How Eva Mbiru's cooking sessions are reshaping mental health support in Britain
Eva Mbiru during the interview at the Nation Centre on March 31, 2025. Her 'Spiced in Watford' cooking sessions are among UK hometown's most sought-after mental health support system.
What you need to know:
- Eva Mbiru, a Kenyan living in the UK, transformed her post-divorce trauma into the innovative "Spiced in Watford Cooking Experience," which uses cooking as therapy for mental wellbeing.
- The initiative receives 1,000 weekly requests but can currently serve only 50 people, with support from organisations.
- Beyond her cooking therapy, she serves as director of two community organisations, supporting African and Caribbean communities.
The aroma of simmering spices fills the state-of-the-art kitchen at West Herts College in Watford as laughter and animated conversations bounce off the stainless steel countertops. At the centre of this culinary buzz stands Eva Mbiru, a Kenyan whose warm smile encourages a group of strangers who are rapidly becoming friends as they chop, stir, and share stories of their struggles and triumphs.
This isn't just another cooking class. It's a lifeline for many battling mental health challenges – a revolutionary approach to healing that Eva, now back in her homeland for a visit, pioneered after experiencing her own personal turmoil.
Finding purpose in pain
Growing up in Buru Buru estate in the heart of Nairobi's sprawling Eastlands area, Eva always dreamed of making an impact on society. The gender disparities she witnessed as a young girl ignited her passion to change lives, particularly those of women.
Her journey took her to the United Kingdom for further studies, where she found love and settled into marriage. For 19 years, that relationship defined her life – until it suddenly didn't.
"When my marriage ended, I discovered that many women who undergo divorce pass through a lot of challenges and do not know where to seek help," Eva reveals during our interview at Nation Centre in Nairobi, where she's visiting from the UK.
"Out of that, I thought of how I would start a group and bring women together who are battling various challenges."
The mother of two didn't allow her personal anguish to defeat her. Instead, she transformed it into purpose, co-founding a WhatsApp group called Women Empowerment in 2018. This digital platform created a safe space where women could freely share their issues without fear of judgment.
From virtual support to community action
What began in the digital realm soon blossomed into real-world impact. Eva began organising community events in Hertfordshire, UK, where she has lived for the past 30 years.
"I initially used the community events to support women where I would invite guest speakers to speak on various topics including domestic violence, mental health among other issues," she explains. "In the beginning, the events only targeted women but with time, we opened it up to everyone including men who are also affected by domestic violence but tend to keep quiet."
These gatherings uncovered the depth of struggles many people were silently enduring. The revelations led Eva to an innovative idea that would combine healing with a universal human experience: cooking.
Stirring up mental wellbeing
In 2024, she founded the Spiced in Watford Cooking Experience, an initiative that ingeniously uses cooking as a tool for mental wellbeing.
"The aim of Spiced in Watford cooking series is to create a conducive environment where anyone going through mental stress at home or workplace can meet other people going through the same to chat and socialise while cooking," Eva explains.
In an era where mental health challenges are increasingly recognised as a global crisis, Eva's approach offers a refreshing and accessible alternative to traditional interventions. Mental wellbeing—the foundation for healthy individuals and communities—often suffers silently behind closed doors. For many in Eva's community, particularly those from African backgrounds, cultural stigma can make seeking help even more difficult.
She cites experts who argue that cooking nourishes not just the body, but also the mind and soul – an experimental therapy of sorts. The initiative provides a supportive environment for individuals dealing with mental health challenges by combining social interaction with cooking activities.
"Mental health isn't just about the absence of illness," Eva emphasises. "It's about creating environments where people can thrive, connect, and find purpose. Food has always been a universal language that brings people together."
The concept is beautifully simple yet profoundly effective. Participants prepare, cook, and share food together. Through this shared experience, they feel comfortable enough to open up about their struggles, finding both practical advice and emotional support. For many, it represents their first step toward acknowledging and addressing their mental health challenges.
