Systemic Cooking: A Summer Workshop of Connection and Care

One summer afternoon, we gathered to connect — through cooking, emotion, and human presence.

The Systemic Cooking experiential workshop created with Kyveli Papaioannou and Marianthi Karatza, with the support and trust of psychologists - psychotherapists Maria Ferentinou and Katerina Spetsiotou, was hosted at the "Mathimata Mageirikis" cooking school.

Bringing with us memories of meals, senses, people, and relationships, we set our emotional table and shared the following reflections:

Relationships are about reciprocal value — it’s not only about giving or receiving. They involve care and self-care. And this value, what we give and receive, can be something simple that brings us a sense of fullness.

Within relationships, we can let go of parts of ourselves and try on new ones. Perhaps with hesitation at first. But we find our way along the journey. We may start heading in one direction, only to discover a different, unexpected destination.

We begin by celebrating what we have in common, which brings relief and comfort. It offers us the opportunity to truly connect.

Within such sharing, there is space for each person's solitude and memory. This truth holds the potential for creation and transformation.

Everything is blended — just like in life.

Later on, with the help of flour, memories and emotions awakened — from both the past and the future.

We were joined by the presence of people who have cared for us, and those we now care for. Care that others once crafted for us, new frameworks of care we are shaping for ourselves and those around us — and dreams of future care and roles we have yet to explore.

The Systemic Cooking workshop closed with gratitude, emotion, and a shared meal born out of collective effort.

Dough, tears, laughter, acceptance.

And most importantly: together.

Thank you!