Cooking4lifeskills

At Cooking4LifeSkills Christmas is always a very special occasion. For everyone it’s a time of celebration, a time when we prepare special treats – pastries, cakes, puddings, biscuits and delicious desserts. It’s a time when the whole family gets involved in the preparations – an inclusive time. And it’s even more of a special event for our Cooking4LifeSkills participants.
After honing their cooking skills all year, now is the time they get to shine, to prepare those special dishes for the family meal and for them it can start right now. Making cakes and puddings means sourcing your ingredients as well as planning for the big day – ordering the turkey, the chickens the pork or ham. It’s a great time to plan your menus and determine who can cook each of the dishes or courses.

Christmas with Cooking4LifeSkills – Delicious Food – It’s Fun and Inclusive. At Cooking4LifeSkills Christmas is always a very special occasion. For everyone it’s a time of celebration, a time when we prepare special treats – pastries, cakes, puddings, biscuits and delicious…

With the festive season approaching one of the most important considerations our minds turn to is food – the special dishes, the cakes and desserts and the joy of sharing very special meals with the whole family. Cooking4LifeSkills makes it possible for all members of the family to participate in the big occasions. There is the opportunity for our loved ones living with a disability to learn the skills in cooking and develop untapped abilities – it’s creative, it’s organised and it’s fun.

Cooking4LifeSkills – Time to Get Cooking for Christmas and the Holidays With the festive season approaching one of the most important considerations our minds turn to is food – the special dishes, the cakes and desserts and the joy of sharing very special meals with th…

Every now and then the enthusiasm of our participants on the Cooking4LifeSkills program can completely surprise us. This week one of our favourite young cooks, Jonathon, completed his very own Cook Book. It’s full of delicious, wholesome meals with a few tempting indulgences. Jonathon, like most of our long term participants with Cooking4LifeSkills, has developed a real passion for cooking and the culinary arts. Not only has he put together a very nice series of delicious offerings, he has ensured that the recipes and techniques are all his very own. Want a copy of Jonathon’s Cook Book? You can call us on 0424 228 457 and order your copy via Irene Santi, our Founder and Program Co-ordinator. Alternatively, you can leave your enquiry/order here for a prompt response. (The book retails for $20).

Jonathon’s Cook Book Created with Cooking4LifeSkills. Order a Copy Now! Every now and then the enthusiasm of our participants on the Cooking4LifeSkills program can completely surprise us. This week one of our favourite young cooks, Jonathon, completed his very own Cook…

One of life’s basic requirements is the ability to feed ourselves. It can be as basic as knowing how to boil an egg and make a cup of tea, but we all know that it takes more than that to survive and thrive.
Irene Santi, the founder and owner of Cooking4LifeSkills was very aware of this with her son Andrew, now 21 years old. She realised how important it was for Andrew, and others like him, to be able to cook for themselves, to produce tasty, nourishing food with a good understanding and rudimentary cooking skills.
So it was that Cooking4LifeSkills was created as a practical Program to assist those living with a disability to actually foster their abilities and creativity in the simple art of cooking. The goal for each participant? – to be able to cook for themselves and others and to enjoy the independence this brings.

Cooking4lifeskills Cooking4lifeskills offer a unique service as dedicated Support Educators - learning to cook

One of life’s basic requirements is the ability to feed ourselves. It can be as basic as knowing how to boil an egg and make a cup of tea, but we all know that it takes more than that to survive and thrive.
Irene Santi, the founder and owner of Cooking4LifeSkills was very aware of this with her son Andrew, now 21 years old. She realised how important it was for Andrew, and others like him, to be able to cook for themselves, to produce tasty, nourishing food with a good understanding and rudimentary cooking skills.
So it was that Cooking4LifeSkills was created as a practical Program to assist those living with a disability to actually foster their abilities and creativity in the simple art of cooking. The goal for each participant? – to be able to cook for themselves and others and to enjoy the independence this brings.

Cooking4LifeSkills – Learning Can be FUN! One of life’s basic requirements is the ability to feed ourselves. It can be as basic as knowing how to boil an egg and make a cup of tea, but we all know that it takes more than that to survive an…

For participants in the Cooking4LifeSkills program each week brings a new learning and a new confidence. This week we chat with two of our participants – Mitchell and Grant. We discuss how the course has worked for them. Firstly, let’s chat with Mitchell:
Question: How long have you been cooking with Cooking4LifeSkills?
Mitchell: Two years.
Question: Why did you want to start cooking with Cooking4LifeSkills? ?
Mitchell: To cook different meals for my family.
Question: What was the first meal you ever made with Cooking4LifeSkills?
Mitchell: Spaghetti bolognaise.

Cooking is REALLY Fun with Cooking4LifeSkills For participants in the Cooking4LifeSkills program each week brings a new learning and a new confidence. This week we chat with two of our participants – Mitchell and Grant. We discuss how the cour…

https://cooking4lifeskills.wordpress.com/2021/10/12/cooking4lifeskills-real-skills-real-ability%ef%bf%bc/

Real skills Real Ability

Cooking4LifeSkills. Real Skills, Real Ability! Cooking can be a truly exciting and creative process – the flavours, colours, textures can be a delight to the senses. For those living with a disability the exhilaration of successfully preparing …

Cooking4LifeSkills. Real Skills, Real Ability!

Cooking can be a truly exciting and creative process – the flavours, colours, textures can be a delight to the senses. For those living with a disability the exhilaration of successfully preparing a favourite dish or a complete meal for the family can be so very rewarding. It’s all about preparation; ensuring you have the right utensils available, a clear workspace – with stovetop, oven and running water. Benchtops, aprons and a supply of fresh, wholesome ingredients – meat, fish, fresh vegetables, pastas, rice, flour, sugar, butter, eggs and condiments. And now, the final ingredient – instruction and supervision from Cooking4LifeSkills to bring the whole process to life with excitement, precision and genuine care.

