my visit to the Rainer kitchen, we prepared four menu items: minestrone soup, Thai coconut curry (with or without chicken), parsnip and rosemary risotto, and potato/parsnip croquettes. In order to prepare all this food in the two hours we had available, Leika did a little bit of prep work in advance. She also divided up the remaining tasks into stations where each member of the kitchen crew worked on different parts of the menu. I had a great time making the croquettes, which are sort of like potato pancakes.

Once the food was prepared, the kitchen members divided up the food evenly to take home to eat throughout the week, or to store in their freezer. We then pitched in for clean up—many hands do make the job go more quickly!

Everything was very delicious, and I still have a few dinners tucked away in the freezer that I'm looking forward to eating.

According to Diana, there are at least six community kitchens currently operating throughout the Seattle-King County area, including a new one in the city of Duvall. "Anyone can organize a community kitchen," says Diana, "and if you also have a background in nutrition or know of a local chef to partner with, that's an added plus!"

Of the six existing community kitchens in Seattle, two involve older adult participants, operated through the Greenwood and Southeast Seattle Senior Centers. The benefits to seniors are endless and incorporate making new friends, learning about nutrition and heart-healthy cooking, strengthening community capacity, saving money and—the best part—everyone goes home with good, well-prepared meals for days to come.

What makes a senior-focused community kitchen unique? According to Diana, it's a good idea to do some of the prep work ahead of time so seniors won't tire from too much chopping or mashing. This can also be a huge time saver. In addition, having a few chairs so older participants can sit while preparing the meals is helpful. Lastly, it's a good idea to have someone involved who can assist with heavy lifting of pots and pans.

Diana, Leika and several others who are passionate about community kitchens have recently launched a website and social networking tool to serve as a resource for people who are interested in the concept. While the site is still under development, the hope is that it will be a place for people to find information and share ideas.  Whether you want to volunteer, find a recipe, or locate a community kitchen near you, visit www.communitykitchensnw.org.

To learn more about community kitchens or to get involved with one in your community, contact Diana Vergis Vinh at diana.vinh@kingcounty.gov.

¹ A qualitative study of community kitchens as a Response to Income-Related Food Insecurity, by Valarie Tarasuk, PhD and Randi Reynolds, BA, MHSc Candidate; Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research; Spring 1999; 60, 1; CBCA Reference.