Bon Appetit!

This past Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, our Press Club students received some extra-curricular lessons in the culinary arts—from the inside of a truck.  That’s right!  The Winchester, located at 648 Wealthy Street SE, sent over their comically named food truck “What the Truck” along with some of their chefs to give our Press Club students a meaningful food experience.  Students were divided into small groups and given one full hour of hands-on instruction that involved everything from tenderizing pasta noodles to garnishing rice combos with fresh chesses and herbs.  Yum!  Needless to say, as soon as our lunch hour hit, we were all anxious and excited to see what our Press Club students were going to prepare for us.

Our lunch was indeed delicious!  During their first session, Press Club students prepared a fresh summer salad consisting of lettuce and cherry tomatoes topped off with touches of balsamic vinegar.  Next, servings of linguini pasta that were coated with alfredo sauce and sprinkled with bread crumbs had summer program students raving with approval.  Dessert was a small bowl of red grapes, which was a perfectly health conscious and refreshing end to an all-around fabulous meal.  Both “What the Truck” and its food were huge hits with our staff and our summer program students. 

But what did Press Club students glean from their experience in the truck’s mobile kitchen?  Antonio J. shared that he liked being introduced to new and different kinds of food.  “I never even heard of linguini before,” he said with excitement.  “I thought it was gum!”  His peers and instructors were equally impressed by the food that the kids helped prepare.  When given the chance, everyone would want seconds after!  “Everybody wanted, like, five of them!” said Edgar J., referring to the delicious fajitas that he helped prepare on the second day.  He too was impressed with how the tastes, spices and new ways of preparing food differed from how he originally envisioned them being.  So what was the overall consensus of such a special visit our friends at The Winchester?  We think that Edgar J. had it right when he said “They make everything good!” :)   

An enormous, fun-filled thanks to The Winchester and "What the Truck" for their time, energy, and an overall delicious encounter with our summer program students and staff!        

Press Club siblings Juan and Ana T. sampling some pasta on their day off from cooking!   

Antonio J. and Ignacio L. having a blast as they serve their peers some lunch! 

Indira M. and Donny H. sharing a laugh as they prepare a fruity dessert in the back station of "What the Truck."

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center.