Cooking Classes – Social Impact Award

Cooking Classes

In 2016, the program “Coolinari”, with the support from the Social Impact Award, offered the first ever Cooking Classes to promote Gastronomy and Vocational Education United in Social Entrepreneurship activity. This was as a response to reducing unemployment and as social intervention that demonstrates how cross-sectorial partnership can effectively contribute to the social impact.

For the first time in North Macedonia people had a chance to learn how to cook from recognized chefs. The Gastronomy School provided the facilities, while the private sector (restaurants) donated skilled chefs in order to support the initiative. Interested citizens bought vouchers in order to learn how to cook and support the economic activity of ARNO.

The profit from the sold vouchers and kitchen accessories (aprons and wooden spoons) branded with the slogan, was reinvested in the student-chefs through special programs for a better transition to the labor market. During the tailored made program they met famous chefs, took part in workshops for writing CV, received photos from professional photographer, met food bloggers and social media gurus (learned how to take photos of food, ping celebrities, promote themselves), and improved their soft skills.

Highlights: The cooking classes were delivered by the most recognized chefs, organized by themes: Italian cuisine with chef Aleksandar Lazovski (La Terraza Restaurant), Macedonian cuisine with chef Nikola Mishkovski (Kamnik Restaurant), British cuisine with chef Mare Janevska (British Embassy), French cuisine with chef Mark de Jongh, and Asian cuisine with chef Filip Popovski (#GotvimesoFicho).