At Flow, we execute all manner of communications assignments for our clients – but not many tasks are as much a labour of love as Our Generous Kitchen, the new St Mary’s School recipe book.
What started out as a Grade 5 class project has turned into a fully fledged fundraiser for the St Mary’s Foundation, which affords deserving girls the opportunity to attend Johannesburg’s oldest school, supports the training and development of teachers, and funds community affairs programmes.
It has entailed an immense creative process, encompassing recipes submitted mainly by the Junior School girls themselves, but also old girls such as Prue Leith and Jodi-Ann Pearton, both of whom have gone on to make names for themselves in the world of gastronomy.
In support of the book and its ethos of giving, the Junior School girls established a vegetable garden at the school. The Senior School girls also played their part, testing the recipes in a MasterChef-style competition that was judged by Pearton and celebrity chef Sharon Glass.
The Senior School’s photography club also ran a competition to style and photograph the food, and provided several professional-standard images that were eventually used in Our Generous Kitchen.
Flow – which boasts St Mary’s as one of its oldest clients – also swung into action, designing the book and editing the copy. And re-editing it, and then editing it some more, to ensure that every last measurement, ingredient and preparation method was spot-on.
Illustrating Flow’s ethos of going the extra mile, project manager Roshni Nana even tested many of the recipes herself. More’s the pity that Flow’s staff missed out on the opportunity to do their bit also, and taste-test Roshni’s creations …
Project manager Ros Caboz, who steered things on the Flow side with Roshni, says it was an enjoyable assignment: “It was a great idea for a project, which involved so many people who gave generously of their time and talents. The book has a young, fresh and colourful feel, and was a lot of fun to work on.”
The final product, it must be said, is simply beautiful – from the lovely recipes, which range from kid-pleasers to dinner-party must-dos, to the crisp and clear layout and the stunning photography. It is both a serious recipe book in its own right, and a wonderful memento for anyone with a St Mary’s connection.
Comments Gillian O’Shaughnessy, manager of the St Mary’s Foundation: “The St Mary’s recipe book has been a wonderful, exciting project involving the St Mary’s community and the dedicated staff at Flow Communications. I am extremely proud of the book – a fantastic St Mary’s collectable, full of colourful photos and mouth-watering recipes. Proceeds from the book will make a wonderful contribution to the St Mary’s Foundation!”
Flow CEO Tara Turkington, who along with sister (and Flow MD) Tiffany Turkington-Palmer is both a St Mary’s old girl and parent, attended the book’s launch recently.
“The launch was held on a glorious Saturday morning, where St Mary’s old girls and their daughters and other guests were invited to a breakfast that included a fashion show, some entertaining speeches and a raffle, all in the name of raising funds for the St Mary’s Foundation,” says Tara.
“The event was so enjoyable, I ended up ordering three recipe books – even though I don’t cook!”