Clover Youth: Career Workshops

Clover Youth was initiated by the high school graduates, who are dedicated to create learning opportunities via practice and social environment led by youth peers, cultivating youth with love, ideas and action. It is located in Guangzhou city.

"What do you think life is like as a chef?" A question posted to ChunHua school students by the host at the very beginning of the lecture. 

Following last week's Chef class sponsored by Green Grass Weekend Camp, a subsequent class on Chef’s Expertise started in the afternoon of the 25th  at ChunHua school. Comparing to the first class which focused on hands-on in cake baking, this second class focused on the expertise, knowledge relevant to a professional chef.   The goal is to increase students' interest and understanding of the profession of chef through these lessons and activities

"The chef is a cook!", said one of the girls telling us what is her idea of a chef like.  Most students consider chef is a hard working profession.  After introduction by high school teacher on chef’s basic situation, such as grade levels of chef, compensations, working condition and required quality, ethics, etc., students began to understand more about the profession of chef. The guest speaker presented a thought-provoking question to students : "Do you know why some chefs can command a higher salary such as eight or nine thousand Yuan per month, and some chefs can get only three or four thousand ?"

"Because higher paid chef can cook more delicious food than those who get paid less !",  answered one student.

While students were still pondering on this question, host started to explain a highly paid chef must have full passion for this profession.Then some fresh vegetables appeared on the projector screen.  Teacher LaoPai explained how to identify fresh vegetables.  And as a good chef, selecting fresh, high quality food ingredients is essential.Even teachers sometime were puzzled by some of these similar looking vegetables, they are pleasantly surprised by several students who were able to properly identify and gave the correct answers.  "This is a Water Spinach!",  "This is the Lettuce!", "Shepherd's Purse!".  Students are getting more enthusiastic and more involved in class discussion.  Not only that, students are very knowledgeable. For instance, garlic and ginger can remove the fishy smell from steamed fish, potatoes sprouting is toxic and not edible.

Played a game called “See who can first correctly name the vegetable while is being drawn”.  Student is required to complete the drawing within a very limited time and as result, unable to draw one which is easily distinguishable. None of the students were able to name it correctly.  Those students gave wrong answers went on the podium to provide their explanations why.  Their innocent juvenile commentary is full of fun.  The whole classroom is full of laugh.

After the game, teacher Wai-Ting hosted a question-answer competition on various spices.  Students jumped up and tried to be the first one to answer.  None of these questions on salt, vinegar, curry sauce, cumin powder, oil, etc. can stump the students.  Every student won some “prize” at the end of the competition.  The “prize” is to taste Korean chili sauce and Japanese wasabi.  Even though the “prize” is beyond what they expected, the participation is still very active.  Tears started to shed when tasting mustard and wasabi.  Students all hurried up to look for water to drink.  The scene is so funny.

"I want to become a famous cuisine chef.  Prepare healthy, delicious food for others.  The best reward is seeing others happy when enjoying the food I prepared”.  After the lesson, students realized they know more now about what it takes to be a good chef.  Some of the students started thinking about their career as a professional chef and also got the support from their parents.   Although they know chef is a hard job, but their young heart still carries this simple dream.  Some students treated this job as a springboard, to learn the skills first, and then continue to improve and develop into a broader career path.

"No matter what career you’ll have one day, I hope you always have passion,  willing to try your best, maximize your potential and adhere to professional ethics.”.  One of the teachers offered this sincere advice to students.

Teachers are very satisfied the way this class was designed and carried out.  Students are inspired to participate.  There have been many "windfall" from this class which is beyond and above their original expectation.  Teachers believe the class will have been even more valuable, effective, if more food material and spices were presented in the class.

Original article written by Xiang Wang, translated by Joe Hsu, edited by Yanyan Zhang