2024 Cooking Competitions: Bringing communities together 

This year’s cooking competitions brought together 450 participants from nine refugee and IDP (internally displaced people) camps across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The event, which continues to grow in popularity, once again highlighted how cooking and gardening can unite people, foster stronger community connections and empower people from the ground up. 

A selection of entries in the savoury category

Participants, ranging in age from 11 to 65, showcased a wide range of skills and experiences. It was inspiring to see their creativity in transforming home-grown produce into beautifully presented, flavourful dishes – despite limited resources, basic equipment and makeshift kitchens. These competitions are a testament to how home and community gardens can empower families to become more self-sufficient, enabling them to grow their own fresh ingredients and improve their daily lives. 

As with last year, the competition was divided into two categories: savoury and sweet. Each camp selected a first-place winner in cooking, who received a $75 (USD) prize, and a second-place winner, who was awarded $50. Then, all remaining participants went home with a practical kitchen appliance worth $25, such as a food blender or iron, that will benefit their homes and families.

Two of our competition winners being awarded their prizes in Domiz 1 camp

Participants wore numbered aprons with the LTT logo, making it easier for the judges to evaluate the entries. This year’s judging panel included our operations manager, Aveen, our landscape and horticulture consultant Hamid, representatives from the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) and other local camp authorities. 

Aveen, who oversaw the event, shared: “We saw a lot of variety in the dishes this year. People really took pride in their work and it showed. More importantly, these competitions continue to provide a space for people to connect – especially women – to share their stories, cultural traditions and skills. 

“Watching participants celebrate each other’s successes and enjoy the food together is a reminder of how powerful these simple, everyday activities can be in bringing people together. That’s what makes these events so special.” 

A selection of entries in the sweet category

Women made up the majority of participants, and many expressed how much they valued the opportunity to come together, share their cooking skills and spend time with their neighbours and friends. These competitions also reinforce the importance of growing food locally – in home and community gardens – which contributes to food security, family independence and resilience in challenging environments. 

We’d like to thank the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) for helping secure the venues and for their ongoing support in the judging process. A big thanks also goes to our gardening team and garden coordinators, whose hard work ensures these events run smoothly. 

Looking ahead – expanding the competitions in 2025 

Next year, we aim to expand the competition to more camps and involve even more participants, continuing our efforts to bring people together through cooking and gardening. 

Judging at the Gawilan camp competitions; Aveen sorting the prizes (food processors) in Kabartu 2 camp

Support future competitions and our community garden in Gawilan 

With your support, we can continue to run these competitions, creating opportunities for communities to come together, develop valuable skills and grow their own fresh food. 

Right now, we are also working on an exciting new project – a community garden in Gawilan refugee camp, which will provide fresh produce for home cooking and future cooking competitions and foster even more community engagement. By growing their own ingredients, families can become more self-reliant, while also gaining confidence in their cooking and gardening abilities. 

Donate today to help us build the Gawilan community garden and support the 2025 cooking competitions. Your contribution will bring people together and help create a sustainable source of fresh food and learning opportunities in the heart of the communities in which we have a presence. 

Right now, all donations are being match funded, meaning your support will have double the impact – helping us reach even more people and make a lasting difference.