Cooking classes fill in generation gap

August 11, 2025

A group of women around a large countertop with cooking tools and ingredients strewn about. — There was no shortage of experienced cooks willing to try their hand at some new recipes during recent intergenerational cooking sessions at the Mabou Hall. *(Photo: contributed)*

The organizer of an event that brought two generations of cooks together says the program will return in the fall.

Two intergenerational cooking classes were held at the Mabou Community Hall between March and April, and Maggie MacDonald, Senior Safety Coordinator for The Municipality of Inverness County, says the first two classes generated a great deal of interest and were supported by the Nova Scotia Community Health Board Wellness Fund.

“Some of the priorities for their funding had to do with bringing different generations together, so I really wanted to come up with something that did that,” MacDonald says, noting that additional funding has been received from Shannex Cares to continue the classes in the fall.

The event brought together people 55 years of age and older with younger cooks between the ages of nine and 16. They were led by Becki House and her husband, Geoff House, who operate House Catering in Port Hood.

The event in March featured two recipes – gnocchi, a potato pasta, with two different sauces, as well as a chocolate-dipped sponge toffee for dessert.

“I was looking to find something that would be a little bit different and that we could accomplish in two hours,” says Becki House, noting that she also wanted something that would engage the younger cooks, while coming up with something that the older participants might be trying for the first time.

With local chefs Geoff and Becki House providing guidance (background), the recent intergenerational cooking sessions in Mabou brought together a number of eager young cooks. *(Photo: contributed)*

“That was the challenge,” she says. “No one knows better how to cook than these older people, so I was trying to find something that would pique their interest. Trying to find things that you could get the ingredients for around here was key as well.”

House says she hopes to be able to take part in future classes.

“I had fun,” she adds. “I wasn’t expecting it, but of course the older people were there to help the younger people – how to hold the knife properly or how far to chop the garlic. It was really interactive like that.”

“It’s a good idea to get younger people and older people doing it together.”

One of the older cooks was Donelda Beaton of Mabou, who participated in both events. “It was so interesting watching the kids and seeing how keen they were to do the baking and talk about the ingredients,” Beaton recalls. “It was a lot of fun and everybody learned something.”

“I like the idea of learning to bake something different, something that I don’t normally make, and the knowledge that you get from that.”

Beaton says it was a great way to bring the generations together.

“There were very interesting conversations going on between the different age groups,” she says. “We all left with the idea that ‘I’ll make this again.’”

“It’s a basic skill that everyone should have to be able to make a meal for yourself.”

As for MacDonald, she says she couldn’t be happier with the first two sessions.

“The participants certainly had lots of fun, and that’s all I can ask for,” she says, noting that the fall classes will be advertised in local weekly newspapers, on social media and on the municipality’s website.