Mon Sep 22, 2025 02:58 PM
Last update on: Mon Sep 22, 2025 03:02 PM
Mon Sep 22, 2025 02:58 PM Last update on: Mon Sep 22, 2025 03:02 PM
Photo: Jannatul Bushra
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Photo: Jannatul Bushra
It is not every day that you walk into a restaurant kitchen in Dhaka and find children and not professional chefs whisking eggs, rolling dough, and carefully placing filling into tarts. Yet, that was the rare and wholesome sight last Saturday at C’Paris, a French restaurant in Gulshan, where a group of 15 school students got a hands-on taste of French cuisine.
The occasion was a special workshop, jointly organised by The Food Talk and C’Paris, and led by French chef-consultant Serge Gouloumes. The event’s focus is on introducing children to the art of making a French breakfast. And under chef Serge’s enthusiastic guidance, the little ones did that very well.
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Workshops like these are unusual in Dhaka, a city where culinary experiences for children rarely go beyond birthday cakes and ice cream parlours.
Photo: Jannatul Bushra
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Photo: Jannatul Bushra
“We always arrange different things with adults,” explained Taskin Rahman, founder of The Food Talk, who was also present at the workshop. “But this time, we wanted to do something with children. Unlike adults, children are less conservative when it comes to food. And we live in a multicultural world now. Our society may still be agrarian in its roots, but today’s new generation is curious about everything, whether it’s croissants or sushi.”
This was not The Food Talk’s first activity for young food enthusiasts either. Before the French breakfast session, the team had organised a tasting activity where children were asked to identify different food items simply by flavour.
“We wanted to build on that idea and give them a more hands-on experience,” said Rahman. “So today was all about kneading, whisking, and baking iconic French breakfast items.”
The kitchen at C’Paris indeed looked different that morning. All the seasoned chefs standing and guiding from the corner, and some children in tiny aprons were moving around with the kind of seriousness only kids can have when they are trying something new. Watching over them was chef Serge, who seemed both amused and genuinely happy to guide his young team.
When asked where Serge’s own journey began, he smiled and shared that it all started at age twelve, inspired by his grandmother. “Food has allowed me to see the world,” he said.
Photo: Jannatul Bushra
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Photo: Jannatul Bushra
The children were over the moon. For many, the real highlight was not just making an omelette — it was cutting a small piece and proudly taking it out to their parents waiting outside. Some laughed at their slightly odd-shaped croissants, while others guarded their chocolate tarts like prized possessions!
In a city where opportunities for children to learn beyond the classroom can be limited, initiatives like this are very much needed. They combine fun, learning, and culture in one unique experience. And more importantly, they show that Dhaka’s next generation of food lovers may not only enjoy croissants and sushi — they may also one day make them, and make them well.
As Rahman put it: “Children are open-minded, adventurous eaters. If we nurture that curiosity, who knows what culinary journeys await them?”
For now, the little chefs of Gulshan have one feather proudly tucked into their chef’s hat: the joy of making and tasting their very own French breakfast.
Dining and Cooking