De makerkeuken is a makerspace for young chefs in the library.

Project duration

April 2021 – June 2021

COURSE

Bachelor End Project

client

Royal Library, specifically Library Oldenzaal

assessing coachES

Joep Trappenburg
Claudie van Riet

final grade

7,0 / 10

Reasoning

The makerspace in the library does not have to be just a place with 3D printers and soldering machines. After all, with that you reach a limited audience, while the concept has much more potential. That is why I started investigating what else young people are interested in and need: almost 30% of almost 200 high school students surveyed cook in their spare time, and at least 36% say they want to learn how to cook. And they have every reason to do so:

  • everyone needs to eat and has preferences in taste
  • cooking and eating together connects
  • when they leave home in a few years they should be able to cook independently

Society also benefits from young people learning to cook:

  • sustainable use of raw materials and energy resources
  • healthy future generation
  • cheap and healthy

The work surface is large enough for 8 users and 1 or 2 attendants and has power outlets nearby. The inner ring is literally the focal point, the core of the concept, which can therefore be installed inside the library, or any other public space.

The ring-shaped kitchen has advantages:

  • instructor can quickly serve all participants
  • users do not stand next to each other, but can look at each other
  • attractive and impressive
  • necessary equipment within reach

Services offered in the makerkitchen

Workshops

  • every week, 3 hours including food
  • experts (11 farmers, 14 artisans a 21 chefs)
  • they do this as a social service, for their own CSR boost.
  • can bring their own youth network (customers and employees)
  • against payment (up to 15 euro)
  • theme: foreign cuisine, regional/seasonal products

Free cooking

  • every afternoon after school
  • guidance from the library
  • free for library members (youth subscription)
  • Supervisors do not have to be good cooks, they have to (give the impression that they) know what they are talking about; passion and energy are most important.
  • have taken basic cooking course from chef(s), workshop dealing with young people
  • access to cook books from library
  • groceries brought from supermarket or harvested from communal herbs and vegetable garden around the kitchen