Throughout history and around the globe, people have gathered around a meal to meet, to plan, to settle disputes, to make friendships and to build community. In that spirit of understanding, Hostelling International USA-ENEC is establishing the Cultural Kitchen program.

The Cultural Kitchen program consists of 10 week sessions in which youth from area middle and high schools participate in cultural exploration and education using cooking and cuisine as the primary vehicle. The first four sessions are classroom sessions in which students will gain a greater understanding and appreciation for culture through educational activities, exploration of their own cultures, preparing and tasting snacks from around the world, and group discussions. The remaining sessions will be the culmination of the program, as students share their own cultures with their peers by guiding each other through the preparation of a traditional meal.

The CK partner schools for the academic year 2007–2008 are the following:

• Charlestown High School
• Montessori Middle School at Braintree
• Boston Collegiate Charter School
• Boston Renaissance Charter School
• Harbor Point Housing
• Dorchester Youth Alternative Academy
• Umana Barnes Academy
• Dearborn Middle School
• Fenway High School
• Codman Academy Charter School

*Click on each school for pictures, recipes and more from each of the different CK programs.

Through participation in Cultural Kitchen, Boston youth will have the opportunity to become more open-minded, worldly citizens who not only have respect for, but feel confident working with, learning from, and resolving conflicts among the different people and cultures they encounter. The participants will also gain a greater understanding of their own countries and ethnic cultures of origin.

Desmond, CHS	Peberlyn & Stafia, CHS

Interested in bringing Cultural Kitchen to your school for the 2008–2009 academic year?
Contact Molly Cosgrove at 617-718-7990 x17 for more information.

We would like to thank Whole Foods Market, our sponsor for all Cultural Kitchen sessions during the 2007–2008 academic year.
 

At Whole Foods Market, we embrace our responsibility to be active participants in our local neighborhoods. We give a minimum of 5% of our profits every year to not-for-profit organizations.

Whole Foods Market is thrilled to be the sole sponsor for Cultural Kitchen. There’s no better way to understand a foreign culture than by learning about and tasting its cuisine! We look forward to seeing you in our stores! River Street: 340 River St. 617-876-6990 Fresh Pond: 200 Alewife Brook Pkwy. 617-491-0040 Cambridge: 115 Prospect St. 617-492-0070 Symphony: 15 Westland Ave. 617-375-1010 Charles River Plaza: 181 Cambridge St. 617-723-0040 Brighton: 15 Washington St. 617-965-2070 Whole Foods Market, More of the Good Stuff for Less Than You Think!