“To heal the family through the power of the kitchen”, a Lagos-based chef recently organised a training session on the beautiful art of cooking
Nowadays, many people, especially career-minded individuals, find it hard to cook. Apart from many lacking in the know-how, some simply do not have the time to engage in the art, a development that has become a serious threat to marriages.
Against this backdrop, some people have taken it upon themselves to teach women and interested men the rudiments of cooking. One of such is Mrs. Itoro Effiong-Bright, the chef executive officer of Ibomsoups, who recently organised a training class.
Tagged ‘Cook that soup like a Pro’, the aim of the cooking session, according to the chef, who is simply known as Itoro, was “to heal the family through the power of the kitchen”.
According to her, “research has proven that so many homes have been broken due to the fact that some women could not cook. Though there are some who can, they do not have the luxury of time to cook.
“As it is not only the cooks that prepare the meal, but also money; in the process of working and getting money, the zeal, power and strength to cook the meal is lost.”
A graduate of Banking and Finance, Itoro, a family life advocate and culture ambassador, who sacrificed the corporate world for the kitchen, also runs a soup school where she teaches couples and singles how to cook healthy delicious meals.
Over 20 people, who participated at the cookery session were taught how to make tasty ofada sauce and edikan-ikong soup.
She also gave easy and quick steps to make cooking easy, adding that for those who might have tried to cook meals but did not get the desired result, their choice of ingredients might be wrong.
Participants also engaged in a cooking competition where they were made to prepare goat meat pepper soup. The winning team went home with Ibomsoups’ ready-to-cook ingredients like blended ogbono, crayfish, egusi and pepper.
One of the facilitators, Tosin Praise-Fowowe, observed that money cooks the soup, cooking is more than the kitchen economics, adding that budgeting is key to running a successful home.
“Why should your husband take all the money decisions? The one who hurts the most when there is mismanagement is the woman; it is then you realise that it is not all about the man but about the two of us,” she argued.
Fowowe, who spoke on home budget management, admitted that while nobody is taught money management in school, “it is important to earn, save, invest and spend.”
She added that every woman must ask herself these basic questions to be a successful home manager.
*How healthy are you financially?
*Do you know the exact amount you spend monthly compared to what you earn?
*Does it seem like you are spending more than you are earning?
*Can you account for all the money that goes through your hand on a monthly basis?
*Do you earn more than you spend or vice-versa?
*Does your account reset to zero?
The event was organised by Ibomsoups, a soup delivery organisation that delivers over 40 different food delicacies at clients’ doorsteps around Lagos.
It was established to heal the family through the power of the kitchen.