Students learn to cook

By Jocelyn Aviles and Leslie Barron

Staff Writers  

This Expeditions round the students in cooking class were able to use their already existing knowledge of cooking. They prepared dishes that would help them learn more about what goes on in the kitchen. There was a variety of opinions from the students’ point of view toward some stereotypes that exist regarding cooking. 

Every Expeditions round is focused on one particular skill, that way the students learn how to apply those methods for different dishes. For example, this round they were learning how to properly include herbs and spices in their dishes.

The students are given instructions on a sheet of paper that include the steps to cook and season their finished dish. Then, on their own the students have to decide how much they want to include, reminding them to always keep in mind to taste their food in the process.

Once they have their final product, they have the chance to work on PLT. 

That encourages students to finish their dish so that they can therefore get caught up on other schoolwork if needed.

For the last couple minutes of class they all get together and discuss the final product. After the discussion of the final product they all have the chance to taste how their final dish turned out.

Everest junior Eric Gudino said he believes that stereotypes about both men and women do exist. Those that claim either women are better cooks or men should not be cooking, etc.

Gudino doesn’t like the stereotypes that say men should not cook. Gudino said, “ I don’t like them because I cook; I’m not for it, I don’t agree with it.” He believes any type of gender should be able to cook without being judged.

Gudino stated that the reason he chose the class was because he already knows how to cook, so he thought it would be easy to join that class. He said, “I chose that class because since I already know how to cook, I thought it would easy.”   

The students interviewed from this cooking class are students who come from different backgrounds and different genders. This switch up provides perspective from two divergent points of view.

 Everest sophomore Sophia Crudo said, ‘’I like to work better by myself because I am able to do what I want.’’ She thinks this class is helpful because she gets to learn how to use herbs and spices. They learn which spices go together, and this can help her in the future when cooking.

Crudo also stated that the cooking class was helpful for her future. She said, “ Yes, because in the course we are learning how to use seasons and spices, we learn what seasons and spices go together and that’s going to help me for my future cooking.” The students find the cooking Expeditions class very helpful for their future cooking.

Expeditions teacher Brooke Hein stated, “I like to use food as an incentive, so if students are not behaving appropriately or they’re behind in class they have to continue working or make up for that lost time before they can join in and do the cooking.” This is one of the methods Ms. Hein finds most effective to teach her cooking class.

This is an effective method because she doesn’t really have a problem with students being behind in class or misbehaving since all the students are excited to be cooking instead of working; the students make sure they’re behaving and that they’re all caught up with their work.

Ms. Hein stated that her students’ improvement from last Expeditions round until now was noticeable. She said, “From Round One to Round Two they’ve improved their basic life skills, and they don’t really need me to instruct them on basic things like measuring, slotting, seasoning and how to cut things. So they have a lot more autonomy and freedom with their cooking recipes.”

The students stated that the cooking class was helpful for their future cooking. This proves that the cooking class is really effective for the students and can help them in many different ways.

In conclusion, the cooking class is very helpful for the students that take that class. Even though there’s a variety of opinions of people toward some stereotypes that exist, people should believe in their own skills and do what they like best to do, which in this case is cooking.