A Menu ‘With Constraints’
A Menu ‘With Constraints’
November 17, 2016 at 4:49 PM
Fussy eater? Whether for medical reasons or lifestyle choices, those whose diets vary from the 'norm' were the ideal customers for a lunch held in the Jack Paine Centre today.
As part of their Food Technology course, four classes of Year 10 students were tasked with devising a menu 'with constraints.' Each took on a 'client' - in this case, members of staff or senior students - whose diet, whether chosen or required, posed some limitations on the choice of ingredients.
Working in small groups, the students followed a conceptual design process, creating a menu and preparing a meal for their stakeholder. Working within the dietary constraints, each group was also given a key ingredient – either orange, berries, mint, chilli, cumin or avocado – on which to base the meal. There was also an added focus on sustainability, with the students required to consider the seasonality and benefits of a more plant-based or flexitarian diet (a plant-based diet with the occasional addition of meat).
This was a fantastic way for the students to finish their year as it gave them a chance to plan a three course menu from scratch and hone their practical skills, as well as learn the basics of table service. Ten staff and two students had willingly signed up to work in partnership around a set of dietary restrictions, with some of their requirements making the task quite complex for the students, and a huge learning curve!
From those favouring macrobiotics and food pyramids to LCHF, sugar-free, weight-loss hopefuls and those that ate ‘raw’, each was presented with a fantastic three course meal!
