Community Corner

Salem High School Culinary Home Learning Highlight

How do you effectively teach culinary arts in a remote environment?

Press Release Desk, News Partner

Posted Thu, Jan 14, 2021 at 8:44 am ET

Press release from Plymouth-Canton Schools:

The Rock Has Gone Virtual

P-CEP Teacher Diana Woodward

How do you effectively teach culinary arts in a remote environment? P-CEP Culinary Arts teacher Diana Woodward asks herself that question everyday as she creatively writes her lesson plans. Woodward leads one of Michigan’s top high school culinary programs and she (and her students) also run The Rock Cafe restaurant at Salem High School when school is in session.

Find out what's happening in Plymouth-Cantonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Wanting to give students an authentic, international cooking experience, Woodward has started a virtual restaurant program. First, she and her students select a type of food they wish to study. Currently they are studying the multiple varieties of tacos made throughout the culinary regions of Mexico. After the research is done, the student becomes a virtual restaurant owner and chef and must produce the item of their choice, in this case a taco. They need to identify the ingredients and amounts to produce an end product that is as authentic as possible. Then students place their food order with a supplier so they can make the taco at home. Woodward and culinary technician, Polly Brown, act as the food vendor and package all the ingredients the students request for pickup at Salem High School. Every part of the assignment is similar to what students would experience if they owned their own restaurant.

Find out what's happening in Plymouth-Cantonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Woodward presents many cooking demonstrations online and the class meets daily so that students have an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the assignment with classmates. It is critical for students to focus on the authenticity of traditional cuisine. In this case it meant making homemade tortillas and using authentic filling ingredients, such as slow-cooked goat, achiote paste, avocado leaves, guajillo and ancho chili peppers. Vegetarian options are provided, and these tacos include the milda, “the three sisters'' - corn, beans and squash. There are no shortcuts in this style of cooking and a student’s grade is mainly based on the finished product. They take photos at critical steps along the way, and Woodward tracks their progress and offers helpful hints if needed.