Senior Food Technology students have had wonderful opportunities to apply their syllabus learning by participating in industry excursions and practical class activities. The class of Year 12 visited the Baba Ghanouj restaurant at Castle Hill and the Chocolate and Nougat factory at Gosford. They were also treated to an incursion presented by the innovative packaging company Sealed Air and had fun recreating “me too” Arnott's biscuit varieties.
Enjoy Eli and Jayna’s excursion account below.
On Thursday the 5th of May, the Year 12 Food Tech class, accompanied by Mrs Dirckze, visited The Chocolate and Nougat Factory, and Baba Ghanouj Restaurant. We drove off on a bus and were very excited to arrive at the Chocolate factory. We were fascinated to see all the different types of chocolate that were on display.
The Chocolate and Nougat Factory in Gosford specialises in Bonbons, everything marshmallows, Belgium chocolates, and an array of other unique and delicious treats. We began the day with fresh croissants drizzled with chocolate, a strawberry fan and a warm hot chocolate. This was followed by a chocolate decorating workshop where each student had the opportunity to select a chocolate flavour which was then poured into moulds. We then selected different toppings to decorate our chocolate. Amongst our group, a few favourites included rose petals and coconut. Throughout the visit, we were guided by the founder of The Chocolate and Nougat Factory. We observed the automated machinery at work, and the factory’s internal processes including the production and processing line, packaging, storage and quality control. The owner began the business in his own home creating many of the chocolates we saw and tasted throughout our visit. He has secret recipes and due to his popularity, his business eventually expanded to its current home on the Central Coast. We gave a massive thank you to our tour guide who explained the many processes and workings of the company and for answering our many questions, accompanied by many taste tests as we walked. This was a valuable experience and extremely helpful in solidifying the knowledge we have learnt throughout our Year 12 course; Food Manufacturing and Food Product Development, allowing our class to see the applications of this knowledge first-hand in an industry setting. We look forward to visiting The Chocolate and Nougat Factory again and trying more of their delicious treats.
Next, we visited Baba Ghanouj in Castle Hill. The restaurant serves Lebanese cuisine and is owned by the Ayoub family. It was established 6 months ago, although the family business has been running for around 7 years. Mrs Ayoub showed the class around the restaurant and how it operates. We observed how the organisation of the kitchen was set up to prevent contamination, as well as how ingredients were stored conveniently and well protected. Mrs Ayoub informed us of the importance of storing food and consuming it as soon as possible to avoid food wastage. At the end of the tour, the chef kindly provided us with a taste of Lebanese cuisine. This has definitely improved our understanding of food development and manufacturing. It also made us realise how hard-working chefs are.
This experience was extremely valuable to our Food Technology course as it provided key insights into the applications of our knowledge in Food Product Development and Manufacturing in the industry setting of a factory and restaurant. Our day out was fun-filled and a very enjoyable experience. On behalf of our Year 12 Food Technology class, we owe a massive thank you to Mrs Dirckze for all her dedication and hard work in organising such an amazing and informative day.
- Eli and Jayna Year 12 Food Technology
