10 Years of Cooking for a Cause: CSR Events at School of Wok

By Carrie Larwood, July 16, 2025

For over a decade, School of Wok, Europe’s only award-winning Asian and Oriental cookery school, has been at the heart of a deliciously different kind of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, one that brings teams together and gives back to the community.

Located just a two-minute walk from Charing Cross, our Covent Garden kitchen has hosted hundreds of companies, charities, and teams who come not just to cook, but to connect with each other and with the people their food supports.

Whether it’s dumplings or curry, stir-fries or spring rolls, our CSR cookery experiences have one clear purpose: to use food as a force for good.

What is a CSR Cookery Event?

At School of Wok, our CSR events combine immersive cookery workshops with meaningful social impact. Teams prepare restaurant-quality meals in a fun, hands-on environment led by our expert chefs. But instead of taking all the food home, participants cook double portions, eating one, and donating the other to local charities and food banks.

It’s an energising, feel-good format that turns a team-building day into something with lasting value.

As one of our recent corporate clients put it:

“Had an incredible morning at School of Wok this week with my colleagues, preparing a Japanese lunch! SoW hosted the most fun, interactive workshop where we learned all about ingredients, knife/chopping skills, how to cook etc. The lovely Ian ran our session and he was amazing – friendly, funny, informative, patient. It was the best team-building event we could have asked for… Even better, we made double portions – ate half, and gave the other half to local charities.”

CSR That Brings People Together

These events have struck a powerful chord with companies looking to do more than just tick a box. Over the past 10 years, we’ve partnered with organisations from every sector, finance, tech, law, media, education, to host cooking-for-a-cause days that are as fun as they are impactful.

Participants leave with:

New culinary skills
Stronger team connections
A sense of giving back to the community
Plenty of laughs (and full bellies!)

It’s a rare combination that turns CSR from a chore into a highlight of the company calendar.

Who Benefits from the Meals?

The dishes you prepare don’t go to waste. Every event supports carefully chosen local charities and food distribution partners who help deliver meals to:

Homeless shelters
Elderly care organisations
Local families facing food insecurity

Over the years, our clients’ efforts have helped us donate thousands of meals across London, making a real, tangible difference one meal at a time.

What to Expect on the Day

Our CSR cookery events are completely turn-key. Here’s what a typical session looks like:

Welcome and Icebreaker
Teams arrive, don their aprons, and meet their chef-host for the day. (You may even be lucky enough to be led by Ian, our resident kitchen legend, “friendly, funny, informative, patient,” as our client review raves.)
Hands-On Cooking
You’ll learn authentic Asian cookery techniques, from knife skills to wok-tossing, using high-quality, fresh ingredients. Every participant gets involved.
Eat, Then Donate
Teams prepare two portions of each dish: one to enjoy in our dining space and one to pack up for donation.
Group Photo & Celebration
You’ll leave full of food, good vibes, and purpose.

We can tailor menus to suit dietary requirements, seasonal availability, and cultural themes, including Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese cuisine.

Corporate Clients Love It

We’ve welcomed teams from the likes of Google, HSBC, The Guardian, PwC, and Accenture, all of whom wanted a different kind of team experience. What they got was one they’re still talking about.

Our Tripadvisor and Google reviews speak for themselves. With a 5-star rating across the board, we’re proud not just of our food, but of the community and culture we help create in the kitchen.

Beyond CSR: Other Corporate Packages

Looking for something else? We also offer:

Feed One Hundred
Taking the cooking up a level by feeding 100 people. We have designed an event that even a team of 8 can feed one hundred people in three hours.
Ultimate Chef Challenge
Wok the room with a fun, foodie twist on your next client night.
Treasure Hunts & Chinatown Challenges
Add some London adventure to your event with our scavenger-style challenges.
Who wants to be a restaurateur?
Unleash your team’s creativity with our fast-paced, high-energy formats.
Dry & Exclusive Venue Hire
Want to bring your own chef or create a bespoke experience? Our Covent Garden venue is available for dry hire or full exclusivity.