Syrian refugees sharpen skills in Algonquin College kitchen
Cooking classes teach culinary, language skills
The kitchen fills with the smell of frying chicken as Syrian refugees bustle around Algonquin College's cooking school.
They're here to sharpen their jobs skills, with a tasty twist — they're learning how to cook Canadian food in the hopes their newly developed culinary skills can secure them a job.
"There's a strong learning curve," said Brandy Kozowy, a chef who's teaching the course.
And while food may be a universal language, some students are still struggling with English.
"Sometimes I find it difficult, but I can understand what to do," said Rana Albahri, who has been in Canada for six months.
In an effort to help overcome that language barrier, Kozowy has come up with a visual system for her students.
"I came up with a lot of visual aids and then gave a column for them to translate [in]," she said. "And a lot of them have their kids at home do the translation for them."
'A sense of camaraderie and community'
The course is also giving students an opportunity to show off the cuisine they're most familiar with.
"We are studying the Canadian way of food, but even some of our [Syrian] food has become international," Samir Massoud said. "We are learning something new, but also showing our food."
Kozowy said it's those small discoveries that bring life to the class. She said her students often bring ingredients from home to add some Syrian flare to unfamiliar dishes.
"There's a sense of camaraderie and community in the kitchen," she said.