The Call:
We are looking for community members from the following groups to take part in our inaugural cohort of two pairs:
- African Nova Scotian Elders
- Mi’kmaq Elders
- Syrian Refugees
- Ukrainian Refugees
Interested candidates are invited to contact Rebecca MacKenzie-Hopkins, Public Programs and Community Engagement Manager.
The Project:
Perfect Pairings is a new project-based program by the Museum 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 between participants, no matter their differences. This initiative is one of many exciting projects to come as part of our new exhibition Eat make share: A Taste of Immigration opening May 2025, a flavourful exhibition where visitors will have the opportunity to take a deep dive into food and immigration.
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, though participants can take as much or as little time as they need. 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 project 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 this cohort is Monday, November 4th, 2024 with an end date of Monday, December 2nd, 2024.
