Year 9 and 10 food students had a real culinary treat last week when they had a visit from the Ming-Ai (London) Institute. Two healthy eating Chinese ambassadors came into Bushey Meads from the FUN:) HCCA Project (Healthy Chinese Cuisine Ambassadors).

Each group had a 2 hour session where they learnt lots about Chinese culture and traditional foods, for example did you know that eating fish on Chinese New Year is said to increase your prosperity? One ambassador taught the groups about the traditional festivals, dishes, ways of cooking and why you may choose to cook in a certain way. Afterwards, the Chinese chef demonstrated the steps of making chicken in a black bean sauce, showing us different ways to chop up the vegetables and taught the students how to debone a chicken thigh. They also reminded the students about health and safety and a little about the Lee Kum Kee sauce products . After that the students had a go at cooking it themselves with the chicken and vegetables they had been asked to bring in. The food cooked was delicious! It was very rich in flavour and well presented. At the end of the lesson everyone was given a sachet of the sauce they used and a badge for taking part. At the end of each session the ambassadors chose a dish that they thought was the best in terms of taste and presentation. Congratulations to Ilana Apolot Rwego 9Ash and Jessica Hockley  10Beech and Lauren Ellison 10 Beech who were winners.

Comments from the students:

I really enjoyed learning about the Chinese culture and cooking the dish! I will definitely try and recreate the dish at home.

I found the day a new experience in the way we made a meal which was from a different culture. I learned important information about the backgrounds of the food too and where it originates from. 

I thought the added skills they gave me will help when I choose Food Preparation and Nutrition in Year 10