A RESTAURANT owner in Newton-le-Willows is offering cooking classes to improve people's mental health.

Goya Griffiths, owner of Goya Bistro on Newton High Street, set up the classes to offer locals a space to learn new skills in the kitchen and improve mental wellbeing through socialising and cooking healthy meals. 

The Thai restaurant owner first offered a similar group service prior to the pandemic, however, with stricter COVID-19 guidelines in place, the cooking class had to become one-to-one.

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Goya said: "The reason I reintroduced it is because I feel nowadays, social anxiety is a lot higher in people and I felt that I wanted to give people a space to cook and reconnect with family and friends by eating nice, healthy meals; it’s something really good to do together.

St Helens Star: Weekly sessions are available for those who want to improve cooking skills or socialise in a group settingWeekly sessions are available for those who want to improve cooking skills or socialise in a group setting (Image: Goya Bistro)

"I receive so many comments and messages, but I look at it as something good because people seem interested in cooking.

"I want them to be able to cook it when they get back home not just in the class; I want them to feel that it’s easy to do."

St Helens Star: The classes aim at introducing healthy and easy-to-make mealsThe classes aim at introducing healthy and easy-to-make meals (Image: Goya Bistro)

Goya Bistro, which is turning eight in April, also took part in Newton High Street’s Christmas Markets which saw a successful day for the business as its stall was sold out of food within three hours.

St Helens Star: The bistro has been on the high street for almost eight years The bistro has been on the high street for almost eight years (Image: Goya Bistro)

Despite the market’s success, Goya also discussed how the business is coping during the cost-of-living crisis.

The 43-year-old added: "It’s difficult; we are struggling, but we don’t put the prices up and we do our best with what we can because I know people love our food and they still like to come and see me, so we are going to do our best to keep it going."

The former Thai cooking teacher for St Helens College runs the hour-long cooking classes every Sunday, with group sessions able to be done both at home and at the restaurant.