MECS Virtual Showcase event: 'Cooking with electricity: from aspiration to reality'

The MECS virtual showcase event entitled ‘Cooking with electricity: from aspiration to reality’ was held on Wednesday 20th October 2021 from 15:00-16:30 BST.

Event overview

This virtual showcase will use an engaging blend of video content and live presentation/discussion to tell the story of the MECS eCookBooks and how they have explored the opportunities for cooking with modern energy-efficient electric appliances in different country contexts. The journey began with the Kenya eCookBook that followed 4 everyday cooks in Nairobi who were experimenting with new electric appliances. It identified saving time and money as key drivers for change in urban kitchens and highlighted the huge opportunity for saving on both by cooking heavy foods with an electric pressure cooker (EPC). As a result, Kenyan food bloggers started featuring EPCs on YouTube and Instagram and the Shamba Shape Up show took the concept to TV screens across the country. Whilst EPCs were once a scarce commodity in Kenya, over 5,000 units were sold last year and Burn Manufacturing have now designed an EPC specifically for the Kenyan market. The eCookBook concept has now been replicated in 5 other countries, exploring the compatibility of modern energy-efficient appliances with popular foods in each country. In this virtual showcase we will hear from cooks who featured in the eCookBook, food bloggers who have brought the message to the masses and others who have been inspired to turn the opportunities described in the books into action.

Agenda

10:00-10:15 – Welcome and introduction (Jacob Fodio Todd, University of Sussex, Jon Leary, Gamos/Loughborough Uni). Introduction to the eCookbook concept, the development of the Kenya eCookBook and the journey this knowledge has taken since its publication. Access the presentation here.

10:15-10:30 – Shamba Shape Up (Sophie Rottmann, Mediae). Delivering the messages from the Kenya eCookBook to the masses by developing engaging content for a prime-time TV show. Click here to access the pre-recorded video.

10:30-10:45 – Zambian Kitchen & the Zambia eCookBook (Precious Phiri, Zambian Kitchen). Exploring the compatibility of Zambian cuisine with energy-efficient appliances through the creation of a Zambian eCookBook and video recipes. Click here to access the pre-recorded video.

10:45-11:00 – The Tanzania eCookBook (Catherine Aloyce, TaTEDO/SESCOM). Adapting the eCookBook concept for a Tanzanian audience and developing viable delivery models for EPCs in Tanzania. Access the presentation here.

11:00-11:15 – Q&A for our panel

11:15-11:30 – What next? (Vimbai Chapungu, Gamos) Showcasing the new digital tools for eCookBook creation and the eCookBooks currently in the pipeline. Access the presentation here.

This event was part of the events schedule for the Clean Cooking Alliance’s ‘Week of Clean Cooking’ from 18-22 October 2021. Find out about other events here.