June was Pride Month and we celebrated with a special Italian-themed Cooking with Pride!

Cooking with Pride is a cooking initiative with forum+ and the LGBT+ community, and has been a regular event in St Luke’s calendar since the early 2020s. It’s a warm, welcoming and inclusive social group where the people join together, with guidance from an expert chef, to cook a nutritious, budget-friendly meal in St Luke’s fully equipped Cookery School, and chat and eat afterwards. At each event there is a focus on a different cuisine and there have been special cultural celebrations, including Irish food enjoyed for St Patrick’s Day and Indian cuisine showcased on Diwali.

In a recent survey all respondents felt Cooking with Pride supports LGBT+ people who may be feeling lonely or socially isolated. It’s as much about the socialising as the cooking!

We asked people why they decided to join CWP and why they come back:

“Cooking with Pride is a really fun and unique hands on experience in a very well equipped community centre and the members who attend the event are a diverse group of ages and backgrounds. It’s great wholesome fun and you learn something too.”

“Recipes, camaraderie, location, well organised, great content, safe space, it’s the only place I meet gay people socially.”

“I look forward to going to the group – it helps my wellbeing as an older person.”

“I found the whole event really well organised and everybody to be super friendly. I’d definitely love to attend again!”

“Just perfect – totally exceeded my expectations.”

You heard it from them! Cooking with Pride is for ages 18+ members of the LGBT+ community, and takes place monthly at St Luke’s Community Centre with forum+. It is free to join.

Our next class is here.