"The cooking sessions normally consist of a variety of events, including the Festive Cook-offs, Foodies Assemble and Oriental series, each offering a unique culinary experience designed to inspire and connect the community," Eva says.
From small seeds, mighty impact
The impact of these cooking sessions, which currently run every Monday afternoon at West Herts College, has been nothing short of remarkable. The initiative receives around 1,000 requests from locals each week, though it can currently accommodate only 50 people per session.
"The initiative has offered a safe space where people with mental health issues can seek help. A lot of people with such challenges have come forward to seek help from us," she notes proudly.
Due to the overwhelming demand, Eva reveals plans to increase the sessions to thrice weekly.
The initiative has garnered support from prominent organisations including Watford Football Club, Rotary Club Watford, Watford Council, the local Chamber of Commerce, West Herts College, Women's Centre Plus Watford, and Mind Charity Hertfordshire.
"These organisations help in providing ingredients used in the cooking sessions, with West Herts College providing us with their state-of-the-art kitchen where we do the cooking in their restaurant," Eva explains.
Beyond cooking: building community
The 52-year-old social worker beams with pride as she reflects on the initiative's success.
"The response from the people and its impact has been overwhelming and there will be no turning back. We will continue to help and ensure we safeguard people's mental wellbeing," she affirms.
"It feels great that I have managed to help people in the little way I can. My vision is to help people improve their mental wellbeing, particularly women and their families. I am happy the people who have benefited from our initiative now feel much better about themselves."
Beyond addressing mental health challenges directly, Eva notes that the cooking events have helped combat loneliness, which she identifies as a major contributor to poor mental health.
In December last year, she organised a cooking competition to raise funds for mental wellbeing charities, with proceeds aimed at helping people in need of professional and clinical support. The competition boasted an impressive panel of judges, including the chef who cooks for King Charles III.
A life dedicated to service
Eva's commitment to community service extends far beyond her cooking initiative. A social worker by profession, she has volunteered for years in various community initiatives across the UK, carrying forward the communal values she learned growing up in Nairobi's Buru Buru estate.
She currently serves as a director at Kenyan Women in Hertfordshire CIC and the Watford African Caribbean Association, focusing on supporting African and Caribbean communities in Hertfordshire through social welfare and empowerment programs.
"Through the Kenyan Women in Hertfordshire CIC, we help empower young people through job connections and supporting children who are in need," she explains.
Eva is also a co-founder of the Kenyan Women in Hertfordshire Association, an empowerment group boasting more than 300 women members.
Her compassion reaches across continents. In Kenya, she supports a women's group that is part of the Maasai Orphans and Girl Child initiatives in Kajiado County. Through fundraising events in the UK, she has helped provide access to clean water and educational support for the community's children.
She has also ventured into local politics, having served as the Watford Labour Woman's Labour Officer for the Labour Party, one of the UK's largest political parties.
Recognition well deserved
Her tireless community service has not gone unnoticed. In October last year, she received an honorary award for community advocacy and female empowerment at the Building Blocks Initiative (BBI).
In 2021, Africa Women in Europe (AWE) recognised her for outstanding performance during the Covid-19 pandemic. A year earlier, she received the outstanding contribution to the community award.
In 2022, she was named a Hero of Hertfordshire, spoke at The Hague, and attended an event with the late Queen Elizabeth II.
"Being awarded for something you have done makes you feel happy. I was so happy to get this award and it serves as motivation for me. It's not all about me, but the award shows that people know I exist and the services I offer are here," she reflects.
With a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from the University of Bedfordshire and a Master of Science from the University of West London, Eva exemplifies how personal pain can be transformed into community healing – one meal, one conversation, and one connection at a time.
As she returns to the UK after her visit home to Kenya, Eva reflects on the universal importance of mental wellbeing: "Whether in Nairobi or Watford, people need to feel seen, heard, and valued. Mental health isn't a luxury—it's essential infrastructure for a thriving society."