It is documented in numerous articles and research papers that cooking a meal has endless positive results and there are so many reasons to introduce students to the joys of cooking. The basis for the VVS Cooking Club is the value that comes from the experience of creating a meal from scratch with your own hands and sharing it with the community. Educationally, cooking a meal addresses reading, math and reasoning skills, along with heath/nutritional awareness. Recipes are read and the directions followed, ingredients are measured. Recipes are altered such as "doubling" and calculating based on the number of servings that are needed. Sometimes students have to think on their feet when a cooking tool/ingredient gets overlooked (one time when we only had one rolling pin, large soup cans worked perfectly to roll the pie dough). Students are required to plan meals according to the food pyramid and the needed food groups. Cooking from scratch makes students aware that the food that they are eating does not contain unneeded preservatives and additives and are fresh and healthy. Creating themes for the weeks allow students to be aware of different ethnic foods and staple foods of different cultures. A traditional Jewish meal included matzo ball soup, a traditional Polish meal included pierogies, while a traditional Canadian meal included meat pie.
The values that I feel that are learned and are of the utmost importance are the values of appreciation and accomplishment. After working for nearly 4 hours to get the meal ready, the students get a first hand experience of all of the time, effort and hard work that goes into making meals for them each day. This appreciation hopefully goes beyond the kitchen of VVS, and includes an appreciation for the mothers, fathers, grandmothers, chefs, etc that cook for the boys on a daily basis when they are at home. It is hoped that they would initiative helping out in the kitchen and/or showing their appreciation for meals with a big "thank you for cooking."
In the VVS Cooking Club, students are involved in all aspects of the process. Two weeks prior to their assigned week, the student group is asked to spend time together brainstorming about ideas for the upcoming menu and to decide on a theme for the meal. Some students suggest their "favorite" meals; others research recipes, while others ask their parents to send up traditional family recipes. After a theme is set and suggestions are documented, students then meet with our chef Jean to finalize the menu with time to order the needed ingredients. The menu is planned from start to finish and include the main course, sides, dessert and beverages.
The group meets early afternoon and the schedule of the afternoon is laid out. Chef Jean reviews the menu, the duties on our agenda, the ingredients that are going to be incorporated into the meal and a history behind the food/cooking methods that are being used that day. A lesson on safety and proper sanitation methods follows and then it is time to dive in. We begin each cooking club making the dessert followed by prepping for the main course and sides. Once all items are cut, chopped, washed, seasoned, etc. it is time to put everything together and get things cooking. The next hour involves stirring, flipping, baking, and getting everything cooked to perfection. The beverages are made, the portions are divided to be served and menu board is filled out. When 5:00 arrives, the tired and hungry young men have accomplished their goal--a delicious meal! They now sit back and get to do what they have been looking forward to all afternoon--EAT!
Our first year of the VVS Cooking Club (2009-2010) was an absolute success. I am just so pleased that after months of planning, that my idea for a cooking club finally came to fruition. I have enjoyed each and every week and have shared a lot of laughs and fun times with the students in the kitchen. I would like to thank Dr. Spiva for his constant support and all of the staff who were there to lend a hand when we needed it. Most importantly, the VVS Cooking Club is made possible by the hard work and dedication from Chef Jean and the two cooks Karen and Linda. Both the students and I appreciate all that they have done to make this project possible. -Shannon May, Teacher