Gauransh Kumar is a master’s student at the University of Montreal in computer science. But on this Wednesday evening at the end of November, he is not attending a class. He runs an Indian cooking workshop at the Jean-Brillant pavilion.
Around fifteen students gathered in front of him in the Student Engagement Center. “Cooking brings people together. It’s an original activity for getting to know people, having fun and discovering other cultures,” enthuses Agathe Cadieux, archeology student and project manager for the cooking workshops offered at Student Life Services.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Gauransh Kumar in front of a boiling cauldron of eggplants
That evening, the Indian cooking workshop was full. Just before it takes place at 7 p.m., Pascal Archambault hopes that a last minute absence will allow him to be in the kitchen. “I’m a regular here,” he said.
In fact, it is thanks to Pascal Archambault that Gauransh Kumar passed on his mother’s recipes to his sisters at UdeM. The first encouraged the second to participate in the vegan cooking workshop which was given last October. As students give the workshops, Gauransh was quickly asked to share his Indian culinary knowledge.
Parenthesis: Pascal Archambault takes care of the “Sortir campus” group of Student Life Services, which organizes outings to the museum or even outdoors. He has just won the St-Pierre-Larochelle scholarship in artificial intelligence applied to the environment. “$120,000,” he explains proudly. I work with Ferme d’hiver. Winter strawberries are grown in vertical greenhouses in Vaudreuil. »
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Culinary workshops allow you to learn simple and quick recipes on a low budget, in addition to building relationships.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Students can reserve the kitchen to organize an educational activity other than the thematic kitchens already offered.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
This fall, workshops on vegan, Lebanese, Peruvian cooking and easy lunch recipes were offered.
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Wow.
Pascal is a doctoral student in the department of computer science and operations research while Gauransh is doing his master’s degree. After the latter completed an internship last year with Eugene Syriani, the professor invited him to do his master’s degree at the University of Montreal. “I love Montreal. That’s why I wanted to come back. The people, everything that’s happening, it’s a great city,” he gushes.
On the menu
At the start of the workshop, Agathe informs the participants that they will be spread over three islands. One group will make a starter and dessert, a second, the main course, and the third, the side dishes. “There are a few places left for the holiday cookie workshop,” she says after detailing the basic hygiene rules.
For the rest, it’s not complicated. “We eat what we cook around 6 p.m. »
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The menu that will be cooked
On the menu: paneer pakora (the famous Indian fried cheese), litti (chickpea balls), aloo chokha (mashed potatoes), baingan bharta (a mixture of eggplants) and besan halwa (a nut pudding and raisins).
Several dishes are typical of the region of India where Gauransh comes from: the state of Bihar. “My mother taught me to cook. Yesterday I checked with her the final details and quantities of the dishes. For me, writing the recipes was difficult,” says the young man with a smile that exudes happiness.
More than cooking workshops
For students, cooking workshops have culinary, economic and social virtues. “I was interested in the Indian cooking workshop, because we were going to use ingredients that I probably don’t have at home,” says Nathalie El-Hawli.
Nice coincidence. Two of his classmates from the medical faculty are also registered in the workshop, the couple formed by Clara Coderre and Benjamin Pauzé. “It’s a great activity and dinner is settled at the same time,” he emphasizes.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Antonis Labbé, philosophy student, takes part in the Indian cooking workshop after giving the Peruvian cooking workshop. His chili chicken recipe (ají de gallina) was a hit, we were told.
For her part, Nathalie El-Hawli is with her high school friend from Rouyn-Noranda, Marjorie Blais, who studies communications. Everyone emphasizes, in these inflationary times, the reasonable cost to participate in the workshop: $8. “Yesterday, my sisters and I were remembering the time when our parents gave us $5 to eat,” says Benjamin.
Louane Bonnemberger is one of the many exchange students from Europe taking part in the workshop. “It’s good to cook with people you don’t know, but especially not to cook alone at home,” she says.
Sajithan Gunaratnam is not bored during his study stay away from home. “Montreal is truly a student city. There is always something to do. Last night we went to a stand-up night. »
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Agathe Cadieux (center) is one of the two project managers for the cooking workshops.
After two hours spent with these students, we are moved by their enthusiasm and their involvement. In addition to taking care of the cooking workshops, Agathe Cadieux is coordinator of the reading club at the University of Montreal, volunteers for Holiday Trees, an initiative which aims to collect gifts for the children of the DPJ, as well as for Cap Campus, which promotes university studies among high school and CEGEP students. “I started university during a pandemic and everything was done online, so I just wanted to know people,” she explains with humility.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY AGATHE CADIEUX
It’s time to sit down and eat!
It’s already 6 p.m., Agathe informs us. Almost everything is ready. It’s time to sit down and eat!