A pinch of sustainability, a dash of creativity
Communications Team, UWCSEA
12 December 2024
From cultural flavours to sustainable practices, students on East Campus are mixing it all in the Food Technology kitchen.
Food has the power to bring people together, telling stories of history, culture, and identity. In UWCSEA East’s Food Technology kitchen, students have the opportunity to explore these stories firsthand, learning not just how to cook, but how food connects us all.
The kitchen hosts the exciting Food Science and Nutrition course, one of the courses offered in our UWCSEA Grade 9 and 10 Programme. 60 Grade 9 and 19 Grade 10 students discover the complex and colourful world of food through hands-on learning experiences designed to encourage innovation and discovery in food, nutrition, and wellbeing.
Centred on experiential learning that hones each student’s skills in research, analysis, and communication, the programme offers students the opportunity to cook meals for class. By cooking a traditional meal that’s significant in their culture, students celebrate the diversity of our community.
In a space designed for experimentation, students step into an open-concept kitchen each lesson, equipped with stainless steel countertops and modern tools, where they can transform their creativity—and taste it too!
I hope this course—and space—will equip our Grade 9 and 10 students with the knowledge and abilities to make informed decisions about their diets and contribute positively to global food systems. I anticipate that our students will learn the necessary skills with a sense of agency and independence to live out our mission through food.
– Michele Naidu, Head of Food Technology,
East Campus
When analysing ingredient samples, students place their glass slides under Motic Microscopes to learn more about the biochemical properties of the food they consume and its nutritional values. With this knowledge, students can design healthier meal plans that are not only personal but also exciting to create and share.
With our commitment to a sustainable future as a major focus of the course, students actively engage in putting this vision into practice. Using Cara food waste processors, they transform fruit and vegetable scraps into compost, which then fertilises our gardens, ensuring nothing goes to waste. They also explore different food preservation techniques with Rommelsbacher dehydrators to turn fruits like mango and apple and vegetables like sweet potato, into nutritious snacks with unique blends of seasoning. They then explore the entrepreneurial side of food production, like marketing and retail—building real-world skills while championing responsible stewardship.
UWCSEA Grade 9 and 10 Food Science and Nutrition curriculum strands
Health & Wellbeing: Students utilise nutritional tools for meal planning and dietary guidelines to support individualised dietary needs.
Creative Process & Skills: Students evaluate the quality of dishes based on how ingredient selection, precise proportioning and cooking methods impact flavour, texture, and nutritional value.
Sustainable Nutrition: Students support sustainable practices through mindful consumption habits.
Nature of Science: Students explore how the composition of ingredients impacts the quality of the final product.
In the world of food, and especially in this kitchen, nothing goes to waste—not even an idea!
With our commitment to a sustainable future as a major focus of the course, students actively engage in putting this vision into practice. Using Cara food waste processors, they transform fruit and vegetable scraps into compost, which then fertilises our gardens, ensuring nothing goes to waste. They also explore different food preservation techniques with Rommelsbacher dehydrators to turn fruits like mango and apple and vegetables like sweet potato, into nutritious snacks with unique blends of seasoning. They then explore the entrepreneurial side of food production, like marketing and retail—building real-world skills while championing responsible stewardship.