March 10, 2014

Senior Chef scores a century

A cooking course designed for older people in Canterbury has celebrated two very important milestones.

Senior Chef recently held its 100th course and hosted its 1000th participant.

The course, now available nationwide, started in Canterbury five years ago and teaches practical cooking skills, meal planning, budgeting, shopping tips, and good nutrition for older people living alone or with one other person.

Senior Chef covers all levels of cooking ability – from those with no cooking skills to others with excellent skills but who find it difficult cooking just for themselves.

Gemma Lilly, Project Dietitian for the Senior Chef programme, says one of the best things about the programme is the social aspect.

“Participants get to share experiences, socialise and get together for a meal. It’s great that the course is so much more than cooking skills,” Gemma says.

“We’re thrilled that we’ve helped more than 1000 older people with cooking for themselves.”

Senior Chef is particularly keen to get referrals from those who are already working closely with this age group.

“General Practice teams and other health professionals, caregivers and support people are the ones in contact with the groups of older people who would most benefit from coming along to the programme.”

The course is free to attend and each three hour weekly session involves some nutrition education, a hands-on cooking class followed by a shared meal with the food cooked that day. Sessions are kept small in size with no more than 12 people on each course. Courses are held regularly in Christchurch and offered several times per year in the wider Canterbury region including Lincoln, Rolleston, Kaiapoi, and Rangiora,

More information available at http://www.seniorchef.co.nz/ Contact your General Practice Team or other health professional. They will refer you to the course co-ordinator who will contact you to enrol you in a course.

ENDS

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