Cooking Matters culinary instructors teach multi-session class series using the lesson plans and recipes for each class provided in an established curricula. Volunteer culinary instructors work in partnership with nutrition instructors to lead class, highlighting and supplementing nutrition information with their own culinary knowledge and experience.

Each class series meets once a week for six weeks and is coordinated by a Cooking Matters staff member. Classes are offered for adults, teens, children, families, and child care providers. They are held at community agencies in Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, and Wayne counties (to learn more about Cooking Matters Satellite Partners for the other counties in Michigan, click here). Cooking Matters provides all materials needed for class including instructor guides, participant handouts, cooking supplies, and food.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Professional training or experience in the culinary industry

• Culinary instructors are usually either graduates of or enrolled in a two-year culinary training program, or have at least two years experience working as a cook or chef

• Interest in working with low-income individuals with diverse backgrounds

• Dedication to helping alleviate hunger and poverty

• Comfort speaking in front of an audience

• Ability to travel to class locations

• Willingness to be trained in the Cooking Matters curricula

• Willingness to work as a team and adhere to program policies and procedures

Responsibilities:

• Model, explain, and reinforce proper hand washing, safe knife skills, and kitchen sanitation basics

• Introduce strategies to incorporate affordable forms of healthy foods, minimize food waste, and stretch ingredients when cooking at home

• Demonstrate basic cooking techniques, then allow the participants to practice new techniques, providing feedback and encouraging the participants to continue working on the skills at home

• Refer participants to resources provided in the participant books during the lesson, and encourage them to continue using the information in their everyday lives

• Review key messages that have already been covered as the course progresses

• Ask open-ended questions and invite participants to share their own knowledge and experiences

• Refer to information that has been presented by other volunteers and coordinator, and invite co-instructors to share their expertise by contributing to the conversation and elaborating on specific concepts and ideas

Time Commitment:

• Teaching class: at least 3 hours a week for six weeks, plus travel time to and from class locations
          Each class in a series is two hours long, and volunteers are requested to arrive a half hour in advance and plan on staying half             an hour after the course end time

• Training: orientation, class observation, ongoing training as needed

Benefits of Volunteering:

• Make a real difference in people’s lives

• Gain teaching experience

• Meet new and diverse groups of people

• Share your strengths and talents

• Do something meaningful and have fun!