The Call:
This is an open call for all immigrants and refugees, as well as African Nova Scotian and Indigenous bakers/cooks.
Interested candidates are invited to submit their application.
The Project:
Perfect Pairings is a project-based program bringing together diverse community members in the design of recipes blending elements of their unique cultural food traditions. Working in pairs, participants are tasked with opening their hearts and their kitchens to one another, harnessing the nourishing power of food as a means of creating connections to each other, no matter their differences.
The Commitment:
This project takes place over a four-week span and is self-directed. Participants will work out a schedule with their partners and can meet as often as is convenient for them. The suggested total time commitment is 20 hours. Some elements of the process will be filmed and/or photographed for use in the museum’s upcoming exhibition eat make share: a taste of immigration. Final recipes will also be included in the exhibition.
The Museum’s Support:
The Museum’s Public Programs and Community Engagement team will provide support for participants by providing a suggested framework for the development of recipes. The project framework reflects the title of our exhibition:
Assignment 1 – EAT: Cook your favourite dish for your partner and enjoy it together while getting to know one another.
Assignment 2 – MAKE: Design a new recipe that reflects elements of both your cultures. This assignment may include shopping (and/or foraging) for ingredients together, cooking in each other’s kitchens or in another location, and discussing ideas with others.
Assignment 3 – SHARE: Cook the new recipe for friends and/or family members and make changes based on their feedback as necessary. Share the new recipe with the museum team.
Each participant will receive an honorarium and a stipend to cover the cost of materials.
The anticipated start date for our upcoming cohorts are:
- Cohort A: Monday, September 1st, 2025 with an end date of Monday, September 29th, 2025
- Cohort B: Monday, October 6th, 2025 with an end date of Monday, November 6th, 2025
- Cohort C: Monday December 1st, 2025 with an end date of Monday, December 29th, 2025