I started with allowing the students to make a recipe that i gave them, but not instilling how important following the directions is. Then i would take all the students results and discuss why this dish came out better than that dish and then had each student remake the dish and strictly follow the recipes to see the different results.
When demoing emulsion sauces, mayo and hollandaise. I will have the class study the recipe for homework and the next day I will demo both recipe. I will do both corectly and then I will do it incorectly. I will also fix the broken emulsion. I will show how having all your mise en place together is very important. We discus the importants of falling the steps to be successful.
It also helps to have a blank outline of a recipe to fill out. That way they get use to the correct layout of a formal recipe.
I feel that while lecture is important for a general idea of what we are doing, the best way for my students to learn the importance of following directions is to show them different outcomes of the same product. Whether it is making meringue, piping, or mixing bread dough, when I do my demo, I show the correct way in addition to several other incorrect ways, including the predominant mistakes I see from past students.
I agree with Van. The students need to learn to follow what their chef is instructing them to do. Listening is an important skill in the kitchen and one that is invaluable in a good cook.
Paul,
You make a very excellent point! It is beneficial for instructors to guide students in proper note taking, whether it be writing out notes completely or whether using shortened terms. It is also helpful for instructors to start teaching students terms that are used in the profession: 86, order/fire, in the window, and so forth.
Jae Gruber
Devon,
It is true that when students go on externships and into the work world, they will need to duplicate a dish or a plate presentation exactly the same every time. Requiring students to replicate the demo, rather than imparting their own creativity to the demo, can help to solidify the concept of duplication and consistency.
Jae Gruber
Inform the students in the outside world, if the chef shows you how they want it done, you better follow the directions. Start learning to copy the demos now.
It seems the goal may also be accurate note taking. In the industry you may only have a brief moment with the chef to get the instruction regarding a task, the shorthand learned in the class helps create a more valuable assistant to the chef. We use prep lists in that shorthand and post on the white board for the students to reference
One of my favorite demonstrations is when I show the students what happens when you mix a sponge cake for the correct amount of time, and also what happens when the exact same recipe is mixed too little, as well as one that is over mixed. They can immediately see the difference between the cakes, and it really drives home the point that following directions to the letter is vital for the best results.
Van,
It is very beneficial for the students to take their own notes. While the textbook is a helpful guide, it will be the small details that the instructor tells or shows students that will really help them execute the final product.
Jae Gruber
As with many of the responses given I try to encourage the students to have a plan of action. By using their timelines, I tell them to write things down in the order that they should complete the assignments for the day. To put them at ease I tell them that I still use a a timeline of everything that I need to get accomplished. When one item is complete I cross it off. Some students have taken this way of setting themselves up and have told me hoe much easier it is to get things completed.
Enrique,
I agree, prioritization is extremely critical! It is so important for instructors to guide students through this process. Some students have never really had to prioritize and have never really been given the organizational guidance to do so.
Jae Gruber
In the kitchen it is very iportant to understand the value of prioritizing tasks. When doing demos I always follow the prioritizing direction where items that will take longer are started first so by the end of the demo everything falls in place, the next day for the students production lab i make sure to review the order in which things are done to maximize the students potential of succes.
Even though we use a text book, when I am doing demos I never use the text. I expect the student to follow along and take notes on my preparation/assembly of the product. I will usually make a couple slight modifications to the recipe to make sure that they have followed my instructions. When grading I will always use my criteria-not the book recipe-mine is the standardized recipe in my kitchen.
Cara,
Anytime students have the opportunity to compare and contrast their own work against that of the instructor or those of other students, it enhances their educational experience by broadening their perspective.
Jae Gruber
The first item we make are chocolate chip cookies. I'll notice that some students are not measuring correctly or following the procedure. Although I explained the importance for this some students want to "prove" me wrong. I say nothing to them but once the cookies are complete - we do a group grading (the students line all their trays up on the table). We as a class look/taste the differences in the cookies. I use this lesson to show that measuring/procedures are important. This is a very good visual conformation to students that "the chef know's what she's talking about" I explain that school is a place to learn and that they learned the value of direction
Barry,
The idea of leaving out one ingredient is excellent! Not only does it underscore the meaning of mise en place and encourage accuracy, but it also gives them a visual of the end result that is not good. Mistakes that are made - on purpose or not - are as much a part of learning as producing a well executed product.
Jae Gruber
I divide my class up into six teams. The first baked good recipe I make myself and then we compare the results of each team with my product which we all made at the same time. Often times this allows us to discuss emulsions, when they break, the results... what happens when you eyeball a measurment etc... and we have the physical result to taste, smell and feel.
Then we get to the second recipe, which all but one team has a single ingredient left out. This allows us to understand, not only how to carefully measure... but also what happens when we forget the salt, the sugar, the eggs, the butter etc... And again we have the physical product to smell, taste, feel and see. Normally the pans get thrown away with the products in the second phase of this assignment.
But it teaches them a great deal.
Kim,
There are many studies about the connection between writing things down and the ability to remember specific facts better than memorizing without writing. I think it helps for instructors to read these types of articles and studies so they can explain the benefit of taking notes, rather than ocming from the approach of "because I said so..."
Jae Gruber
