Hello! My name is Ashley Statter and I am a Sodexo Dietetic Intern at the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. campus. I am currently finishing up my food service rotation at the George Washington University Hospital (GWUH) in Washington D.C. and have loved my experience! Since the hospital is in the middle of the city and right next to the George Washington University and the Foggy Bottom metro stop, it is always busy and full of people.
Every Wednesday, the FarmFresh Farmers Market is set up right outside the hospital. The beautiful, fresh, and local produce inspired me to incorporate some seasonal ingredients into the GWUH menu and educate customers on the benefits of eating in season. I decided to lead a cooking demonstration because I love to cook and share recipes with others. I believe that one of the biggest reasons some people do not consume enough vegetables is that they do not know how to prepare them in ways that makes them appetizing. To show people that vegetables can be delicious, I demonstrated how to prepare cranberry Brussels sprouts and gave out samples of the Brussels sprouts and butternut squash soup. I had fresh Brussels sprouts, shallots, sage, and butternut squash on display to show the audience what some of the ingredients look like in their raw state. I also let them smell and touch these props to facilitate an interactive experience and get the audience excited about cooking with vegetables.
Leading up to the event, I was a little nervous. I had never led a cooking demonstration before and was anxious that I would incorrectly prepare the recipe or that the audience would be uninterested and unwilling to participate. However, on the day of the event, I had a great time and the audience did as well. I have been cooking since I was very young, so I felt in my element while leading the demonstration. I was also pleased with the customers’ reactions to my event. The cooking demonstration attracted a wide variety of hospital staff members, university students, patient visitors, and Foggy Bottom residents. Multiple people said that they do not like Brussels sprouts, but after tasting the ones I prepared, they were surprised that they actually enjoyed them – this is exactly the response I was hoping for! It felt amazing to share my knowledge of cooking and nutrition with the GW community and experience the audience’s excitement and enthusiasm. Through this experience, I have discovered that I love leading cooking demonstrations and definitely would like to do more in the future.
Every Wednesday, the FarmFresh Farmers Market is set up right outside the hospital. The beautiful, fresh, and local produce inspired me to incorporate some seasonal ingredients into the GWUH menu and educate customers on the benefits of eating in season. I decided to lead a cooking demonstration because I love to cook and share recipes with others. I believe that one of the biggest reasons some people do not consume enough vegetables is that they do not know how to prepare them in ways that makes them appetizing. To show people that vegetables can be delicious, I demonstrated how to prepare cranberry Brussels sprouts and gave out samples of the Brussels sprouts and butternut squash soup. I had fresh Brussels sprouts, shallots, sage, and butternut squash on display to show the audience what some of the ingredients look like in their raw state. I also let them smell and touch these props to facilitate an interactive experience and get the audience excited about cooking with vegetables.
Leading up to the event, I was a little nervous. I had never led a cooking demonstration before and was anxious that I would incorrectly prepare the recipe or that the audience would be uninterested and unwilling to participate. However, on the day of the event, I had a great time and the audience did as well. I have been cooking since I was very young, so I felt in my element while leading the demonstration. I was also pleased with the customers’ reactions to my event. The cooking demonstration attracted a wide variety of hospital staff members, university students, patient visitors, and Foggy Bottom residents. Multiple people said that they do not like Brussels sprouts, but after tasting the ones I prepared, they were surprised that they actually enjoyed them – this is exactly the response I was hoping for! It felt amazing to share my knowledge of cooking and nutrition with the GW community and experience the audience’s excitement and enthusiasm. Through this experience, I have discovered that I love leading cooking demonstrations and definitely would like to do more in the future.
