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Before we meet I wonder if we’re in for an earnest
hour or so of health-based lecturing. As it turns
out, we had nothing to fear. Robin greets <strong>us</strong> and
during an initial chat we collectively make a simple
but delicio<strong>us</strong> fruit smoothie. A mixture of berries
and some apple juice later and everyone’s happy.
He’s been teaching cookery for longer than he cares
to remember, and estimates that he’s taught over
12,000 people, and trained 500 or more teachers.
Nowadays, his work takes him nationwide, but
today he’s at home, and we’re there too. His manner
is calm and his tone relaxing as he shows <strong>us</strong> how to
make dough and from that dough, bread rolls, pizza
and chapatis. As soon as they get their hands in the
dough mix the kids love it. It’s a strange sensation
- almost unpleasant when you’ve got the wrong
consistency on the go, but when it’s right, it feels
good. The mixture is then set aside in a warm spot
to rise, and we concentrate on making our lunch,
which is going to be pizza and a salad. Not your
regular lettuce affair though, this one features warm
chunks of butternut squash, beetroots, red onion
and feta cheese. It sounds delicio<strong>us</strong> and whilst the
pumpkin is warming in the oven, smells so too.
Then, collectively switching our attention back to
w w w. V I VA l E w E s . C o M
COMMuNITY CHEF
F o o D
photos: nick Williams
Community Chef Robin Van Crevald, a passionate man, aims to <strong>us</strong>e cookery as a tool for
promoting positive change, and undertakes a whole string of workshops and demonstrations
to help achieve that aim. Teaching children the benefits of making healthy food choices is a
big part of his work, so we sent Nick Williams and his family along for a session.
our dough, we knead and roll, adding flour and
water where needed, until we have a selection
of rolls, which are then dipped into sesame or
pumpkin seed piles. We also produce a 400gram
section for a loaf, and a section is set aside to
become our pizza base. Robin even shows <strong>us</strong> how to
make chapatis which is so surprisingly simple (j<strong>us</strong>t
dry-fry a teardrop shaped section of dough) that
each piece only takes a minute or so to make. Fresh
out of the pan, it’s dipped in butter and dropped
in to our expectant mouths. We’re in the swing
<strong>now</strong>, and whilst Shelley and I mix the <strong>now</strong>-cooked
pumpkin with the rest of the salad ingredients, the
kids happily spread tomato paste on their pizza
bases, and add fresh toppings. Our collective efforts,
with Robin’s help, produce a fantastic lunch, and
after thanking him prof<strong>us</strong>ely, we head home, armed
with a big chunk of dough to practice with. Five
hours later when our next effort isn’t nearly as tasty,
we realise j<strong>us</strong>t how good Robin was…
Robin is running a number of workshops during
September and features at the Octoberfeast, which
runs from 1-10 October For further information
contact him via robin@communitychef.org.uk or visit
his website at www.communitychef.org.uk
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