These Surrey Hills blokes are finding friendship through cooking
The Blokes in the Kitchen course is a fortnightly cooking class in the Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre, focusing on real life skill development and friendship.
Evie Dinkelmeyer
November 14, 2024
Blokes in the Kitchen is more than just a monthly cooking class for the men of Surrey Hills, it’s also a place of friendship and community.
“It’s usually an older demographic [of students], and some of them have lost their wives and had never stepped foot in a kitchen before… So they were a bit lost, they didn’t know how to cook.” chef and Blokes in the Kitchen class teacher Shawn Hickman told the Eastern Melburnian.
“We basically start from scratch, teaching them to be confident in the kitchen and to cook for themselves. Now it’s transformed into a source of monthly connection.”
I recently joined a class, where blueberry muffins and pad Thai were on the menu. As I entered into the kitchen, Shawn had some students chopping up garlic, and others deveining prawns. Everyone was standing around the communal bench and chatting.
Student Fred Beard says he has been coming regularly to the class for 3 years, a routine that he has maintained through some big life changes like moving into aged care and, more recently, having a stroke.
“Shawn is just a really nice guy, he’s easy to talk to. That’s why I love coming here.”
At the end of every class, the group sit down and enjoy the fruits of their labour. There is discussion about the changes they’ve noticed in their community over the years, and banter about the retiree lifestyle. It’s clear real friendships have blossomed alongside some useful cooking skills.
Blokes in the Kitchen operates out of the Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre. The group meets on the second Friday of each month, except January.