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Before we meet I w<strong>on</strong>der if we’re in for an earnest hour or so of health-based lecturing. As it turns out, we had nothing to fear. Robin greets <str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g> and during an initial chat we collectively make a simple but delicio<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g> fruit smoothie. A mixture of berries and some apple juice later and every<strong>on</strong>e’s happy. He’s been teaching cookery for l<strong>on</strong>ger than he cares to remember, and estimates that he’s taught over 12,000 people, and trained 500 or more teachers. Nowadays, his work takes him nati<strong>on</strong>wide, but today he’s at home, and we’re there too. His manner is calm and his t<strong>on</strong>e relaxing as he shows <str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g> how to make dough and from that dough, bread rolls, pizza and chapatis. As so<strong>on</strong> as they get their hands in the dough mix the kids love it. It’s a strange sensati<strong>on</strong> - almost unpleasant when you’ve got the wr<strong>on</strong>g c<strong>on</strong>sistency <strong>on</strong> the go, but when it’s right, it feels good. The mixture is then set aside in a warm spot to rise, and we c<strong>on</strong>centrate <strong>on</strong> making our lunch, which is going to be pizza and a salad. Not your regular lettuce affair though, this <strong>on</strong>e features warm chunks of butternut squash, beetroots, red <strong>on</strong>i<strong>on</strong> and feta cheese. It sounds delicio<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g> and whilst the pumpkin is warming in the oven, smells so too. Then, collectively switching our attenti<strong>on</strong> back to w w w. V I VA l E w E s . C o M COMMuNITY CHEF F o o D photos: nick Williams Community Chef Robin Van Crevald, a passi<strong>on</strong>ate man, aims to <str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>e cookery as a tool for promoting positive change, and undertakes a whole string of workshops and dem<strong>on</strong>strati<strong>on</strong>s to help achieve that aim. Teaching children the benefits of making healthy food choices is a big part of his work, so we sent Nick Williams and his family al<strong>on</strong>g for a sessi<strong>on</strong>. our dough, we knead and roll, adding flour and water where needed, until we have a selecti<strong>on</strong> of rolls, which are then dipped into sesame or pumpkin seed piles. We also produce a 400gram secti<strong>on</strong> for a loaf, and a secti<strong>on</strong> is set aside to become our pizza base. Robin even shows <str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g> how to make chapatis which is so surprisingly simple (j<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>t dry-fry a teardrop shaped secti<strong>on</strong> of dough) that each piece <strong>on</strong>ly takes a minute or so to make. Fresh out of the pan, it’s dipped in butter and dropped in to our expectant mouths. We’re in the swing <str<strong>on</strong>g>now</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and whilst Shelley and I mix the <str<strong>on</strong>g>now</str<strong>on</strong>g>-cooked pumpkin with the rest of the salad ingredients, the kids happily spread tomato paste <strong>on</strong> their pizza bases, and add fresh toppings. Our collective efforts, with Robin’s help, produce a fantastic lunch, and after thanking him prof<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>ely, we head home, armed with a big chunk of dough to practice with. Five hours later when our next effort isn’t nearly as tasty, we realise j<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>t how good Robin was… Robin is running a number of workshops during September and features at the Octoberfeast, which runs from 1-10 October For further informati<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tact him via robin@communitychef.org.uk or visit his website at www.communitychef.org.uk 5 9