The Sault’s Kim Moreau is combining her love of cooking and socializing with a free cooking class for newcomers to Canada aged 55 and over.
Sault Community Career Centre reached out to Moreau and worked with her to hold the event from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 4 at the Algoma Youth Wellness Hub located at 124 Dennis St.
“It’s a great way for people to network and for me to give back to the community. I've been able to teach at various events and fundraisers. I’ve shown young children and adults how to cook. All ages eat and being able to bring families together in the kitchen is really what I’m all about,” Moreau told SooToday.
She will be showing newcomers how to make Egg Roll in a Bowl.
“It’s a large unwrapped egg roll. It’s an entire meal versus everybody having individual egg rolls. It’s a simple, fabulous healthy meal. It’s got all the fillings of an egg roll. It has ground meat, fresh peppers, onions, ginger and a coleslaw mix, and it can be served with rice or noodles. It’s one of those go-to meals for my family when we’re in a hurry. It's a really simple meal but hearty and delicious. My recipes are really basic with only a few ingredients and a few steps. It’ll allow people to enjoy themselves."
Moreau said she’s not afraid to try anything when cooking for herself but keeps it simple when teaching others.
“I will stretch out but I like to keep it very easy for others because not everybody loves the kitchen. If I make it too complex, some people will think ‘oh gosh, I can’t do what she’s doing’ and I want everybody to be successful.”
Moreau believes food brings people together.
“If you think about your own home kitchen, if you have people over they gravitate toward the kitchen. That’s the whole concept behind this event.
"The teaching and learning aspect is only part of this. It’s also going to be the socialization that they get. If you do something really common together, like cooking, it puts everybody on an even field. Hopefully, they’ll build those connections and the newcomers will feel welcome here.”
Moreau is involved with Pampered Chef, a multinational marketing company that offers a line of kitchen tools, food products and cookbooks for preparing food in the home.
“It’s a business that you can do alongside a full-time job but 26 years ago it became my job. I’ve made a really wonderful career out of it,” said Moreau, who holds cooking classes at people’s homes, her own home or at other locations.
“It really fills my bucket. I feel the most important part of the day is when a family can have a great meal together.
"That can be breakfast, lunch or supper. I was raised that way. As our lives get busier it’s even more difficult for families to do that. It’s very important to me to be able to put that family aspect into it.
"A family can be two people, it could be five people or it could be just getting people together for good food. That’s where my joy comes from. If I can feed you and teach you something at the same time then I’ve had a great day.”
Monday’s cooking class is full but Moreau said she hopes Sault Community Career Centre will arrange for more classes for newcomers to be held in the future.
Anyone with questions may contact Alicia Baxter at Sault Community Career Centre by email.
