Do you like to cook? Do you need more time at the family table and less time in the kitchen? Perhaps you know a new parent who could use some "grown-up" time and some advice from veteran moms; maybe you have a client who has mentioned enjoying cooking up new recipes for her friends and family.
All of these situations came to mind for me recently when I read Marianne Rothschild's article, "Mothers Kitchen", in the July/August issue of Mothering.
Rothschild explains how she created a support system for new moms by creating a community project called Mothers Kitchen. As a physician and a mother, she saw the need new mothers have for reassurance, guidance, and advice - and a chance to get some adult time. Based on her feeling that many women now live away from close family and are unable to bond with our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and other kin like we would have decades or centuries ago, Rothschild decided to create this network by gathering moms (and their kids) in the kitchen. The pros: each mom takes home advice and a meal to serve her family.
What does this have to do with working women?
Think about it: if you love to cook but you're working 40+ hours a week, it can be tough to hit the kitchen, fulfill family obligations, and keep in touch with your best friends. Hit the kitchen once a month (or once a week) for a few hours, and everyone can trade recipes or work together to create dishes all can benefit from.
If you're working in the corporate environment, hitting the kitchen with a few colleagues can be a less-formal way to communicate. Swap recipes by email, choose a dish to create, and select a case to discuss while you share a bottle of wine and make goodies for everyone to throw in the freezer. Coworkers who want to help a new mom in the office can gather together and create meals that will fill her freezer and be easy to reheat while she recuperats. And that client who is a total foodie? Invite her along for the ride. If you're a chef in your own rights, she'll learn from your skills - if you're not, you can learn from her and earn her respect as you work your way up from "Microwave Queen" to Rachel Ray 2.0!
Sound like fun? Rothschild portrays the events as a success, and frankly, I think they sound like an opportunity to bond, network, and, well, eat! Your group of cooks can be formal, with a mission statement and email lists, or informal, with women arriving as they can, and only dietary needs as the restrictions for what will (or won't) be tried out.
Let me know if you've participated in a similar group, and what made it successful (or not!) for you.
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