Hyderabad| Culinary clubs in schools helps students develop life skills

Hyderabad schools promote culinary skills and healthy eating habits through interactive cookery clubs and workshops.

A sweet fragrance emanates from a fireless culinary session at Oakridge International School in Hyderabad. A mixed group of Standard IV and V students, under the watchful eyes of their teacher Shraddha Singh, learn to roll out a delicious khajoor laddoo sweetened with a bit of honey and garnished with nuts. “It is nourishing and delicious too,” says the teacher as students smile, proud of their creations.

Two months into the new academic year, schools in Hyderabad introduce students to simple concepts, cooking techniques and basic recipes through in-house culinary clubs, home science classes and sessions with experts. These practical sessions in a fun and creative environment also emphasise healthy eating and alternatives, dietary habits, kitchen hygiene and simple food safety measures. Awareness of the essentials for safe food handling assumes significance, given the ongoing food safety raids in Hyderabad. These cookery classes help children hone a life skills and also make them knowledgeable about food ingredients, checking labels and food quality even while eating out.

A cookery club, part of the Affinity club in Oakridge for Standard VI to XII students is getting ready to welcome new enthusiasts in the third week of August. Pooja Kumari, in-charge of Affinity Club, says the focus is on cooking and maintaining hygiene, reading labels for ingredients and checking the shelf life of a product. “We start with the basics; the students should also be aware of safety precautions to take before the food goes into a vessel.” This awareness, she explains, will help them learn and contribute to safety standards in their own way.

At Gopi Byluppala’s The Culinary Lounge in Jubilee Hills, an interactive space takes visitors on a culinary voyage. While information conveyed in a casual tone stays with the youth, children learn from observing, observes Gopi, an engineer turned food entrepreneur.

The Culinary Lounge curates classes for food enthusiasts from different walks of life. It holds sessions for students of different grades in schools to help them explore food and ignite creativity through cooking activities. Workshops at Rockwell International School, Keystone International School, Oakridge International School and The Future Kids School aim not to focus on recipes but let a ‘kid understand the kitchen and food.”

“Youngsters do go out to dine with parents or as a group of friends. Eating out cannot be avoided but remembering a few things can minimize the risk,” he says. Don’t select restaurants based on discounts/deals; ensure food is hot, and talk to the chef. “Strike a conversation with the chef; tell them you are at the restaurant to have a good experience and eat fresh, hot food. This conversation creates an emotional value and a responsibility too,” says Gopi adding, “Our job is to educate but not decide what they eat out.”

The cookery club’s guidelines evolved over the years. From learning to cook and share with friends, the students of Fountainhead, The Global School in Hydernagar, Miyapur learn to respect and discover foods from other states. The school dedicates September to improving skills in cooking and conducting ‘Show your skills’ session. “From planting to plating ...we train and support to build this life skill,” says the school’s founder and chairperson, Meghana Musunuri. A recently-concluded session had students list the ingredients of a fizzy drink and nutrients one gets from eating a fruit. “Children love to experiment. So rather than preaching to them, don’t eat outside, we help them read labels and make choices in real-time.”