Newcomer Kitchen, a non-profit culinary education organization, hosted a party to commemorate the efforts of women who strive to cook.
The Toronto organization specializes in welcoming women who are refugees and immigrants, providing a safe space to explore the culturally rich world of cooking.
The party at its Spadina Avenue location included catering samples from Newcomer alumni, finger foods made by Newcomer graduates and the Canadian Cookie Exchange, a program to celebrate flavours from around the world.
Cara Benjamin-Pace, executive director of Newcomer Kitchen, which also has a location on College Street, said the party celebrated new avenues for the graduates and the organization.
Newcomer Kitchen had previously received funding through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and has been cut off, now it is looking for new sources of income.
“Because we were funded by IRCC, it was a very narrow definition of who could be in the program. You couldn’t be a Canadian citizen yet, and that was really problematic because a lot of these women are becoming Canadian citizens right now,” Benjamin-Pace said.
“Now the handcuffs are off," she said.
Benjamin-Pace said it’s important to fund these programs because it brings cultures together over a universal commodity; food.
“The values in bringing people together, the diversity of food and how our country is made up of a constellation,” she said.
“You come to Canada and it’s everything," she said.
“What we have found in our program is that food connects a very diverse group of people. Food really has that capacity to connect,” Benjamin-Pace said.
The Newcomer graduates prepared their final meal as part of the training program, Newcomer Kitchen offers training for women wanting to start their own culinary business.
Hajar Ouzid, chef and owner of La Kasnah Del Sol, said Toronto's undisguised diversity brings new flavours to the table.
“The challenge for me is to keep the Moroccan cuisine as authentic as possible, but at the same time, I cannot stay untouchable with all the things that happen around me, so I have to try new recipes and I try to do some fusion as well,” Ouzid said.
Ouzid, who graduated from Newcomer Kitchen in February 2025, said the organization is a great program for immigrant women to capitalize on their cooking skills.
“Newcomer Kitchen is the perfect incubator for women in catering businesses,” she said.
Ouzid said that success in catering takes passion and love for cooking.
“If you don’t love cooking, you cannot run this kind of business,” Ouzid said.
Ouzid’s passion for cooking started in Morocco, where her mother taught her how to use the tagine, a clay pot with a conical lid to trap steam during cooking.
She put her skills to the test when her mother had a group of friends over for dinner.
“I remember at the time I was 13, and when they tried the food, they couldn’t believe that I made it, as a kid, hearing this feedback was something really exciting for me,” she said.
“That’s something that I really love, when I share my food with others,” Ouzid said.
Torontonians enjoyed the cultural palette of the city provided at the party.
Party guest Phillip Roh said trying Newcomer’s flavours inspired him to expand his palette.
“My stomach brought me here,” Roh said.
“It’s all so delicious, really expanding my interest in what to try in the future," he said.
Interest in these flavours is what Benjamin-Pace is looking for to reward the members’ efforts.
“The women make the food and they get the money,” Benjamin-Pace said.
