Written by Bianca Danielle
Leading the Rekindling Nello James project, has given me the space to thoughtfully shape ideas that sit at the intersection of heritage, creativity, and community.
Home Is Where the Pot Is the name of what I would like to be a future series of heritage cooking sessions. The idea grew from reflecting on how often culture is held and passed on, through food. Over time, it became clear that this idea naturally aligned with the aims of our project Rekindling Nello James, which centers African and Caribbean heritage through lived experience, storytelling, and collective memory.
With the support and trust of Rekindle School, this workshop was developed and delivered as a pilot within the wider project. It offered a way to explore how intergenerational cooking could operate as a heritage activity, bringing young people, parents, and practitioners together.
I wanted to intentionally create a space to listen, learn, and reflect, using food as a powerful and accessible entry point into heritage learning. Watch the video below, then continue reading to hear more about what unfolded in the space, including reflections from parents.
Why the kitchen?
So much of our heritage lives in the everyday – in kitchens, in shared meals, and in the stories exchanged while cooking side by side. Food invites participation. It encourages conversation. It allows knowledge to move naturally between generations.
This way of holding culture feels deeply connected to the thinking of C.L.R. James, whose work and the legacy of spaces like the Nello James Centre, reminded us that culture must be actively lived, shared, and celebrated. James spoke often about the importance of people retaining their traditions unapologetically, understanding that culture is not something static or distant, but something shaped and sustained through everyday practice.
For this pilot session, young people cooked alongside Ngwafu Tansie, a Cameroonian chef specialising in West African cuisine, owner of GwafuVegan. As she guided the group through preparing a West African meal, she shared the histories behind the dishes, practical cooking techniques, and created space for curiosity, questions, and storytelling to unfold naturally. Throughout the session, the atmosphere was relaxed, warm, and engaging, creating the conditions for confidence to grow.
It also felt important that this moment was documented with care. Local Manchester-based videographer Rob Ball, whose work centres heritage and socially significant projects, joined us to capture the day. The filming was not only about showcasing what took place, but about preserving a moment in time, for the families involved, for future generations, and for anyone watching to see the power in coming together around food.
In capturing these moments on film, the session extends beyond the day itself, offering a visual record of shared learning, cultural pride, and the quiet strength found in gathering, cooking, and breaking bread together.
Reflections
Marvin (Zachary’s Father)
What did you think of the session?
“The session was excellent, insightful, engaging, and genuinely enriching. We learned a lot about culture, and the group activities helped us bond in a natural and enjoyable way. As they say, food brings people together, and this experience truly reflected that.”
What stood out for you?
“Chef Ngwafu kept everyone engaged and supported each person so positively. It was a proud moment to see what Zachary can achieve.”
Would you take part again?
“Sign me up for every session. The more sessions, the better.”
Zachary later shared that taking part helped him feel a sense of responsibility and pride in learning about African cooking — something he was excited to tell his friends about at school.
Kay (Reau’s Mother)
How did you find the session overall?
“The session was incredible — carefully planned, educational, fun and inclusive. Reau really enjoyed it, and although she started off shy her confidence grew, which is a testament to the warm environment the team created.”
What made it feel different?
“I haven’t seen a cooking session like this before. Other sessions felt standard and lacked depth or history. This type of cooking is 100% needed in the community — bringing people together to share recipes, stories, and bring history to life.”
Kay also reflected on how meaningful it was to watch her daughter learn new skills and feel genuinely included, an experience she would happily return for again.
Food as living heritage
One of the most powerful moments of the day came at the end of the session, when everyone sat down together to eat the meal they had prepared.
Seeing young people enjoy food they had helped cook, and hearing the conversations that unfolded around the table, was a reminder that food is more than nourishment. In many African and Caribbean cultures, sharing a meal is an act of care, respect, and belonging. This was heritage not as something distant or instructional, but as something lived, shared, and felt.
Looking ahead
Home Is Where the Pot Is was always intended as a pilot, a starting point rather than a finished model. What it demonstrated clearly was the value of food-led, intergenerational heritage work that centres lived experience, confidence-building, and community voice.
This session now forms part of the Rekindling Nello James digital archive and will inform future storytelling, exhibitions, and the long-term ambition of co-creating a community cookbook rooted in African and Caribbean food traditions and memories. I hope we can do more sessions in the future!
As one parent put it simply:
“Sign me up for every session.”
And that sense of appetite, for more connection, more learning, more shared moments is exactly what this work continues to build on.
