Exceptional Adult Educator winner
French Cooking, Tutor Stephen Wilson
Stephen ran a fantastic, comprehensive cooking class I attended and I have since followed his community involvement and commitment with interest
After living and working in Paris for 26 years, he has returned to the Bay and shares his passion for cooking, healthy eating, growing food, and the French language.
He encourages healthy eating with his cooking demonstrations at the Farmers’ Market. He runs interactive French Bistro cuisine cookery classes that are hands on, peppered with French conversation, and seasoned with plenty of jokes and singing. He can inspire even the most undomesticated amongst us with his personality and fun attitude to the task.
However, Stephen’s strong focus is on the work he has undertaken teaching life skills to the less blessed in our community. He has run cooking classes teaching basics to people who are a part of the emergency housing program; he teaches marae based diabetes courses; he is on the Merivale Garden Committee and involved in teaching children about growing food
when they visit the community gardens; he works with Get Smart, the local drug and counselling organisation, to teach cooking and life skills and help clients into a healthier lifestyle less dependent on fast foods. The current project on hand is the development, with Te Tuinga Whanau, of the concept of a food truck which will train and employ the unemployed.
Passion and expertise, Stephen has in plenty but he goes far beyond the classic “classroom”. He believes in the power of good food and the potential of people and, as a result, the community reaps the benefit.
I believe he would be a worthy recipient of the Exceptional Adult Educator award.
Nominated by Erin Fleming
