Bosco Santimano - Director/Community Cook 

I was born in Bombay, India to a family of migrants from Goa. My passion for food was developed early as I was surrounded by family and friends who excelled in home cooking from a wide range of cuisines.

My career has been very varied and full of excitement as I always looked for new challenges. I have worked as a Teacher, Marketing Manager, Executive Assistant, Steward on a cruise ship, various jobs in the catering industry in the UK, Health Care Assistant with NHS Lothians, Administration Officer within the Civil Service, Client Advisor within the Voluntary Sector( last job as I was made redundant!) to being currently Self-employed and Director of Scottish Borders Social Enterprise Chamber.

I love reading, music, good films and being an organiser of various events that I do within the community to create awareness of issues that I believe should be of public interest. Malawi Fundraiser, Diwali-The Festival of Lights, Arthouse Film Nights are some of the successeful events hosted in Peebles in the last few years with active support from the local community.

 Rica Macinnes - Director

I was raised in what I like to refer to as a blip in the universe: a liberal multicultural university town in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and I was the first American to be born to German parents.  My mother has always been passionate about food not only nutritionally but artistically and my father despite having a huge appetite had a thin waist. I prefer to spend less time in the kitchen concentrating on simple but healthy.  I have now spent almost half my life in Scotland.  

While I have studied Zoology, Medical Technology, Mathematics and Occupational Therapy, my greatest passions are art, imaginative education, mystics from any tradition and people watching.  I am not keen on team sports of any kind or history as it seems that people never do learn from the past!  I now tutor Maths, work as an Activities Coordinator for elderly patients in our local hospital and on developing my own art. 

I am pleased to support You Can Cook and its community ethos.   

 Hanisa Santimano - Secretary/Community Cook 

I was born in Milano, Italy and after finishing my studies in Tourism worked for a while doing various jobs until one fine day I woke up! and decided to change my life for the better and decided to leave Italy and travel the world to experience and know my inner self!

13 something years later, was I glad to take that step? Of course! My journey took me to Australia, New Zealand, Africa, India, Central America and many other beautiful places along the way.

I am a Shiatsu Therapist and  have also done courses/studies in Accupressure, Reflexology and Meditation. I am passionate about healthy food and grow some of my food in a allotment shared by friends. My hobbies are painting, drawing, crafts, dancing, music and exploring new eco-friendly alternatives.

I still love baking myself and do lots of it with my own family. Being Irish I also make lots of dishes with potatoes, but then you probably guessed that already. They are one of my favourite foods and my children love them too.

I moved to Scotland   twenty years ago just after my parents moved back to Ireland as it was easier to “get home” to Donegal. There seems to be a strong connection between Scottish and Irish cooking and culture which sits well with me. I love using seasonal traditional Scottish foods in simple ways to feed my family and friends and above all love learning about food myself.

Connie Poon - Community Cook

My love of food was stimulated by the east meet west culture where I grew up with in my native city of Hong Kong. Not until I moved to U.K. I soon realized I had to try to create my favorite traditional Chinese dish can be a challenge. Although I did not know to cook at the time, also regional ingredients can be vary and taste different.

Now 17 years on, I finally understand eating well does not necessary depend on complexity. Straightforward, quick recipes using seasonal ingredient are tribute to simplicity. For me a bowl of hot chicken noodle soup with a sprinkle of spring onions beat the most haute cuisine.

Mum is always my inspiration. When ever we travel to China, we take a notepad and write down the meals and menus. Making guesses of how the dishes are made, then adapt and simplify those wonderful dishes we have had for our family to enjoy.

First trained in jewellery design and then floral art, I love to combine the vibrant colours into cooking. After all, we do eat with our eyes too.

Doug Clark - Community Cook

I have been born and breed in Edinburgh but still have some fiery Irish heritage in me. I have a great love for people, travel and most of all food. I have worked in various restaurants, hotels, bars and bistros. I have travelled to several places including China and Thailand and in my travels I have picked up a few tips and recipes and hope to gain many more on my next adventures.

My first memories of cooking are being taught how to make gingerbread man by my mum. Now the roles are reversed and I am now referred to as 'Dial a Chef' when my friends and family have a panic in the kitchen.

All my experiences have made me more experimental in the kitchen and given me a hunger to learn more about health and nutrition. Living as a student has helped me realise the importance of living on a tight budget and how eating well doesn't have to be difficult or expensive.

In my spare time I love to day dream about travelling the world. I also like to relax by playing games and drive my family and friends just as crazy as me!

Alex Wilson - Community Cook

I come from a big family that loves to eat and talk about food. We are always planning the next meal! I am a mother of two and love cooking everyday at least once. We talk about food and where it comes from all the time and sit together to eat as a family at the end of each day, usually in a hurry.

I was born in Peru and so have always tasted different food. Different to the UK but normal to Peru. We all get in to a place with our food that is secure but when we step out of the norm we get a great experience. I love to try new things especially when recommended by someone. I have lived in London for 22 years and there are so many tastes to experience there.

I work at Whitmuir Organics where we promote buying locally produced, sustainably farmed food.

Jeremy Cunningham - Community Cook

I find cooking the most creative household task and perhaps that is why I tend to be the family cook. In the summer we grow most of our ingredients and, all being well, some of them, like the potatoes and onions last much of the winter. Simple everyday wholesome food is what I aim to prepare on a daily basis following on the footsteps of my mother. She gave me an interest in my stomach which motivated me to learn to cook when I began to spend time away from home.

Our friends young and old alike always felt welcome in our childhood home.  One way in which this welcome was expressed was in a cake in the tin for the weekend and preparedness to extend a meal with more gravy, veg and starch so that anyone who happened to be around at mealtimes did not feel they were imposing if they joined us at the table. My sister and I were always welcomed home with a favourite meal and my mother remembered what close friends of ours enjoyed most too.

I do not spend hours in the kitchen fussing; cooking is just part of the family routine. The preparation and sharing of food at a table is a very positive part of our culture and worth preserving. My mother died some years ago but she lives on in dog-eared, ingredient splattered recipes written in her lovely old fashioned handwriting.   

Special Thanks to our Supporters

Lawrie & Rhona from http://www.bookdonors.co.uk 

Gregor Clark from http://www.gregorclark.co.uk

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