Cooking with Parveen

Written By Tamsin Cook

October 2019 - September 2020

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I was ten years old, when I firstly have the chance to be alone in the kitchen for my first cooking. It was like a dream, but my mum asked me to prepare something for all house. I was so scared but excited at the same time, but surely wasn’t going to fail because my mum taught me how to cook. - Mafwa Member

Cooking in the time of Covid-19

Cooking with Parveen started as a project which would result in a devised play and immersive eating experience, challenging stereotypes of sanctuary seekers by exploring food and femininity. After weeks of sharing recipes, talking about food and crazy hybrid cooking/drama sessions, Mafwa Theatre Members started to devise the play in October 2019.

2 performances were due to take place at Slung Low in June 2020 at Bridge Community Church to an audience of the public, participants’ peers, community connectors & partner organisations. We really looked forward to this, especially as we had planned for food to be made during the performance!

Although the planned performance was cancelled due to the pandemic, the project lived on through group chats alive with recipes and food photography. The project took on a new importance as it connected a group who had never been quite as isolated.

What did we do?

  • When we were able to meet in person, we carried out 12 workshops cooking 5 dishes from different cultures - everyone tried something new! We were also invited to a session at Jamie’s Ministry of Food where we learnt 2 new recipes.

  • During the first lockdown period, we sent out 352 creative packs with creative ideas and recipes and letters from Mafwa Members. We carried out 285 welfare phone calls to Mafwa Members and 55 referrals for food, housing and mental health support.

  • We also created ‘a picnic, together’ a short film with Hope Strickland of Mafwa members preparing for a picnic together.

  • We created a recipe book ‘Cooking with Parveen - Stories from our Kitchens’ with illustrator/designer Julia Syrzistie. The book is a collection of recipes, poems and illustrations collected through the project and is available to buy here.

  • We created ‘With our Hands’ a bite-sized podcast for Refugee Week 2020 imagining a world where food was free. Sign up to our newsletter to listen to the podcast.

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Who was involved?

Performers, makers and writers: The strong and powerful ladies of LS9 7SG

Co-Directors: Keziah Berelson and Tamsin Cook

Illustrator/Designer: Julia Syrzistie

Film-maker: Hope Strickland

Dramaturg: Josephine Joy


What did people say?

“It really changed the way I think about food, cos some food like that I don't even know the name I never heard of it before it made me feel different and I learned more about food as well” - Mafwa Member

“Thank you for everything you people do for me. I enjoy the writing, all the things. I thank you for my pack. Thank Britain, for me, I love you people. I give a big hug to everyone. Thank you so much for everything you people have been doing I been so happy, you have been so good for my stomach. Thank you for looking after me everytime.” - Mafwa Member

“Best ever recording of tea being poured: Imagine if food was free. Inspirational.” - Jon Beech

 
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“Thank you again for sending the tasks what you have been doing for all of us and we do enjoy doing all of them. I would love to do them all over again.” - Mafwa Member

With huge thanks to

Leeds Refugee Forum
Tim Wheeler
Deborah Dickinson
Jamie’s Ministy of Food
First Bus
The Art House
 

Gratefully supported by Arts Council England, Leeds Community Foundation, Near Neighbours and Language Hub (Leeds City Council).




Tamsin Cook
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