‘We’ve recently been receiving some great feedback from participants and volunteers about them implementing their new cooking skills and recipes into their home-life…one participant cooked Harjinder’s Punjabi feast for her Christmas dinner, a volunteer went straight home after the session and cooked Jackie’s dhal for his housemates and recently, Rob’s discovering fish participants gave him a well-deserved applause at the session end’
Tracey Torley
Cracking Good Food Co-organiser
‘Cracking Good Food have been instrumental in breaking down barriers and encouraging community cohesion in an area which is recognised as having a high level of deprivation and social segregation.
The group provided a valuable resource for the tenants living on the Arrowfield Road Estate (know as Nell Lane). The sessions encouraged and brought together individuals and tenants who would not have normally mixed under any other circumstances.
I fully support their work and feel that their contribution to the community has a massive impact on the social and economical wellbeing of the people they engage with.’
Tina Murphy
Customer Involvement Officer
Customer Involvement Team
Southway Housing Trust
‘I would like to say how much I admire the work people from Cracking Good Food and the Lost Plot have changed the way people from Nell Lane estate think of each other, many people have never met until they came to the Lost Plot and Cracking Good Food, although they have lived on the same estate for at least thirty years, its amazing how eating food can really bring all sorts of people together its about time, and I would hate it to stop.’
Marilyn McCullough (Mal)
Resident of Nell Lane Estate for 30 years
‘Cracking Good Food provided an integral aspect to our Eco / Harvest day in September 2011. Our intention was to prove to our pupils, their families and the local community the benefits of a sustainable lifestyle and this included sessions on “growing your own” produce.
Our pupils harvested food from our allotment area and Cracking Good Food provided a cookery demonstration using school’s fruit and vegetables. The session proved to be an inspirational experience with many attendees commenting that they were surprised at how tasty healthy food could be if it was cooked correctly and that a nutritious meal does not have to involve hours slaving away in the kitchen!
We will definitely be inviting Cracking Good Food back to our school for our next Green Day celebrations.’
Janet Pendlebury
School Business Manager
Tonge Moor School
‘The team at Cracking Good Food have provided a well rounded 6 week course for Social adVentures (at the Angel Centre in Salford) focused on the basics of healthy cooking. Feedback has been extremely positive, trainees have made positive changes to their diets, made new friends and as one trainee said ‘ the course has ignited a love for cooking that I didn’t know I had’! We’re really looking forward to the next course.’
Emma Smith
Positive Impact Manager and Director
Social adventures
‘I thought it was a great success and people loved both of your workshops!
Great feedback received and really grateful to you both, Beth and Jesper!’
James Taylor
Let Nature Feed Your Senses Project Co-ordinator at LEAF
‘I really enjoyed the session – really friendly + interesting + clear that the aim is for us to enjoy the session. Loved the eating together at the end – a really excellent session.’
Chloe Brew, participant
‘The children really enjoyed getting involved in the preparation and cooking process and the parents appreciated the relaxed and informal presentation of the cooking experience.
Everyone confirmed that they had tried different foods that they wouldn’t have normally used. One parent was so pleased to have found a meal that she could cook for the whole family. Another parent and their child came in the following week and said that they had used the recipe sheet to prepare the meal again at home and everyone had loved it.
We also experienced a parent contributing to the session by sharing their own recipe for a salad dressing! This may seem small and insignificant, but in fact it was wonderful to see our parents working so closely together.
Parents began to ask where the ingredients could be purchased locally, particularly the less well known and recognised herbs, flour and lentils. This was very positive as it meant that they were thinking about extending their menu choices at home as a direct result of attending this cooking event.
We had one parent that was literally dragged along by her child who was keen to attend the event. This mum was not keen and sadly didn’t return the following week. However the brilliant news was that she came back for the final week and really enjoyed herself, sitting with her child experiencing together the whole preparation, cooking and eating event!
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Cracking Good Food Team and the Co-Op for providing and supporting this event here at Dial Park Primary School. The families that attended had a brilliant time and the experience can only be seen as a positive one. Raising the profile of healthy eating that doesn’t cost a fortune!‘
Jill Smith, Business Manager
Dial Park Primary School
(excerpts from a letter of thanks sent to Cracking Good Food)
‘I found all the session very interesting and useful and would defo do it again / recommend it to someone’
Charlie Hall, participant
‘Hi Fiona
What you are offering is great. I am telling all my friends about you and I think the programme of sessions is excellent.
