Boys2Cooks the innovative program teaching boarding students life skills
On Monday October 15, 2012 at 9am Yr 11 Knox Grammar boarding students will take over the kitchens at William Angliss Institute’s Industry Training Centre Sydney, as part of Boys2Cooks, a program that teaches students fundamental cooking and life skills.
The successful and innovative initiative created by Knox Grammar and William Angliss Institute helps teach male secondary school boarding students independence, wellbeing and self-sufficiency and has been enthusiastically received by students, parents and teachers alike.
On Monday the students will learn how to cook the perfect steak, seasonal salads and a Banoffi Pie (Banana and Toffee Pie).
“Boys2Cooks is a highlight for boys and boarding parents. Parents have noticed that their sons are more likely to cook at home and make a simple meal for their family. The program helps to ensure that each boy achieves his best in both the curricular and co-curricular environments – a key objective of Knox Grammar. We believe this goal can be best realised within a supportive and stimulating educational environment that includes a broad range of educational experiences and resources,” Knox Grammar’s Boarding Liaison Officer Helen Clarke said.
“The Boys2Cooks program is about preparing the students for domestic life once they leave the comfort of the boarding environment. We deliver basic cookery skills that focus on how to use ingredients and to cook. The aim is to break down the fear of cooking that some boys may have and challenge them to ‘unlearn’ their traditional ideas about using the kitchen at home,” William Angliss Institute’s NSW/ACT Training Co-Coordinator Matthew Steel said.
“We create a fun space that sees all students involved: accessing and using real industry equipment, re-creating modern and traditional dishes. First lessons, generally with year 7 boarders we introduce the humble egg into the minds of our young students and show them how we use eggs across the day and across the palates of sweet and savoury. There have also been BBQ master classes and workshops on man-canapés where young men learn how to cook and entertain for friends in a simple and tasty way, “ Mr. Steel said.”
“Four years ago Knox developed a new approach to boarding. Part of this was to establish a Whole of Life program to ensure that all of our boarders participated in a range of experiences developed skills and build their confidence and well-being. “ Ms Clarke said.
The program curriculum was developed with William Angliss Institute and is based on the age specific interest and skills of the boys.
William Angliss Institute hosts a range of educational, unique and innovative courses from its new purpose-built commercial kitchens, state-of-the-art Coffee Academy and specialty classrooms. William Angliss Institute’s Angliss Industry Training Centre Sydney is located at 26-32 Waterloo Street, Surry Hills.
Established in 1940, William Angliss Institute is the specialist-training provider for foods, tourism and hospitality. William Angliss Institute conducts compliance and industry training with flexible learning solutions and training delivery options to suit the needs of organisations across Australia, as well as short courses, certificates, diplomas, graduate certificates and bachelor degrees.
William Angliss Institute is located at 26-32 Waterloo Street, Surry Hills For more information go to: http://www.angliss.edu.au/sydney/ or phone + 61 2 9125 5111.
