A bid to ‘cook up’ assignments

Writing college assignments is passe.  

The practicum component of the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUGP) has ushered in a refreshing shift in academic engagement. In a novel pedagogical initiative held on Friday, college students were tasked with preparing recipes from continents beyond Asia, transforming the classroom into a space of creative exploration and cultural immersion. 

As part of the FYUGP practicum titled “Taste Routes of Colonialism and Emigration,” students of Government Arts College in the city who opted for “ Food, Literature and Culture” offered by the Department of English, explored how the movement of people, power, and produce has shaped culinary traditions across continents. The initiative linked literary texts with lived culinary experiences, enabling students to interpret migration and colonial legacies through the sensory language of food. 

Conducted under the paper “Food, Literature and Culture,” the practicum showcased a vibrant assortment of pizzas — margherita, American BBQ, peri peri chicken, herb-roasted cherry tomato, taleggio mushroom, and the Brazilian carupiry cheese and corn pizza — each reflecting a cultural narrative beyond the classroom. 

This experiential approach enabled students to master and apply a refined range of culinary vocabulary essential for their academic pursuits. More importantly, it bridged the gap between theoretical learning and lived experience. 

“The theoretical exploration of colonial recipes and culinary migration attains far greater resonance when students actively participate in preparing dishes from diverse cultures,” observed P.S. Chribuna Viswas, Head of the Department.

Anaswara, first year B.Sc. Botany and Biotechnology student, led the practicum from the students’ side, coordinating the preparation and presentation of the dishes.