Medicine Hat school pitches dessert ideas for restaurant’s menu

The project gave the students the opportunity to work across multiple curricular areas, while being creative in a real world setting.

When the school initially reached out to chef Adam Koch from Hometown restaurant in Medicine Hat, he said he jumped on the chance to collaborate.

Koch, co-owner of the restaurant, said he thought the community engagement was incredible, and he hoped to inspire young people to end up in the hospitality industry.

He said that the school does a really integrated learning program.

“I think there’s an inclusivity involved there. I think that all these different learning styles will appeal to one kid or another,” he said.

“Everybody gets to participate, and everyone gets to contribute, and I think we definitely saw that in the presentations and how they’ve presented their ideas,” he added.

“Some kids really dove into the performative aspect, some dove into the artistic aspect. I think it was just really comprehensive.”

Max Mielke, in grade five, said that his desert idea was campfire brownies.

He said that he was kind of nervous giving his presentation.

“I just remembered that no one is supposed to laugh and stuff, so I was just- I was kind of nervous, but I did it anyway.”

Mielke said that his dessert was chosen out of his class as one of the three finalists in the school.

“My mom and I made a promise that if my dessert does win I have- they’re going to take me there, and I’m gonna be able to try it for myself,” he said.

Kadence Baker, in grade five, said that her dessert pitch was oreo pie.

Jayk Sterkenburg/CHAT News

She said that she herself is a baker.

“Well, my last name is Baker. And I like making cookies, like I bake a lot,” she said.

“I like making cookies and cupcakes, and sometimes I try and make bread. But I like baking,” she added.

Baker said that she was nervous giving her presentation, but also really excited.

“My whole class, they would ask me a bunch of questions, and a lot of the attention would be on me,” she said.

Koch said that it’s the nature of the business to keep their menu relatively small, and to keep it fresh and exciting.

He said that this is a huge opportunity to show the engagement and really appreciate the work that the students have put in.

“I’m honestly overwhelmed. I think the presentations were so creative and all three were so different from one another,” he said.

“It just shows when you give kids a little bit of kind of free reign and let them generate ideas, the results speak for themselves,” he added.

“Just incredible what they put together today.”

Koch said that he has created plenty of menus in his career, but never in collaboration with grade five and six students.

by Jayk Sterkenburg

Medicine Hat school pitches dessert ideas for restaurant’s menu

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