Eating healthily, cheaply and locally: in Sète, cooking workshops for young people in precarious situations

This Tuesday's workshop, led by chef Laurence Nicoud, brought together eight young people. Midi Libre – W. N.

These workshops, the first of which was held this Tuesday, are organized by the Manalia association and funded by the Occitanie Region.

On the table at the entrance, Anis and Ange are busy preparing chickpea crackers, garnished with fresh cheese, pears and almonds. “We did pretty well”, congratulate the two apprentice cooks, aged 21 and 23 respectively, while observing and tasting their creations. This Tuesday, September 24, eight young people are taking part in the first cooking workshop offered by the Sète association Manalia, in the premises of the Atelier Révolution. Organized as part of the operation “Eating Well for All” deployed by the Occitanie Region since 2022, these mornings are aimed at young people in precarious situations in order to teach them culinary practices focused on quality food, based on local and seasonal products.

Read also: In Sète, the Rev’ canteen offers an organic and participatory alternative to the usual canteen

Chickpeas

This Tuesday, the menu created by chef Laurence Nicoud puts chickpeas in the spotlight: onion fritters with chickpea flour, pears with chocochiche or chickpea pancakes with vegetable ceviche. In the crowded kitchen, one participant whisks the chickpea water to make a mousse, two others take care of forming the fritters. Syann, behind the stove, takes care of the fried eggs that will be served, astride, on the pancakes. “It's harder than it looks”, says the student. She learned about the workshop after seeing a poster on her way to university. “I thought it would be nice to meet new people”, she says. And she adds: “I don't usually really cook vegetables because I can't get them to have interesting flavors. But I don't give up.”

“The goal is for participants to reproduce certain recipes. We really want to show them that you can cook good things without it being expensive or complicated,”, says Emma Bonzom, project coordinator at Manalia. Similar workshops are planned for October 2 and 9, as well as this Wednesday, September 25. For the occasion, the prepared meals will be distributed to families in precarious situations, hosted by the Integrated Reception and Orientation Service (SIAO) as well as by the Reception Center for Asylum Seekers (Cada). The opportunity to mix cooking and solidarity.

Registration at contact@assomanalia.com and more information on assomanalia.com/ateliers. I subscribe to read the rest