Leizle Menez did not see what the fuss over sourdough was about. Then she took a job with a British household that cared very much, and she had no choice but to find out. The domestic worker from the Philippines, who has been in Singapore for 24 years, gave herself two weeks to master the loaf. She now keeps her own starter, two years old, and likes to spice up her base recipe with spreads such as Marmite.
“It’s a milestone for me to be featured in this cookbook,” says Menez, 46.
The book is At The Same Table, launched on July 26, with recipes from 55 migrant and domestic workers in Singapore. Students at the Singapore American School compiled it. Their group, A Hand for Migrant Workers, is led by Tanya Arora, 16, and Aahana Mittal, 17. Over nine months the team interviewed the workers, photographed them cooking, tasted the dishes and recorded their stories.
Finding the cooks
The workers came on recommendation from two welfare groups, the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) and ItsRainingRaincoats (IRR).
The cuisines range from Filipino to French. Recipes include Sri Lankan fish cutlets, cassava cake, kadai paneer, kimbap and Darjeeling-style momos, a type of dumpling.
Handling private stories
Arora says the project tested the team. “Because many migrant workers confront the challenges that come with leaving loved ones and home, these stories carry a distinct vulnerability, requiring our team to acknowledge the sensitivity of heavy discussions,” she says. “At times, we needed to listen and respect their interest in keeping certain aspects of their story private.”
All proceeds go to HOME and IRR. A digital download costs $9.90, and a physical copy $24.90.
Sources
- Singapore American School students launch cookbook of migrant worker recipes
- Singapore American School students launch cookbook of migrant worker recipes
