Recognizing that sometimes teens feel more connected to peers than family, the BC Dairy Association included a youth category this year for its annual Hands-on Cook-off contest.
The purpose of the cook off is to promote inter-generational, family connection and the importance of eating together. Families would record themselves cooking together.
But it was a Richmond submission, by Shenanigans Youth Garden, in 2011 that sparked the idea for creating a youth category.
We realized that often peers fulfill that family connection, said BC Dairy Associations Sydney Massey. And the purpose is to show the benefits of cooking and eating together, anyway.
This year, three Grade 9 students from Horizons School is the only Richmond group to submit a video.
Realizing they all had a propensity towards the sweeter things, the trio, JT Atigikyoak, Nicola Cairns and Emelyn Inasi, baked molten chocolate lava cakes.
It was really fun, and cool that the community gave us the opportunity to do something like this, said Emelyn, who has been showing great talent in the kitchen, according to teacher Lisa Toffolo.
They called themselves Team Razzledazzle and got together one morning to film.
Rose (a youth connections worker) told us about the contest and helped us with the filming, which was good, said Nicola.
Voting is now open until Friday for the Peoples Choice Award. To vote for Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes!, visit bettertogetherbc.ca/contest and click on Vote for Peoples Choice.
We find that breaking bread and connecting through food breaks barriers and allows people to connect, said Toffolo.
The school combines academic and social/emotional skill development with therapeutic support.
One of its traditions is to hold bi-weekly cooking sessions where the 12 students cook lunch together. Each lunch has a theme and students bring their backgrounds to the table.
Building relationships over food allows them to communicate values of acceptance, said Toffolo.
Its something recent studies have indicated, according to nutritionist Rani Wangsawidjawa. People who eat together, youth who know how to cook do better at school and they form better relationships, she said.