All the best
Carol‘
Carol Mowl, participant
‘Cracking Good Food is a friendly and professional team with an infectious passion about food and cookery. And they are great fun to work with, too. Participants in a recent ‘learn to cook’ course delivered by CGF noticed a definite improvement in their cookery skills over the four weeks. The course helped them to enjoy cooking and learning about new ingredients – and we’re looking forward to the next one!’
Amanda Woodvine
Editor of Didsbury Dinners: The Low-Carbon Community Cookbook, and Action for Sustainable Living Local Project Manager for Didsbury
‘Just a quick email to say thank you to both yourselves and tenants participation for our BBQ project!
It was rewarding and encouraging to see all tenants taking part, working well as a team and enjoying themselves! The food was yummy and it was nice to be able to sit down and eat together…….. and even wash and tidy up together!!!‘
Jenny Whitworth
Service User Involvement Coordinator, West and Wales
Nacro
‘I am very happy to be involved with Cracking Good Food because I believe in the ethos of their work and what they are trying to achieve, as well as having the opportunity to pass on skills and work with enthusiatic food lovers. For many people in this day and age, there are few opportunities for learning to make good food from scratch, and people’s access to these basic skills can be limited by both resources and knowledge. Cracking Good Food sessions teach people about seasonal produce and accessible recipes for healthy and delicious home cooking, which is what food should be all about.’
Jackie Kearney
The Hungry Gecko & Masterchef 2011 Top 4 Finalist
‘Very enjoyable day. I particularly liked the end result being able to swap ideas with others. Team building has enabled me to maybe create this event on another day and have different themes for different days of the month. I have an idea through participating in 2 day for recycling food. And want to go on to looking in for volunteering for Emerge. Thanks for this opportunity.’
Lisa George, participant at NACRO
‘Please continue to do great courses. Thanks so much!’
Rachel Hockey, participant
‘Really good to cook in a group. End products really yummy!’
Kate McWilliams, participant
‘Cracking good food have brought cooking to the Allotment in the courtyard of the Manchester Museum. Our allotment is linked with the Living Worlds gallery, which is all about people’s relationship with nature and positive steps they can take. What’s not more positive than cooking in the outside using produce from the vegetables grown in the Manchester Museum allotment. All the cooks from Cracking good food have been an inspiration to work with – visitors and staff to the museum have enjoyed the outcome of the cooking events. All the team from cracking good food are very professional and take care of all the logistics – cooking and chopping safely in the outdoors. Thank you.’
Anna Bunney and Victoria Grant
Manchester Museum Allotment
‘Chorlton Good Neighbours Care Group has been working with Cracking Good Food for the past couple of years and we have really enjoyed their input, approach and very thoughtful delivery of the various cooking sessions for our local older adults, most of whom live on their own and have little opportunity or motivation to try different foods. Sessions have included ideas on one pot stews, microwaveable miracles and healthy snacks.
All the sessions have been extremely well received with about 20 people attending each time. Our members have enjoyed learning from the different chefs and hearing all the interesting stories and snippets of information. Equally important has been the opportunity for everyone to share the meal they have prepared and learned about.
I have been very impressed with Cracking Good Food, in particular their willingness to receive feedback and adapt to the client’s needs, and the low key, friendly manner in which the cooking sessions are delivered.’
Helen Hibberd
Co ordinator
Chorlton Good Neighbours
‘Cracking Good Food came and did an outdoor cooking demonstration as part of an ‘eco day’ I organised at a school in Bolton. Despite windy conditions, their session was fantastic- the chefs were great with the pupils, parents and teachers alike, getting lots of children to help chopping vegetables, and keeping everyone engaged with the process throughout. They made a delicious stir-fry which was enjoyed by all, and I heard several parents say they had been inspired to try this dish out at home themselves. Highly recommended!’
‘Education Officer’ at AfSL.
Tonge Moor School, Bolton
‘Great session, very informative, lovely food, nice company … will be back for more!’
Nick Peake, participant
