This new community kitchen in Leeds could transform people’s lives

The new facility at Kentmere Community Centre in Seacroft is up and running, and will teach residents cooking skills while supporting small, local enterprises.

Set within an area named as one of the country’s most deprived communities, it will also provide catering for community events.

A first bespoke six-week course was shaped by demand and aims to support people to build life skills in cooking, budgeting, self-reliance and caring for health through better diets.

After each session participants will take a new recipe to home to try.

This is the first Kitchen Love community kitchen to open in Yorkshire and is the third launched by cooking enthusiast brand NEFF, environmental charity Hubbub, and Howdens. Appliances were donated by NEFF, and design and furniture provided by Howdens.

Andrew Jones, NEFF marketing director, said: “With this new facility, we hope to share our love of cooking with the local community and give them the chance to learn new skills in the kitchen as well as socialising in the new space.”

Aoife Allen, creative partner at Hubbub said: “Spending on takeaway food is rising across the UK, while cooking skills and knowledge are declining. Home cooking skills are crucial to healthier, more sustainable diets, and cooking from scratch can be much kinder on the wallet”.

Kitty Ellis, head of marketing for Howdens, said: “Howdens is delighted to support this project and see the impact it has already had on the local community.”