Connecting people through sustainable cooking

Apr 18, 2025Belgium, Farm to Fork, Inspiring initiative

ACCTING aims to understand the impact of Green Deal policies on vulnerable groups, prevent inequalities, and produce knowledge and innovations to advance behavioural change at individual and collective levels for an inclusive and equal European Green Deal. Read our report on all 693 mapped initiatives.

Connecting diverse groups of people through sustainable cooking

‘Samenkeuken’ (‘Kitchening Together’) is a project initiated across Flanders, Brussels, and (to a lesser extent) the Netherlands by the non-profit association Velt. Citing the power of cooking in groups to connect people with each other and their environment, this initiative aims to stimulate culinary get-togethers among diverse groups of people and provide guidance on ecologically sustainable cooking by professionals.

Each group is advised to meet up at least once per season to maintain social bonds and to have the opportunity to work with seasonal ingredients. Participants are encouraged to improvise based on taste combinations and not rely on recipes, to limit food waste to near-zero, and to learn about ways of storing food for later (i.e., drying, fermenting, …). ‘Samenkeuken’ cooking groups are kick-started under the guidance of Velt’s so-called eco-chefs, who have a lot of experience and knowledge in ecological cooking and are skilled at coaching groups of people.

Durable social connections for vulnerable people
Velt is an independent non-profit pluralistic association that aims to promote ecological living, cooking, and gardening. It has been around for 45 years in both Belgium and the Netherlands, connecting people and initiating as well as guiding ecological projects. Velt not only provides its ‘Samenkeuken’ services to groups of people that approach them, but it also collaborates with organisations that work with vulnerable people. This introduces people who are marginalized, excluded, and/or socially isolated to ecologically sustainable (and healthy) food and creates durable social connections among the participants. This initiative thus emphasises the importance of community and cooking together, especially when it comes to connecting people from diverse vulnerable groups.