The Big Lunch: Unlocking the Power of Food to Unite the Nation
A nationwide search is underway to unearth hidden culinary gems and the stories behind them, with the help of celebrity chefs and cooks, including Gary Maclean, Ainsley Harriott, and Dame Prue Leith, as part of the Eden Project’s Big Lunch. The search aims to bolster people’s culinary skills and recipe ideas, following a YouGov poll that found 14% of people never cook new recipes and 24% said a lack of fresh ideas has prevented them from doing so. The poll also revealed that 40% of UK adults said they are more likely to cook meals from scratch compared with five years ago. Furthermore, 37% of UK adults agreed that eating food with others enhances its taste. These statistics highlight the importance of food in bringing people together and creating community spirit. To participate in the search, home cooks can submit their recipes which they feel bring people together, with the chance to be featured in the Big Lunch online cookbook. The cookbook will be shared at events up and down the UK in June, and five finalists will be able to join a Big Lunch event in May, with one home cook in with the chance to take home a hamper to help with their own event. Gary Maclean, the first National Chef of Scotland, is supporting the campaign and is looking forward to seeing the recipes and stories people share from across the country. Maclean said: “As Scotland’s national chef I’ve seen firsthand how food can bring people together and create real community spirit. Some of my best memories come from sharing simple meals and good conversation, it’s amazing what a plate of food can do. That’s why I’m proud to support this year’s Big Lunch and I’m really looking forward to seeing the recipes and stories people share from across the country.”
Grainne McCloskey, Eden Project manager for Scotland, added: “The Big Lunch has always been about sharing food and making new connections – and with this new evidence confirming that people agree food tastes better when we share it together, we have the perfect excuse to get in the kitchen and make a dish to share. This recipe search is about finding new and inspiring dishes to try together, so add your dish to a growing recipe bank of shareable favourites and come together to feed community spirit with the Big Lunch on June 7-8.”
Dame Prue Leith, Big Lunch ambassador, said: “The Big Lunch recipe search is more than just a way of finding and rewarding the people behind the UK’s best home recipes. It is an invitation to people everywhere to join in with the Big Lunch and share food and friendship together. It is a chance to celebrate the recipes that we love sharing with others and the special role that food plays in strengthening relationships, celebrating who we are, our passions, culture and traditions and that sense of belonging where we live.”
Ainsley Harriott, long-time Big Lunch supporter and celebrity chef, also spoke about the campaign, saying: “It’s all about hunting down hidden culinary gems. Recipes that hold a special place in people’s hearts – and stomachs. We want to hear about food that brings people together and is great for sharing. Throughout my life I’ve been so influenced by my mother’s cooking and I still make some of her recipes today, things like her wonderful red bean stew and fabulous BBQ chicken. I can’t wait to hear what’s cooking in the nation’s kitchens to tickle our taste buds and bring the whole country together over the Big Lunch weekend.”
The Big Lunch is taking place from June 7-8, and the deadline for submissions is April 15. Home cooks can submit their recipes through the Big Lunch website.
Get Involved
• Submit your recipe and story through the Big Lunch website
• Five finalists will be able to join a Big Lunch event in May
• One home cook will be chosen to take home a hamper to help with their own event
• The Big Lunch online cookbook will be shared at events up and down the UK in June
• Recipes will be reviewed by the team behind the campaign
- Share your recipe and story with the Big Lunch community
- Get inspired by the recipes and stories of others
- Join the Big Lunch event in May to see the finalists in action
- Take home a hamper to help with your own event
- Be part of a growing recipe bank of shareable favourites
| Event Details | June 7-8 |
| Submission Deadline | April 15 |
| Join a Big Lunch Event | May (five finalists) | Win a Hamper | One home cook |
“The Big Lunch recipe search is more than just a way of finding and rewarding the people behind the UK’s best home recipes.
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