At Covenant House Toronto, youth-led cooking workshops are about more than making a meal. They build skills, confidence, and community — helping young people take meaningful steps toward independence and breaking the cycle of homelessness.
When life skills coordinator Lillian Gong set up a new life skills cooking workshop for youth at Covenant House, she expected to teach the basics like how to prepare simple meals and shop for groceries on a budget.
Before long, the sessions grew into something special. Youth told her about favourite dishes from home and meals they wanted to teach others to make.
Our recently launched youth-led cooking workshop gives young people the chance to plan and cook a simple recipe together from start to finish.
“What’s been incredible to see is how naturally youth step into leadership opportunities,” said Lillian. “They help each other to build confidence, provide support to each other, and help them to realize they have valuable skills to share with their peers.”
Each session begins with youth working together to choose a recipe, list the ingredients, and gather the tools they’ll need. Then they put up posters around the house inviting others to join.
A few days before each workshop, the youth go grocery shopping where they learn to compare prices, stretch a budget, and make healthy choices.
“By doing this, youth are developing everyday skills they’ll use when they live on their own,” Lillian said.
On workshop day, youth take the lead by introducing the recipe, delegating tasks, and supporting one another as they cook. Everyone has a role, and the focus is on teamwork, confidence, and shared accomplishment.
The workshops have also become a space to celebrate culture through food. So far, youth have made their favourite meals and cultural dishes to share with others.
“What I love most is seeing youth sit together, talk, and really learn about each other’s cultures. They try new dishes and share their own comfort foods.”