A massive thank you to Liz Ashworth for being the magic ingredient in our cooking sessions throughout 2020/21! 

At the EYDG all of our work benefits hugely from the generous time, enthusiasm and expertise of a wide range of volunteers. We would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the work that our volunteers do for us.

This year, we have had the pleasure of having local food writer, creative recipe inventor and all-round food enthusiast, Liz Ashworth, volunteering with us.

When Liz first contacted us, she was shielding and looking to volunteer so it was a match made in heaven. Liz has a passion for sharing her cooking knowledge and enthusiasm with the world, and in particular our next generation of young chefs. She hasn’t missed a week since she started coming along to our weekly online cooking classes.

Liz Ashworth. Photo credit: Daniel Forsyth & Northern Scot

Liz has been excellent at inventing special recipes, adapting them for all tastes, adding a traditional Scottish twist. Each week she adds to all of our skills, shares cooks’ top tips (including some top secrets!) and shortcuts as well as entertaining us with her vast knowledge and thrilling & often hilarious stories. Liz also introduced us all to many of her chef friends who joined in our Zoom cooking classes from their restaurants & even providing ingredients.

Liz suggested she could offer ‘Food Journey Adventures’ & it certainly has been that. Her ‘staycation cooking’ took us around the world, as well as fun Christmas ‘cool yule’ recipes & ‘Easter egg-stravaganza’.

The connections & new friendships we have all enjoyed making have cut through the isolation of lockdown. Most of all, it is the fun and genuine interest of the young people that Liz is enjoying as well as receiving their positive feedback and gratitude as they proudly share their results each week on our Facebook page. One of her favourite weeks was when she shared her pancake tossing tips and was highly entertained by the various skills the young people demonstrated – very impressive.

We are hugely grateful to Liz for bringing her vast knowledge, skills and endless enthusiasm to our cooking classes and wanted to say THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.