FOOD

Cooking with Alix

Mum-of-two Alix Delahaye shares tips on creating little foodies, ahead of launching her cooking classes. By Gemma Shaw

Alix cooking with her son, Henry

After having her two children, French expat Alix Delahaye couldn’t imagine going back to her career in luxury retail. Her priorities had shifted and whilst she craved a workfocus, she wanted something that aligned with her new ‘mum’ life.

Having a two-year-old, Delahaye was familiar with the plethora of extracurricular activities on offer in Hong Kong. However, she noted that there was a gap-in-themarket for practical, healthy cooking classes for kids. “Since many Hong Kong parents work long hours they don’t have time to cook together with their children, let alone deal with the clean up afterwards,” she says. “I decided to offer classes that help children appreciate healthy ingredients and explore new foods in a fun and engaging environment. My business model is simple and so is the name, ‘Cooking with Alix’” she adds.

For ease and comfort, classes are held in the client’s home with all equipment and ingredients provided. ‘I’ll arrive 15 minutes before the session to set the table. When the children arrive, it’s time to put aprons on. My aim is to keep little ones engaged and responsible for the cooking process, whilst also ensuring they have a lot of fun. If there is a baking break we’ll do a craft activity, read a story or play a game related to food. The classes are also great for introducing new vocabulary and instilling a curiosity towards new ingredients. I’m happy to cater to children of all ages and offer a choice of recipes that can be adapted to suit dietary needs including quiches, veggie cakes, madeleines, sablés and many more.” she adds.

Delahaye’s son, Henry, started to help around the kitchen aged one. “I’d ask him to pass me ingredients - great for his vocabulary and fine motor skills. At 18 months, he began helping with food prep, she adds. “Children should start participating in the cooking process as early as possible. I took mine into the kitchen as soon as they could stay in a bouncer. First they would observe mummy and after a few months, they’d play with a wooden spoon or chew on some raw ingredients. It really helped to get them familiar with the kitchen environment,” she adds.

When Delahaye arrived in Hong Kong three years ago, she drew comparison with her native culture with regards to how foods are introduced. “I remember a friend in Hong Kong being shocked when I gave Henry a piece of chocolate around ninemonths-old,” she says.

I realised that when it comes to introducing foods, French people can be a bit more ‘freestyle’, compared to other cultures. We give pieces of bread to our babies very early on and around the toddler stage, we aim for them to be eating exactly the same meals as us,” says Delahaye. “This is partly because French people don’t like complications, we want little ones to start eating as much variety as possible early on so that everyone can eat the same thing,” she adds.

Henry is a big fan of veggie quiche. Quiches are a great way to incorporate more vegetables into children’s diets. He also loves a good meat stew, something perfectly cooked that melts in the mouth. Food is one of life’s pleasures and as a parent, I’m keen to introduce this pleasure to my children as soon as possible.

Cooking classes

Classes will begin on July 19, scheduled classes will take place on weekdays while weekends are reserved for special bookings, such as birthday parties. Classes cost $280 per child with a minimum of three attendees. Add $50 per child for purely organic ingredients. Book via Instagram @alix_momlife or WhatsApp 9314 1544.

Alix’s kid-friendly hummus

Ingredients:

• 1 can of chickpeas • Juice of a lemon • 2 tablespoons of tahini • 1/ 3 of a clove of garlic • 3 tablespoons of olive oil • A pinch of salt • Ground pepper • Cumin ( if your kids likes the taste)

Instructions:

•Open the can, peel the garlic and juice the lemon. Depending on your child’s age, you may prefer to do this step ahead of time. •Put the chickpeas and the water from the can (super important for a nice and creamy hummus) into the blender. Add the tahini, lemon juice and peeled garlic. •While blending, add the olive oil. Once the texture is perfectly creamy, taste and add salt and cumin, if desired. The trick is to blend for a really long time. Note, always supervise your child while using the blender. •When it’s time to serve, dig a hole in the middle of your hummus and fill with olive oil.

Tips for making this recipe with kids:

•Kids love to feel in control. Prepare everything in advance so they have the feeling that they’re able to do everything by themselves. •Let them start the blender. •Tasting is such a fun and educational process. When it’s time to adjust the seasoning, let them taste and then ask for feedback.