We all know that food is essential for survival, but for many, cooking is a complicated and time-consuming process that they would prefer to avoid. But it doesn't have to be! Learning to cook good, child-friendly food that is quick to prepare is something everyone should do, and better late than never! Johan Heibert, chef at Söders Gourmet, has lots of great tips and ideas on how to find joy in food and help children find it too.
Johan Heibert says that the food journey started when he was a child and that home cooking was on the menu.
- It's always been home cooking in my family since I was little. Which meant that at the age of four I already wanted to be a chef. That idea never really left me, so when it was time to choose an upper secondary education, I became a chef and moved to Åre. It took 10-15 years travelling around Sweden before I finally landed in Stockholm, Sweden again," he says.
But for Johan Heibert, food wasn't just about the flavours, aesthetics were equally important and eating with the eyes.
- I guess I've always been more into arts and crafts, so aesthetically created food in a craft profession suited me," explains Johan.
And inspiration There's plenty of it; from food pictures and artwork to the trees in the forest, Johan Heibert finds inspiration for his cooking from everywhere. The colours and contours serve as the basis for the meal, and the flavours are his own.
He says that when it comes to the children relation to food, it should be included in the cooking process.
- Let the children be involved in the preparation of the food. Talk about the ingredients and where they come from. Create an interest and a conversation around what will be eaten and it usually gets easier. And never say never: 'Don't play with the food,' says Johan.
Tips on dishes from Johan Heibert, chef at Söders Gourmet:
- Cook anything and just add cumin to the dish and call it taco...
Just kidding... The real tip is the 70s dish: cut vegetables with dip - really child-friendly food! The children can see all the vegetables, help cut them up, serve them and eat them," concludes Johan.
