The London Chef Cooks with Grade 2 Students

December 9, 2021

Academics

GNS

In connection with their IB PYP Unit of Inquiry ‘How we express ourselves,’ Chef Dan Hayes paid two visits to GNS to cook with the Grade 2 classes. Chef Dan, better known as the London Chef, gave students the chance to experience French cuisine when he prepared crêpes with them.

He first came to the Junior School on November 1 to demonstrate the basics of crêpe making, and returned on December 6 to incorporate the students’ own creative crêpe filling recipes.

“We are getting inspiration from our surroundings to create unique recipes,” said Mme. Kathleen Stamp-Vincent. “The students came up with their own flavour combinations after trying Chef Dan’s French cooking during his first visit and having a mock trip to Paris.”

The Grade 2s took those experiences and considered different ingredients, then learned how to say different words in French that had to do with cooking.

There were quite a few different ingredients used to make fillings for both sweet and savory crêpes, from chocolate sauce and maple syrup, to pineapple and broccoli. Sampling crêpes at the end of each visit was definitely the highlight for the group.

“I was actually kind of inspired at how some of the students wanted to try vegetables in their crêpes,” added Mme. Stamp-Vincent. “They were all being very open-minded.”

All the students from Ms. Kathryn Wild’s and Ms. Judy Newman’s classes were able to participate, while still minding any allergies and food intolerances.

“I’ve never made so many crêpes before, and there are some absolutely revolting-looking combinations going in them,” joked Chef Dan. “And that’s what’s fun! It should be experimentation. Who am I to say that bananas, whipped cream, grated cheese, bell peppers, tomatoes and potato chips can’t go together?”

Reviews of some of the crêpe fillings were definitely mixed.

“Cheese, chips, peppers, that was my vegetable crêpe,” said Charlie. “It was not good, I liked the other one more.”

“I tried one with chocolate, peaches and pineapple,” commented Lillian. “But I think I liked the salty one more.”

“Food goes together with culture, which goes together with language,” remarked Chef Dan. “We can learn about the food from a country or a region, and also pick up some language in a fun way while we’re doing it.”

Thank you to the London Chef for spending time with our Grade 2 classes. Bon appétit!