Every Monday evening, the kitchen at S-Deli on the Dewey Tay Ho Tay campus becomes livelier than ever. The sound of sizzling dishes, the sight of small and dainty hands learning to knead dough, wrap spring rolls… Occasionally, there are casual questions: “Teacher, does this look like a restaurant dish?”; “Teacher, can I take some flour home to cook for my mom?”. These are familiar sounds and scenes from the cooking class at The Dewey Schools’ Cooking Club.
Still wearing the familiar chef’s uniform, Mr. Ngo Thien Tue (Head Chef of S-Deli) is addressed with a more affectionate title by the students: “Teacher Tue”. Whenever he hears the word “teacher,” Mr. Tue feels a sense of pride and joy, despite having taught for over a year. This pride serves as a constant reminder for him to consistently strive for improvement, ensuring that each class becomes a fresh and enriching experience and nurturing the students’ passion for cooking.
Mr. Tue believes that cooking is not merely about combining ingredients and spices according to a recipe; it is also an art that demands skillfulness and meticulousness. Without enough passion, it can be challenging to pursue this profession. “I hope that through cooking, the children will cultivate focus and perseverance. We always encourage them to be creative in the cooking process, for instance, adjusting spices based on their family’s unique tastes or decorating a dish like pho rolls to make it visually appealing,” shared Mr. Tue.
Mr. Tue’s lesson plans, along with those of the S-Deli teachers, are exceptionally unique. They consist of meticulously prepared cooking recipes, detailing each step, complemented by vivid illustrations for every stage and the final dish. To craft these elaborate lesson plans, before each class, the teachers themselves diligently experiment with the recipes, refining them for ease of understanding and execution. Even during peak periods, despite being incredibly busy, Mr. Tue and the S-Deli teachers remain enthusiastic about meticulously preparing the lesson plans, ingredients, and tools, ensuring they never miss an appointment with their students.
With the desire for students to have the best experiences, Mr. Tue and the S-Deli Teachers devised a highly personalized lesson plan following the motto “each occasion has its own type of food.”. On Valentine’s Day, students learn to make chocolate cakes; during Christmas, they delve into gingerbread cookie baking… Additionally, the teachers always ensure there are enough ingredients for the students to proudly showcase their creations to their families. They frequently organize small cooking competitions, offering bubble tea as a modest prize. Despite their small size, these competitions bring much joy and excitement, making the Cooking Club’s classes always vibrant with laughter.
Hopefully Mr. Tue and the S-Deli teachers will steadfastly maintain their passion, continuing to instruct and ignite the fire within students who love cooking.
