2021 promises to be a new and exciting year at Healthy New Albany. As the Nourish program thrives, we are committed to providing innovative, enriching and educational cooking experiences to the New Albany community and beyond.
Embracing the words of Plato, “the beginning is the most important part of any work,” cooking and connecting people over food is at the heart of the ever evolving Nourish program at Healthy New Albany. The culinary alchemy and collaboration between the New Albany Food Pantry and Healthy New Albany began in 2018 when the pantry officially became a part of Healthy New Albany. Born from a spirit of genuine hospitality, Eileen Pewitt, resident NAFP cooking and education coordinator, brought our cooking program to life.
Eileen Pewitt
In her own words, Eileen shares her inspiration for cooking and why she believes that “food nourishes more than just the body.”
“I began work with NAFP remembering the excitement of sharing kitchen time with family and friends during various phases in my life, and longing to share that excitement, … somehow passing it on to the families right here in our community. It remains my hope that our educational efforts will benefit the community as a whole by bringing people together with a common goal: to nourish bodies and souls.”
In the pantry, our educational efforts continue to evolve. Challenged during 2020, we were able to share nutritionally sound meal basics through cooking demos, recipe ideas, food sampling and providing basic kitchen tools. In an effort to support community connection, the community kitchen cooking classes will be held monthly at HNA thus providing connection and direct financial support to the food pantry as class fees are donated directly to the pantry. I am happy to report that our education plan continues to grow and evolve and includes increasing our presence within the NAPLS community by providing tower garden education, student internships, volunteer hours and senior seminar advisory assistance.
As we continue to grow our cooking education programs, keep an eye out for new team members. Bringing new ideas and sweet recipes, Sharon Dunn, long time New Albany resident and pastry chef, joins the HNA Nourish team.
Sharon Dunn
“I am thrilled to help grow and develop the Nourish program, Healthy New Albany’s cooking education program for the community. Food has been a lifelong passion of mine, … eating, cooking, baking! After earning a degree in baking and pastry arts at Columbus State, I joined the Cameron Mitchell Restaurant group and opened with them at both the Barn at Rocky Fork and Hudson 29 New Albany," she says. "Working as a baker, prep cook and line cook with CMR has afforded me the knowledge and experience to produce high quality food using fresh and local ingredients in a fastpaced environment. Creativity and innovation are hallmarks of CMR, thus enabling me to have two of my own recipes on the CMR menus: citrus olive oil cake at Delmar and on the seasonal menus at both Hudson 29 locations, and sticky toffee pudding on the seasonal menus at both Hudson 29 restaurants. I am thrilled to be a part of all the great things cooking at Healthy New Albany!”
We’re excited to bring creative, innovative, multicultural cooking endeavors to our community, and we’re open to ideas and suggestions. To share ideas for future classes, you may reach the Nourish team at programs@healthynewalbany.org.
Angela Douglas is executive director of Healthy New Albany. Feedback welcome at angela.douglas@healthynewalbany.org.
