Children of Gaza in kitchen to bake the world a better place

Gazan children who are interested in cooking, both learn how to cook while enjoying their time and have an opportunity to get off blockade conditions to some extent thanks to free-workshop programs.

At the Junior Chefs workshop, children between the ages of 6 and 12 are trained in three groups consisting of 11 people.

Participating in the workshop wearing chef's jackets and caps specially designed for them, the children first observe how their trainers hold a knife and chop potatoes and onions and how they mix and cook the food. Afterwards, they apply what they learned under the watchful eye of their trainers.

Observing the preparation process of all kinds of foods like soups, stews, pastries and desserts, they try to cook them under the tutelage of their masters.

Program coordinator Hiba al-Ifrinci said at the workshop, which started about a month ago, they taught the children the particulars of cooking, informing them about the usage of cutlery and arranging the amount of fire.

Ifrinci said that children mostly learn about cooking Arabic food in addition to some dessert recipes.

"Hence, they canalize their energy into the areas thanks to which they feed their life," he added, explaining that Palestinian families show great interest in the program.

"We got approximately 400 applications. However, here we have capacity just for 120 students for a progressive education. I hope that this workshop will be developed into a course and academy on cooking," he said.

Lima, 10, is a trainee at the Junior Chefs workshop and expressed her happiness about the workshop.

"Learning how to cook was my dream. I used to help my mother in the kitchen. When I heard about the program, I got really curious and immediately enrolled in it," said the little Gazan chef.