WORCESTER — During April break, a group of Culinary Arts students from Worcester Technical High School had the opportunity to travel to France to experience the culture and learn a few things.
“I wanted to experience the different techniques used in their cooking. A lot of people say that French cuisine is really special or different, so I wanted to taste some of that,” says Junior. said Destiny Gonzalez. “And I also enjoyed learning with other French students.”
Kevin Layton, chef instructor and head of culinary arts at Worcester Technical High School, and another Worcester Technical School teacher attended the Loire Valley School of Hospitality and Tourism six years ago, but their relationship began two years ago. It started on.
Eight years ago, Leighton answered a call from a hospitality school instructor. Since then, Layton has connected his students with students at the school every year.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute students connected with pen pals at a hospitality college they visited over the holidays. The trip was a first for Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
“(Meeting pen pals) was very interesting. When you work with students, you see the way they interact with each other, which is a little different from how we interact with our colleagues. ” said Gonzalez.
Throughout each academic year, Worcester Polytechnic Institute students collaborate with the Department of Hospitality on projects to learn about French culture and students’ daily lives at school and at home.
“It’s more about understanding and understanding that there are other languages out there,” Layton said. “It wasn’t just a field trip, it was an interaction.”
Hospitality students have visited Worcester Polytechnic Institute approximately six times. This was the first time Worcester Polytechnic Institute visited them.
“The whole country was in complete culture shock,” junior Limarlyn Bonilla said. “The scenery was amazing and the people were so nice.”
The first thing the students participated in was a sweets class. I made pistachio mousse, berry balm, baguette, and croissant on a shortbread cookie base. Students learned how baguettes are mixed from start to finish and how croissants are made “the French way.” Bonilla said French croissant-making techniques are different.
“It was really cool just seeing how they put the butter in and rolled it up and created that flaky layer,” Layton said.
Looking back on their journey, their most memorable experiences were those outside of the kitchen.
“It was really amazing, especially when I went to Paris. There were so many really beautiful buildings and the whole city was gorgeous,” Gonzalez said. “We were able to connect with other cultures. You don’t usually think about it, but when you go there, some people don’t understand how we (as Americans) interact with each other. Masu.”
Hospitality students will be visiting Worcester Polytechnic Institute early next year. Worcester Polytechnic Institute plans to return to France in about two years, Layton said.
“It was a really great experience and I hope (Worcester Polytechnic Institute students) can do this more often in the future,” Bonilla said. “And it would be great if[French students]came here more often.”
