Lemon Tree Trust’s cooking competitions began in 2019 in refugee and IDP (internally displaced people) camps across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The programme brings people together through food, encouraging creativity in cooking and the use of locally available ingredients. After a pause during the Covid-19 pandemic, the competitions resumed in 2022 and have continued annually since.

Why we run cooking competitions

Our cooking competitions celebrate the skills, creativity and resourcefulness of residents living in camp settings. They provide an opportunity to share cultural traditions, strengthen social connections and recognise the role of food in everyday life. The competitions also support confidence and wellbeing by creating space for people to showcase their cooking in a shared community setting.

The cooking competitions are closely linked to our Annual Garden Competitions, our community gardens and also wider gardening initiatives. Many competition participants grow fruit, vegetables and herbs in our community gardens or at home, which are then used in competition dishes. This connection highlights how locally grown produce moves from gardens and shared growing spaces into everyday cooking, reinforcing the value of community-grown and home-grown food across the camps.

2025 Cooking Competitions

In 2025, the cooking competitions took place across nine camps and saw strong participation from residents of all ages. Building on the growing emphasis on “garden to table” cooking, many entries featured produce grown in home gardens, alongside locally sourced ingredients. The events were marked by lively community gatherings where winners were announced, and where food, stories and shared experience were at the heart of the celebrations.

2024 Cooking Competitions

The 2024 competitions expanded across nine camps and placed a stronger focus on community connection through food. Participants prepared dishes rooted in family recipes and local traditions, often adapting to limited ingredients with creativity and skill. The competitions were celebrated through camp-based events that brought people together to recognise cooking as both a practical skill and a cultural expression.

2023 Cooking Competitions

The 2023 competitions strengthened the “garden to table” approach, with a noticeable increase in dishes incorporating herbs, vegetables and fruit grown in home gardens. This year also saw a wider variety of recipes shared across camps, reflecting both innovation and tradition. The competitions continued to highlight how cooking supports wellbeing, cultural identity and everyday resilience.

2022 Cooking Competitions

Following a two-year break during the Covid-19 pandemic, the cooking competitions returned in 2022 across seven camps. The relaunch welcomed enthusiastic participation from residents of all ages, with a wide range of sweet and savoury dishes prepared in often challenging conditions. The events marked a renewed opportunity for communities to come together around food, creativity and shared experience.

2019 Cooking Competitions

The first cooking competitions in 2019 introduced a new way to celebrate food growing and preparation within the camps. Residents took part by sharing dishes inspired by family recipes and local flavours, showcasing ingenuity and cultural heritage. The programme established the foundations for an annual celebration of food, gardening and community life.

Support our work

The cooking competitions are part of Lemon Tree Trust’s wider work supporting gardening initiatives in refugee and IDP camps. If you would like to help us continue and expand this work, you can support us through a donation or by learning more about what we do.