The second event of “cooking with Najia” was carried out successfully in a resident backyard.
The weather was better than expected, and the sun surely added a smiley face to all participants. Around 20 people attended, including migrants newly arrived in Canada. We have an Afghan grill featuring Kabab on rice. It was a wonderful event for socializing and allowing local residents to connect with new immigrants.
Taking into the experience of the past event, we intended to prepare the food ingredients ahead so we could shorten the cooking time. However, due to the amount of food needed to be cooked, we still ran behind schedule. Nevertheless, this allows more time for people to mingle rather than focus on the cooking itself. Having an outdoor party also took more time for venue set up and weather dependent. I am thankful that the sky was cleared from the smoke in the morning and that the event did not need to be cancelled due to poor air quality.
All in all, the idea of showcasing different ethnic food to community members was very well accepted. One participant has approached me to inquire if there will be a future event where she can showcase her home country’s food. Certainly, I would consider hosting seasonal home gatherings in the future.
