How does avocado ice cream, garlic mousse or fruit kebab on rosemary sticks sound? As part of their Food Technology course, four classes of Year 10 students were tasked with devising a three course menu for a guest that was limited by an element of ‘constraint.’ The resulting menus were served at a series of lunches held in the Jack Paine Centre this week. 

In last year’s exercise, the constraint was linked to a variety of dietary requirements; this year the constraint was a required single ingredient to focus their thinking on ‘food design.’ In their early years, Food Technology students have scant understanding of food design, tending to revert to what they eat or replicating the ideas of others sourced from the internet. ‘Designerly’ thinking around food encourages students to be more creative with selected ingredients. To that end, this year’s constraint was a single key ingredient. 

Working in small groups, the students followed a conceptual design process, creating a menu and preparing a meal for their stakeholder – in this instance, a member of staff or a senior student. Each group was also assigned a key ingredient – either rosemary, garlic, sesame seeds, avocado, mint or chilli – on which to base the meal.  Regardless which ingredient, it was to be used in all three courses! 

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. A number of willing volunteers had signed up and each was presented with a fantastic three course meal!

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• Food Technology

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