A cookery school in Didsbury is hosting an event for Ukrainian people living in Manchester to meet each other and 'build communities'. Food Sorcery Cookery & Barista School is hosting a chocolate fondant and sushi making class today, May 19. The event will run between 11am and 2pm and despite having limited capacity, still has some spaces available.
Lisa Skolosdra Short, who runs the cookery school, decided to host the event after helping many Ukrainian families who arrived in Manchester get settled. She set up a Whatsapp group and was planning to organise a coffee morning, but was instead inspired to host a cookery event following conversations the women had had about all of the excellent food available in Manchester.
She hopes that the cookery class, which only costs £1 that will be donated to a Ukrainian charity, will be an excellent opportunity for Ukrainian people living in Manchester to get to know one another and to build communities.
Lisa explained why the choice of sushi and chocolate fondants came about, she said: “We had this space free on Thursday and I thought it would be nice to get some of the people who have arrived here together so that they can form their own communities and make friends. A lot of them have arrived here but they’re aware that there are other people in this area in the same boat.
“Initially we thought about doing something around Ukrainian food, and thought about having everyone come and cook Ukrainian food together. But actually, they’ve come here and they’re all a bit culture thirsty and want to try new things, and things that they can’t get in Ukraine.
“My director, Mark, had the idea of having them make sushi and chocolate fondant, which is kind of a speciality of ours.
“Sushi, it’s quite popular actually in Ukraine. A lot of them have been coming over saying ‘where can I buy sushi?’ I don’t think it really made it there until two or three years ago, and it’s not an easy thing for a lot of people to buy, unless you live in a big city.
“So, weirdly, they’re all very into sushi.”
Lisa also explained why she got involved with helping Ukrainian families in the first place. She said: “I’ve been involved with helping Ukrainian families arrive here, helping them find sponsors to actually house them in their homes and then helping them set up by finding school places and to get access to the services they’re entitled to through the council and lots of different things.
“My grandad was Ukrainian and came here just after the war, I’m second generation Ukrainian and thought I would get involved anyway I could.
“It’s mainly women and children who have arrived here to escape the war. Whilst they’re making friends and they’re doing what they can through local Didsbury groups, it’s nice to meet people who speak their native language and food is a great one for bringing people together.”
“[In Ukraine] they all have big family get togethers that are focused on food. It's a big thing there that when you go and turn up to somebodies house, even somebody you’ve never met before, they will always bring food out to you. Food is how Ukrainians build friendships.
“They’re all big foodies, they all cook a lot.”
The event is scheduled to run today, May 19, between 11am and 2pm at the Food Sorcery Cookery & Barista School, on Wilmslow Road in Didsbury. If you wish to join the event, or even to be added to the Whatsapp group, email lisa@foodsorcery.co.uk
