As part of the B. Tech. elective course, coded HUM 259, Understanding Science of Food and Nutrition, a workshop on Food Service Management and Dietetics was organized by the department of Humanities under the guidance of Dr. Janci Rani P. R. and Dr. Tharanidevi N. on 31st March and 1st April 2016. As an outcome of the two day workshop, a student run Food Court, “Arusuvai”, was set up. More than fifty five B. Tech. students registered as participants for this workshop and prepared more than forty traditional recipes and served them to all. Special dishes like ragi kazhi, keerai kadachal, wheat roti, alma juice and snacks (like adisrasam, kai murukku corn and capsicum wheat sandwich) were prepared by the students and were well appreciated by the consumers.
Such a workshop provides hands on training and practical experience about food service. Through such workshops, students are introduced and trained in areas including: layout plan, budget, menu plan, food production, food service, sales and marketing, crisis management, food safety and hygiene, as well as waste management. This kind of learning provides a platform to overcome resistance towards learning a life skill and gives confidence in meeting a basic need- the ability to cook. Learning these life skills could also help to develop entrepreneurs in the food industry.