Cooking4LifeSkills. Real Skills, Real Ability! Cooking can be a truly exciting and creative process – the flavours, colours, textures can be a delight to the senses. For those living with a disability the exhilaration of successfully preparing …

It’s Fun, It’s Rewarding It’s Cooking4lifeskills

Every now and then we have a story at Cooking4LifeSkills that really lets us know the value of our program.

Madeleine Burton is a young participant who commenced the Cooking4LifeSkills program back in 2019. Recently she sent an sms where she proudly informed us of her latest cooking triumph. You go girl! Congratulations Maddie. We hope you and the family really enjoy the delicious pizza you made. We decided to have a chat with Madeleine and hear her story.

Q. When did you start with Cooking4lifeskills?

Maddie: I started in August 2019.

Q. Why did you want to start cooking with Cooking4LifeSkills?

Maddie: To gain skills for the future and different sort of meals, to show initiative for cooking for the family, to become more independent and more comfortable cooking and doing the shopping.

Q. The first meal you ever made with Cooking4LifeSkills?

Maddie: Spaghetti Bolognaise and Blueberry muffins.

Q. Why do you want to keep cooking, what is your inspiration going forward?

Maddie: I want to keep practising my skills and to motivate myself to make meals for the family and I want to move out so having these skills will be really good.

Q. What is one meal you have been really proud of?

Maddie: Making meals on my own, such as pesto pasta and homemade pizzas.And doing the shopping on my own.

Q. What has been a tricky process that you have mastered?

Maddie: Homemade pizza dough was tricky but now I have the hang of it and I made it all by myself.

It’s obvious that for those participating the Cooking4LifeSkills program is very rewarding. It brings confidence, self-esteem and a genuine sense of achievement.

For those participating the program is fully funded under the NDIS. The Cooking4LifeSkills team find the right complementary Staff Member (Instructor) to work with participants based on personality, aptitude, communication skills and compatibility (non-verbal is not a disadvantage). The Cooking4LifeSkills team are recognised as essential workers by the Victorian Department of Health and, as such, can attend the residences of participants during lockdown.

Irene Santi, the founder of Cooking4LifeSkills (pictured below with son Andrew) is degree qualified in Psychology (Monash University), is an ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) Therapist, specialising in working with autism, and a Certified Integration Aide.

For further availability on booking for your loved ones call Irene on 0424 228 457, or alternatively, leave your details here for a prompt reply. For those participating it can become a pathway to pure delight – delicious food, family involvement and skills and achievements they can be proud of.
Cooking4LifeSkills – Fun, Rewarding, a Practical Pathway to Ability.

Cooking4lifeskills Cooking4lifeskills offer a unique service as dedicated Support Educators - learning to cook

It’s Fun It’s Rewarding It’s Cooking4LifeSkills

Every now and then we have a story at Cooking4LifeSkills that really lets us know the value of our program.
Madeleine Burton is a young participant who commenced the Cooking4LifeSkills program back in 2019. Recently she sent an sms where she proudly informed us of her latest cooking triumph. You go girl! Congratulations Maddie. We hope you and the family really enjoy the delicious pizza you made.

It’s Fun It’s Rewarding It’s Cooking4LifeSkills Every now and then we have a story at Cooking4LifeSkills that really lets us know the value of our program.  Madeleine Burton is a young participant who commenced the Cooking4LifeSkills progra…

Cooking4LifeSkills Learning Can be Fun – Even in Lockdown.

For those living with a disability lockdown can create a situation where not much is happening. But it doesn’t need to be that way. It’s time to start cooking! Coooking4LifeSkills Instructors are deemed an essential service and can still do residential visits to run cooking classes for the program.

Cooking4LifeSkills is a fully approved NDIS activity. For those participating it is the learning of a very important life skill; how to cook and have the capacity to feed yourself and others, but it’s also really quite fun. It’s a simple process that creates and fosters genuine self-esteem in all participants.

For carers and family who wish to take advantage of the Cooking4Life program the process is simple. These are not ‘respite’ sessions, this is a genuine course of classes designed to foster real abilities and talents in cooking for all participants.

Cooking4Life will make an initial assessment on each participant, their capacities, compatibility and communication skills (non-verbal is not an issue). The team will explain what is required for training during the lessons – a well prepared and properly set up workspace, the utensils and equipment required.

The Cooking4Life program has been developed and implemented by its founder, Irene Santi, degree qualified in Psychology (Monash University), and ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) Therapist specialising in working with autism, certified as an Integration Aid. This has given her a unique insight into what is required to ensure a ongoing successful program.

Cooking4LifeSkills participants become passionate about their cooking, their progress and the meals they produce. It’s an excellent opportunity to integrate their learning into the full family environment.

Call Irene Santi now on 0424 228 457 to enquire as to current booking availability for your Loved One. Get the ball rolling and bring on the fun and delicious food. Alternatively leave your details here for a prompt reply.

Cooking4lifeskills Cooking4lifeskills offer a unique service as dedicated Support Educators - learning to cook

For those living with a disability lockdown can create a situation where not much is happening. But it doesn’t need to be that way. It’s time to start cooking! Coooking4LifeSkills Instructors are deemed an essential service and can still do residential visits to run cooking classes for the program.Cooking4LifeSkills is a fully approved NDIS activity. For those participating it is the learning of a very important life skill; how to cook and have the capacity to feed yourself and others, but it’s also really quite fun.

Cooking4LifeSkills Learning Can be Fun – Even in Lockdown. For those living with a disability lockdown can create a situation where not much is happening. But it doesn’t need to be that way. It’s time to start cooking! Coooking4LifeSkills Instructors are …