Willowbrook culinary students create dishes from throughout the world
Top: Pictured are Willowbrook students who are enrolled in the school's culinary 3 catering course. On Dec. 19, those students made dishes from Brazil, Thailand and France as part of their first-semester final exam. Bottom left: Willowbrook Library Aide Beata Zawojska and substitute teacher John Price serve as judges to evaluate the dishes created by the culinary 3 catering class. Bottom right: Pictured are some of the dishes students made for the exam.
On Dec. 19, students in Willowbrook’s culinary 3 catering course took their first-semester final exam, which consisted of a unique opportunity to create dishes from throughout the world.
The chefs made food items from Brazil, Thailand and France. Through the experience, they acquired the skills to master techniques such as stewing, pan fry, roasting and more, as well as how to properly use a cooking knife to dice, mince and slice. They also learned key terms such as water bath, fork-tender, al dente, emulsify and more. Staff members served as judges, and students were evaluated on safety and sanitation, food production, presentation and taste/texture.
Dishes included:
Brazil
- Fried plantain with tomato and heart of palm relish with chimichurri drizzle
- Brazilian garlic steak with roasted carrots, rice pilaf and stewed black beans
- Quindim with kiwi, strawberry and roasted coconut
Thailand
- Thai cucumber salad with rice noodles and crispy wontons
- Curried coconut chicken with steamed Jasmin rice and crispy shallots
- Banana egg roll with coconut crème anglaise and fresh berries
France
- Deviled eggs with caper aioli and breadcrumb gremolata
- Chicken cordon bleu with sauce béchamel, asparagus and herb-roasted tomatoes
- Apple rosemary tarte tatin with streusel crumble