Young Chefs Club indulge in Etiquette 101
Published:Tuesday | April 4, 2017 | 12:00 AMKrysta Anderson
They always say if you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. But last Saturday, young chefs were placed in a different hot seat when Tarragon and Thyme (T &T) took them on a journey through etiquette.
According to owner of Delicious Occasions and the Young Chefs Cooking Club, Latoya Panton, "During the Easter term, we focused on French cuisine, and at the end of the term we have our big event - a tasting of French foods, where we invite families and friends to come in and enjoy a sampling of the dishes that were taught during the term."
Rules are rules, Panton said, as she introduced fine French cuisine to the eager group. The first rule of the evening was to put all phones under the table, and instead bask in the culinary moment, sans the distraction of social media. Fancy decor complemented by a beautiful moon made the occasion a grand one, and with the menu for the evening in both French and English, we all could not wait to savour the flavours which would soon make music on the palates.
The kitchen was staffed by volunteer professional chefs. Chef Kenard Swaby, who teaches the Young Chefs advanced culinary class, was the head chef, Chef Taneisha Fairclough, who teaches the Baking Club, was in charge of desserts; and assisting them were Chef Karl Thomas of Lillians Restaurant at the University of Technology; chef Shabanu Thompson; chef Jaseth Jackson and chef Danyon Swaby.
The group indulged in not a three-,but a six-course meal. From savoury soup to salad fresh from the Delicious Occasions' garden; seafood medley, courtesy of Rainforest (accompanied by white wine); to delicious pork chops (paired with red wine), then a splash of creamy cheese, before finishing off with sweet dessert - it's safe to say that c'est la vie and bon appetite were the real order of the day.
TIPS WHEN DINING
Some young chefs had light conversation among themselves, while others were up and about in-between courses. In the end, the dinner was a hit among both the young chefs and adults in attendance. And since you weren't able to make it, we provided a few tips to keep in mind when dining:
- Sit upright and close to the table.
- Wait until everyone at your table has been served before you start eating.
- When having soup, scoop the spoon away from your body. When there is very little left in the bowl, tilt it away from you then continue to scoop the contents. Once done, place the spoon to the side of the plate.
- If you're waiting on another course, introduce yourself to those at the table and start a conversation.
- Once you've finished eating, turn the teeth or the prong of the fork down, and both knife and fork placed at 10 and four o'clock. Knives should be pointed in because in some cultures, it's an offence when they are facing out. During a meal, the knife and fork should be separated at a five and seven angle, like on the face of a clock.
- Keep the three hand rule in mind: Always - hands lightly resting on the table; sometimes - arms are a little higher; and never - elbows upright on the table.