Writing, Cooking, Belonging
Book workshopA participatory workshop on memory, food, and collective storytelling
Writing, Cooking, Belonging is an experiential workshop that explores food as an emotional archive.
Through guided autobiographical writing and collaborative cooking, participants transform personal memories into short narratives and shared recipes. The process creates space for reflection, vulnerability, and collective care.
This workshop is designed for cultural organisations, NGOs, and creative teams interested in strengthening internal connections while creating cultural content from shared experiences.
What Is the Workshop?
- Duration: Full day or two half-day sessions
- Who it is for: Cultural organisations, NGOs, creative teams
- Group size: 12–15 participants
- Where it happens: Cultural institutions, organisational retreats, creative spaces
- How it works: Guided writing combined with collaborative cooking or booklet-making
No previous writing or cooking experience is required. The focus is not on culinary technique or literary skill, but on memory, storytelling, and shared participation.
Why Food and Memory?
Food carries personal and collective histories.
Working with memories connected to meals allows participants to access stories that are emotional, sensory, and deeply personal. Cooking together becomes a space for listening, collaboration, and care.
The workshop encourages:
- Creative vulnerability through storytelling
- Empathy and attentive listening
- Writing without academic pressure
- Cooking as a collective practice of care
- Sharing food as a moment of belonging
Two Paths in the Workshop
At a certain moment in the workshop, participants are invited to choose between two parallel activities depending on their interest and comfort.
Collaborative Cooking
Participants who wish to cook form small groups and transform selected memories into symbolic recipes. Each group develops:
- A written recipe inspired by their story
- A prepared dish
- A title for their narrative
Cooking becomes a collaborative act of translation — turning memory into taste.
Memory Booklet Making
Participants who prefer not to cook create a small handmade booklet that gathers fragments of stories from the group.
The booklet is composed of folded paper pockets that hold small colored notes, creating an intimate and tactile archive of the workshop. Inside these pockets participants place:
- Short texts or quotes from the writing exercises
- Recipes shared during the workshop
- Fragments of stories
- Memories connected to meals
- Reflections or poetic lines
Each booklet becomes a portable collection of voices and memories, combining storytelling, craft, and documentation. The small format invites curiosity and intimacy: opening each pocket reveals a new fragment of the collective narrative.
Participants can keep the booklet as a personal object or contribute it to a collective archive of the workshop.
Collective Sharing
The workshop concludes with a moment of sharing.
- Cooking groups present their dish and the story behind it.
- Booklet participants present selected fragments from their booklets.
- If cooking has taken place, the group finishes with a shared meal — bringing together stories, recipes, and conversations.
Who Is This Workshop For?
This workshop is suitable for:
- Cultural organisations and institutions
- NGOs and creative teams
- Residencies and retreats
- Organisations interested in reflective team-building
- Groups exploring storytelling, memory, and collective practices
Workshop Formats
Option 1 – Full-Day Workshop
- Writing exercises
- Cooking + booklet-making parallel activities
- Shared meal and storytelling
Option 2 – Two Half-Day Sessions
- Session 1: Writing and memory work
- Session 2: Cooking and booklet-making