Paul Dwyer students swapped between kitchen and dining-room duties during a hands-on visit to Bistro ’67 at Durham College’s Whitby campus on November 3.
The Hospitality and Tourism Specialist High Skills Major group from Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School explored the work involved in running a restaurant. A Durham Catholic District School Board report published November 10 described the experience in an account written by two participating students.
Learning both sides of a restaurant
The visitors were divided into two groups of eight. One began with front-of-house operations while the other worked on back-of-house skills, before the groups switched roles so everyone could experience both settings.
In the dining-room portion, the Paul Dwyer students learned about Durham College’s hospitality programmes, point-of-sale systems, customer service and cleaning and sanitation procedures.
They also made two mocktails, exploring how beverages are prepared and presented as part of a restaurant service.
Kitchen skills and communication
The kitchen activities covered preparing meals efficiently, arranging food on a plate and working safely around several chefs in a busy environment.
The board’s account also highlights the short warnings and position calls used to help colleagues move safely around hot equipment, sharp tools and other kitchen hazards. Communication was presented alongside practical cooking skills, rather than as a separate part of the visit.
A meal they helped prepare
Students finished the visit with lunch they had helped make: a bacon cheeseburger on a toasted bun and a salad using locally sourced Ontario ingredients. They could also choose between the mocktails prepared during their activities.
The school board directs students interested in Specialist High Skills Major opportunities to their school guidance department for information about the programmes available to them.
Sources
Featured image: original conceptual editorial illustration, not documentary photography.
