“Old dogs, new tricks, great mates’ is the Men’s Kitchen catchphrase. And it is living proof that you can actually teach an old dog new tricks and even make new friends along the way.
Forestville’s Peter Watson was inspired to learn how to cook after his father passed away in 2009. “He was skin and bones, 87 years old. I thought: ‘I’m not going to do that when I get to 87. I want to make sure I can fend for myself,’” he says.
Peter and six friends saw a need for cooking lessons for older men and set up their first Men’s Kitchen in 2016.
“We had to be insured and incorporated, so we formed an organisation,” Peter says. “In a few hours we had recruited enough guys to fill a class.”
The hobs were first fired up in the Forestville Community Art Centre. “We didn’t stay there very long as wheeling the trolley up and down the hall with beautiful smelling food was driving everybody else mad,” Peter laughs. So they moved to the hall behind the Returned and Services League (RSL) in Forestville.
Men’s Kitchen is well supported by local RSLs and the Northern Beaches Council.
“The council has been absolutely wonderful to us,” Peter says. “When we relocated, they put in a new stove and turned a broom cupboard into a pantry for us. They’ve given us numerous grants to expand.”
Peter says Men’s Kitchen is now running three branches in the Northern Beaches, at Warriewood, Seaforth and Forestville, with each one holding three sessions a month. “All of our cooking sessions have 10 blokes so it’s not too crowded.
“We find the guys come along because they want to learn to cook and they keep coming back because they just enjoy the day and their mates.”
For a $20 joining fee, men get a 12-month membership, a recipe book and a Men’s Kitchen apron. They recently received funding from council for their fifth recipe book.
You’ll find Peter cooking up a storm in his apron in the Seaforth Men’s Kitchen. Sessions are held over lunch time and a main course and dessert in usually on the menu.
Members pay $15 to 20 for their meal and they take it in turns to buy ingredients each month for a main and a dessert, with up to three instructors guiding the class. Teachers include women, ex-teachers and even chefs. “The main thing we look for is somebody who can demonstrate to an older bloke, and pass on techniques,” says Peter. “And that doesn’t come naturally to everyone.”
The classes also serve another purpose – they connect men who would otherwise have no social outings. “About half of our members are like me, living at home with their partner and just wanting to learn. But the other half are alone, or their partner is failing, has dementia or is physically unable to do much in the kitchen anymore.”
“It’s just a lovely social event for older men and they learn some social skills and cooking skills,” Peter says. “Ever since we started things have dropped into place and that tells me we are onto a winner and that there is a big need.”
Last year, Peter’s wife of 53 years had surgery and was out of action for several months and his cooking skills were put to good use. “I did all the cooking and there were no complaints from the other half. Nobody got killed in the process,” he laughs.