Sodexo teaches health
Students learn cooking techniques for fast, easy meals
Sodexo Dining Services hosted an educational cooking demonstration at the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall Feb. 5, giving students the opportunity to learn easy and healthy cooking techniques.
The cooking demonstration featured various stations where students could watch Sodexo chefs prepare a variety of dishes in a step-by-step process while learning about the importance of nutritious food choices, according to Catering Chef Peter Jerominek.
Students also had the opportunity to taste test the chefs’ creations, savoring fresh dishes such as creamy avocado hummus, three-ingredient peanut butter and chocolate ice cream and The Easiest Red Curry Ever, all of which used natural, healthy fats as their base ingredients.
HEALTH — Sodexo encourages students to make smart eating choices. Photo credit: Courtney Russo
“The purpose is to showcase examples of healthy fats,” Jerominek said. “So many people today are generally interested in cooking but don’t have the nuts and bolts to put it together.”
According to Sodexo Marketing Assistant Casey Guise, the cooking demonstration had a satisfactory student turnout, and the students seemed to enjoy the lively culinary entertainment.
Students were also given helpful recipe handouts so they could attempt to recreate the dishes on their own.
“At Liberty Dining, we always want to promote health and wellness,” Guise said. “Having a cooking (demonstration) allows for the culture to expand here at Liberty.”
Guise said Sodexo events give students the opportunity to experience different cultural cooking traditions and gain general and practical knowledge of food preparation while also tasting foods.
Robin Quay, a Sodexo dietician, said she works to create nutritious food for Reber-Thomas Dining Hall, such as the “healthy fats” dishes displayed during the cooking demonstration.
“Foods that are rich in the omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation, which plays a role in many chronic disease processes, such as heart disease and arthritis,” Quay said. “Foods that are particularly high in the omega-3 fatty acids include tuna, salmon, tree nuts, canola and olive oils, flax seed and avocado.”
Liberty Dining Services and Sodexo will continue to host cooking demonstrations and other special dining opportunities throughout the spring semester, including themed parties and culinary cultural enrichment opportunities, according to Guise.
For more information, visit liberty.edu.