Cooking up kitchen skills, language and confidence

BALLARAT Neighbourhood Centre is improving the English language skills of intercultural residents while they learn to bake.

Tutor, Lisa Dinning teaches the Baking and Language Skills class to a small number of students, creating all sorts of oven-baked dishes once a week during each term.

“Food is very cross-cultural, and there’s a lot of other cultures that don’t bake like we do in western countries,” she said.

“We came up with this idea of combining learning some baking skills and the English that goes with it.

“I cover things like the vocabulary associated with cooking, some recipe reading, and get them to write recipes, either from their own culture or something simple in English like making a piece of toast.”

The backgrounds of participants have been diverse, reflective of Ballarat’s multicultural diversity and status as an International Intercultural City.

“Last year we had some Chinese students, we’ve had some ladies from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Brazil, Philippines, Thailand, Togo and Nepal,” Ms Dinning said.

Jay Sukittaya migrated to Ballarat from Thailand during Christmas, 2013.

She’s grateful for BNC’s support structures, aiding her to feel comfortable and confident in her new home city.

“In my country, I wasn’t cooking because Thai cost of living is not expensive, but here, I need to learn to cook and do things by myself,” she said.

“It’s a great place to come to when you’re settling in Australia.”

Some of her favourite newly learned recipes from class include Anzac biscuits and honey joys.

“I know about Aussie traditions now,” Ms Sukittaya laughed.

Eya Amaglo, originally from Togo, has enjoyed dessert baking, and the company of those working with her in the class kitchen.

“We made a lemon slice which I really, really liked. Today, we made an apple crumble and chocolate pudding,” she said.

“We have a very good teacher.”

When she arrived in Australia in May of 2008, Ms Amaglo didn’t even know how to say ‘hello.’

“Everything people said, I’d say, yes,” she laughed.

“I couldn’t understand anything, but today, I’m trying, and speaking a bit.”

Both women are now looking ahead to join BNC’s Cooking Up Jobs class, where cooking and employability skills combine, students develop their communication skills and gain insights into working in a commercial kitchen.

Ms Sukittaya said people settling in the area should make the most of BNC’s resources, and its relaxed and welcoming environment.

“When I moved to Ballarat, I could communicate with my husband and his family, but when I went to the supermarket by myself, they couldn’t understand me,” she said.

“It was very difficult. I wasn’t confident and I was scared.

“If you don’t know how to make friends or learn English, you can go to Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre first.”