English is a tool you can use to do many things. Since English is a global language, you can use it to learn things from different cultures.
A fun way to learn English is cooking. You have to know how to talk about the ingredients, measurements, textures, times and flavor descriptions, and explain the process. And, if you teach cooking in English, your pronunciation needs to be clear enough for others to understand.
Accordingly, in 2015, two English language teachers in Manchester, UK, set up a program called Heart and Parcel. Karolina Koscien and Clare Courtney gather immigrant women together to cook dumplings. Why dumplings? Because "parceled foods" are universal to all cultures. Women from different countries can all come together with their recipes and share their unique histories with each other. Besides language learning, social connections are formed that help the women thrive in their new home.
The program has been a huge success, growing from 33 learners in 2015 to more than 1000 in 2023. They have Supper Clubs open to the public that always sell out. They sell their foods at markets. They've also published a cookbook that includes recipes and stories about the foods and the women who make them. All profits from these ventures go right back into the school so that it too can thrive.