Features

Sharing my cooking skills with the community

Celebrity chef Ash Juggessur, known as ‘Cheffing with Ash’ on social media, is keen to give something back to Edmonton where he grew up

Ash Juggessur helps young people learn new cooking skills and gain the confidence to succeed in life (credit Clean Herts Community)

I turned my childhood passion for cooking into becoming one of the leading celebrity chefs in the UK – now I want to support the local community in Edmonton.

I have been able to provide my services to a few high profile individuals, including two-time world boxing champion Anthony Joshua, Dragon’s Den star Peter Jones, Premier League footballer Raheem Sterling and American rapper Bobby Shmurda, plus many more.

I had a ten-year professional background in real estate before making the decision last year to venture out with my cooking. I am very passionate about making a change to the local community and inspiring a new generation; I provide cooking workshops and mentoring services to local schools, colleges and youth centres, and I have also donated my services to many charities including Shelter and Passage.

I grew up in North London, living in Edmonton and going to school in Tottenham. I realised there was a lack of support to push me in the right direction, or maybe I just didn’t know where to look. But now I’m looking to support local charities, youth centres and schools to provide life skills workshops.

I’m currently working with a few charities on various projects in Edmonton this summer, to teach children about cooking, budgeting and also growing a business. While it’s nice to work with all the big names and charities based in central London, I am more interested in bringing my services to my local area, which means more to me.

Where I came from, there was not really much support in reaching my goals in cooking, and it left me going through jobs where I didn’t feel myself or able to fulfil my purpose. Fast forward nearly 16 years from the college I got kicked out of, I am now able to live my dream of cooking.

Working with the people I do now is a feeling I cannot explain. Making a change in these children’s lives and helping them with learning new skills and pushing them to become an entrepreneur is something I wish I had around me growing up.

I want to give the new generation in the area a chance, providing them with the support they need and driving them in being creative with food. I am also focused on educating young people about the importance of budgeting and also understanding the process of running a business.

I feel like, when children see me and understand my story, I am able to build a connection with them, as someone who can relate to them, and it makes it easier to relay information and build a communication platform. I understand them, and they understand me.

If there are any local schools, youth centres or charities that are interested in working with me on any upcoming projects, please contact me. I would love to be more involved in local projects, so just reach out!

Get in touch with Ash Juggessur:
Email [email protected]


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