Serving Up Something ServingFresh Up Something Fresh WHAT’S COOKING IN CULINARY 4? WHAT’S COOKING IN CULINARY 4?
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By Marshall Hamel
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hether it’s art, music, or sports, West Albany students are given many opportunities to show people what they’re made of, or in some cases, what they’re making. Culinary 4, or Bistro is no doubt a perfect example of this. But what exactly do students do in Bistro? “There’s five groups in the class that each get assigned a certain dish,” said senior Allison Hardin. “Then we serve the dishes to the teachers and some parents at the end of the week.” Hosting a luncheon once a week is no easy task. Adding to the challenge is the fact that the operation is primarily run by the students themselves, although culinary teacher Dolly Victorine is always there to keep everyone in check. Mirroring a professional kitchen setting, Bistro is incredibly reliant on teamwork in order to function properly, and there’s a heavy emphasis on strong team building. “We have to talk to everyone and get the information we need for whatever we’re doing that day,” said senior Megan Hedgpeth. “It’s very team oriented because we absolutely need to talk with everyone to make sure everything goes smoothly.” On top of that, because Bistro is an advanced class, the number of students is substantially smaller than what you’d find in any of the entry to mid-level classes. “The biggest challenge this year more than any other year is class size,” said Victorine. “Trying to gauge our time and production has been a little tricky because of that.” The upside to this is that it allows for the students to really get to know each other, and in turn their teacher. “My favorite part about that class is the ability to get to know students,’’ said Mrs. Victorine. “Being able to work side by side with them is a lot of fun, and sometimes I get to cook with them which I don’t get to do with other classes.” Victorine’s affinity for working alongside her students is definitely a mutual feeling. Ask any of her students what they love about Bistro, her name is always mentioned, which just goes to show how much students appreciate having her lead the class. Pictured in the Bistro class counterclock-wise Megan Hedgpeth, Nathan Hovey, Ember Walter, and PK Bean.
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