Xiaohongshu
Join us for a hands-on 2.5-hour cooking class that brings together food, skills, and culture.
đź“Ť Location: Hackney School of Food, Oswald Street, Lower Clapton, London E5 0BT (12 mins by bike from UCL East)
⏰ Timings: 2.5 hours at 11am OR 2.30pm on Tuesday 27th October
🌯 Catering: Plant-based and nut-free recipes - enjoy in our Garden Dining room and take home your leftovers
🎟️ Ticket: £1 subsidised tickets
About the class
We’re teaming up with Hackney School of Food and Chef Wion from the KERB+ Hospitality Programme to run a relaxed, practical cooking session designed especially for students.
Across a 2.5 hour session, you’ll learn simple, plant-based and budget-friendly recipes, build core cooking skills, and leave with ideas you can easily recreate at home — no prior experience needed. Classes are welcoming, beginner-friendly, and focused on confidence in the kitchen.
What to expect:
- A relaxed, collaborative, family-style cooking session
- Climate-conscious, budget-friendly recipes
- A welcoming space for beginners
- Stories and insights from KERB+ chefs about building a food business
- A shared meal at the end of the class
Whether you’re looking to cook more confidently, meet new people, or explore how food connects to social impact, this is a great place to start.
What's on the Menu
Chef Woin is a KERB+ chef specialising in authentic Ethiopian cuisine and plant-based cooking. A former IT professional turned full-time chef, she founded her own catering company, Ethiopic Kitchen, after travelling across Ethiopia to research its regional food traditions. She has since brought her flavourful, community-rooted cooking to clients and students across London. 
In this class, you'll get hands-on making:
- Shiro Wott - Spiced chickpea stew
- Gomen - slow-cooked seasoned collard greens cabbage
- Spicy Ingudai Tibs - Ethiopian Sautéed Mushrooms
- All served with teff injera, Ethiopia's traditional fermented flatbread
- Plus a recipe pack to take home so you can recreate the meal again and again
Who we are
Make a Change
Make a change is all about empowering students to turn ideas into action. Students at UCL have been making change happen since 1893, improving the education and lives of students who study here. Through Students’ Union UCL, there are countless opportunities to make your voice heard, champion the issues you care about, and create a lasting impact. Whether your passion lies in student life, voice and representation, community and belonging, or social and environmental change, we're here to help you make a difference.
Student Social Enterprise
Student Social Enterprise is a hub for UCL students wanting to build social impact ventures, collaborate with community partners and scale ideas. Based in Students’ Union UCL, we exist to create a culture of social entrepreneurship at UCL. We support students from idea to impact through programmes that build practical skills, foster community development and create meaningful networking opportunities.
About KERB+
KERB+ is a social enterprise creating pathways into street food entrepreneurship for people from underrepresented backgrounds. As part of the wider KERB network, KERB+ exists to make the food industry more inclusive and accessible. Through structured programmes, mentoring and real trading opportunities, they support founders from idea to income — helping build sustainable businesses, financial independence and long-term social mobility.
About Hackney School of Food
Hackney School of Food is a community cookery school dedicated to improving food education and access across East London. Based in Hackney, they exist to empower children, families and community groups with the confidence and skills to cook healthy, affordable meals. Through hands-on classes and community programmes, they foster food knowledge, wellbeing and resilience — creating lasting impact at both household and community level.
FAQs
- Do I need cooking experience?
Not at all! The workshops are designed for all skill levels. Whether you’ve never cooked before or cook regularly, the chefs will guide you step-by-step.
- What should I wear ?
Wear comfortable clothes that you don’t mind getting a little messy. Closed-toe shoes are recommended as we’ll be working in a kitchen. Aprons will be provided. For those with long hair, please bring a hair tie.
- Will I get to eat the food we make?
Yes! At the end of the session everyone will sit down together and enjoy the dishes we’ve cooked.
- Do I need to bring anything?
No – all ingredients, equipment, and materials will be provided!
- What if I have dietary requirements or allergies?
Please let us know when you sign up. We’ll do our best to accommodate dietary requirements where possible. All food will be plant-based and nut-free.
- What time should I arrive?
We encourage people to arrive minimum 10 minutes before the start of the workshop to allow you to register and get set up in the kitchen.
- What else is there to do in East London?
We absolutely love East London in our team, and have put together a list of other community organisations and projects which might interest you here. We will also have the site booked from 10am-5pm, so you'll be able to work from the space or enjoy the gardens if you wish!
Some sessions may be photographed and/or filmed for UCL Students’ Union marketing and communications purposes, or for external media coverage (e.g. websites, magazines, or social media). Participants will be informed in advance if photography or filming will take place, and consent to be photographed, recorded, or filmed will be confirmed at the session.