The Greek Community of Melbourne Schools have launched One Recipe, One Story, a project that turns family recipes into a digital cookbook.

The project’s full title is “One Recipe, One Story – Flavours Passed Down Through Generations”. It brings together Greek language learning, family history and digital creativity.

It also puts grandparents at the centre. They are invited to share a treasured family recipe with their grandchildren, along with the stories and memories behind it.

One Recipe, One Story for Get Online Week 2026

The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) Schools are once again taking part in Get Online Week 2026. The campaign is an initiative of the Good Things Foundation.

It promotes digital inclusion and helps people build digital skills. In particular, it supports those who face barriers to using technology.

The project was initiated by Christina Soumi, Assistant Principal of the GCM Schools. She developed the idea and is responsible for its planning, coordination and implementation.

Students and grandparents gather around a table of homemade Greek food for One Recipe, One Story
Students and families gather around a table of homemade food at the Greek Community of Melbourne Schools. Photo: Greek Community of Melbourne

Grandparents become head chefs

Where possible, grandparents visit classrooms to share their recipes. They also talk about their childhood, their places of origin in Greece and their family traditions.

Meanwhile, students become young researchers. They ask who passed down each recipe, when it was traditionally prepared and how the tradition continues in Australia today.

Whenever circumstances allow, the classroom turns into a little kitchen. Grandparents take on the role of head chefs, while the children act as their assistants.

A golden homemade Greek pie in a baking tray
A homemade pie prepared as part of the One Recipe, One Story project. Photo: Greek Community of Melbourne

A digital cookbook of family recipes

However, the project goes beyond cooking. Older students record the recipes and their stories in digital formats, while younger children contribute drawings and artwork.

These pieces will be brought together in a digital cookbook of family recipes and stories. As a result, recipes passed down orally will find a permanent home.

With participants’ consent, students also record details about their grandparents. These include names, dates of birth and places of origin, linking each family to the wider story of Greek migration to Melbourne.

A handwritten Greek recipe for gemista from a student’s grandmother
A student’s handwritten recipe for Grandma Eirini’s gemista with mince and rice. Photo: Greek Community of Melbourne

Learning goes both ways

While grandparents share their knowledge, students guide them in using technology. Together, they create digital documents, take photographs and record stories.

Christina Soumi, Assistant Principal and Project Coordinator, explained the aim:

“We want children to understand that the Greek language is not something found only in textbooks. It lives in our family stories, memories and traditions passed down from one generation to the next. Through this project, students become the storytellers and guardians of their family’s cultural heritage.

At the same time, it gives us a wonderful opportunity to reverse the roles: grandparents teach children their treasured recipes, while children show their grandparents how technology can help preserve and share these precious stories.”

Christina Soumi, Assistant Principal and Project Coordinator

According to the GCM, the initiative shows the school as a meeting point for generations. It also gives digital technology a creative purpose and helps bridge the digital divide.

Founded in 1897, the Greek Community of Melbourne promotes and preserves Greek history, culture and heritage in Australia. Its schools teach Greek language and culture to the next generation.

Source: Greek Community of Melbourne