Denise Reid, Gleaner Writer
Some of the students who ate, drank and made merry at the Heinz Simonitsch School's International Food Fair held last Friday. They are with their principal Diane Girvan (back row left). - photos by Denise Reid
Parents and students of the Heinz Simonitsch School in Montego Bay recently displayed their culinary and decorative skills at the school's first International Food Fair, held last Friday. The result was an amalgamation of scrumptious dishes from 16 different nations.
Situated at the Half Moon Shopping Village, the school is home to students from over 20 different nationalities. Deciding to capitalise on this unique feature, a group of parents, along with the principal Diane Girvan, formed a committee and organised the international food fair.
Noa Jensch, one of the parents instrumental in the fair, told Food, "The different nationalities at the school is unique. As a result, we felt it was something that should be celebrated."
Parents cooked for children
Thinking of a creative way to highlight their diversity, the parents decided to enrich the lives of the children by cooking for them. The children also became involved, as each class was responsible for decorating the display area for the dishes that were presented.
With one month for research, students got an opportunity to learn about other countries. They looked for creative décor to represent the different cultures.
Both food and display booths were of a high standard. From Indian dishes which boasted delights such as vegetable samosa to the African display that featured Nigerian and South African dishes; patrons were eager to have a bite from each continent.
In staging the food fair, the Heinz Simonitsch School has not only helped children to appreciate different cultures, but also found a way to start the holiday season.