Lesson plan: International cuisine

This lesson plan gives you delivery ideas for our GCSE Food preparation and
nutrition. Cuisine is defined here as a style or characteristic of a particular
country or region where the cuisine has developed historically using distinctive
ingredients, specific preparation and cooking methods or equipment, and
presentation or serving techniques.
This two hour lesson is designed to:
 enhance students' knowledge and understanding of the cuisine of a
particular country or region.
 develop students' research and technical skills with a relevant practical
activity
 provide opportunities for stretch and challenge activities to extend
teaching and learning
You can adapt the lesson plan to the needs of your school, college and students.
You can give students the flexibility of specifying a chosen cuisine or recipe for a
whole class or giving them choices from a specified range of recipes.
This lesson could be delivered over a double lesson period or two single lessons.
Practical work can be done individually or as part of a group to reduce costs.

Learning objectives
This two hour lesson will teach students:
 to identify and explain the distinctive features and ingredients of
Mediterranean cuisine
 to identify the equipment and cooking methods used in Mediterranean
cuisine
 to plan, cook and serve a main meal dish that celebrates the cuisine of a
chosen Mediterranean country
 to develop the following food preparation skills: S1, S2, S3, S6, S7 & S10
 to identify any high risk foods in chosen recipe and suggest ways to cook
safely and minimize risk of food poisoning
 to demonstrate the use of different ingredients including herbs and spices
to enhance the flavours of a dish
  to produce a recipe guide for chosen cuisine with customer information
about the recipe and its health benefits
 to explain how food choices can be related to different influences

Prior knowledge needed

Students will build upon learning from the KS3 cooking and nutrition curriculum.
They will further develop their knowledge and understanding of what constitutes
a balanced diet and the function of the main nutrients in food. They should
already have a good range of practical skills and have made a repertoire of
predominantly savoury products which meet current guidelines for a healthy
diet.

Lesson preparation
Resources and equipment
Set up the food room in advance with all resources and equipment necessary for
both researching different cuisines and making a dish from chosen cuisine.
 PowerPoint presentation
 recipes and instructions to set up and clear away on an interactive
whiteboard or at work stations, to encourage independent learning and
group work
 ICT facilities for nutritional analysis of the product, if time permits
 the online stopwatch to manage timings and add pace to practical
activities.

Activities
Support each lesson with a variety of teaching and learning activities, to include:
 starters, plenaries and opportunities to stretch and challenge
 activities and opportunities to encourage questioning for learning during
demonstrations and practical activities
 practice exam questions to test knowledge and understanding.
Allow time for feedback to students on attainment, progress and reflection on
next steps.

Activity plan
Lesson 1
AO1, AO2 - 5 minutes
International Cuisine: A flavour of the Mediterranean.
Explain to the students that they will be given a demonstration of how to
prepare Mediterranean chicken or fish with roasted vegetables, pasta and a
Greek salad.

Starter Activity
AO1, AO2, AO3 - 25 minutes
Registration and learning objectives. Definition of international cuisine. What
countries make up the Mediterranean? What are the known health benefits of a
Mediterranean diet? What are the main cuisines of the Mediterranean?
Resources:
 PowerPoint presentation
 Differentiated recipes
 Differentiation through effective questioning techniques, using blooms
taxonomy
 Mediterranean chicken tray bake recipe, BBC Good Food website

Main Activity
AO1, AO2, AO3 - 40 minutes
Teacher demonstration of the Mediterranean cuisine from a chosen country, eg.
Italy, France, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Croatia.
What are the main ingredients in this Mediterranean dish? What are the most
popular ingredients in Mediterranean cuisine? What methods of cooking are
commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine? What are the health benefits of a
Mediterranean diet?
Demonstration and discussion of:
 How to marinade chicken or fish
 Preparation of vegetables and meat for roasting
 How to cook meat and vegetables safely, showing an awareness of
effective time and temperature control
 Identification of high risk ingredients and methods of safe cooking that
reduce risk of food poisoning.
 Preparation of Greek salad
 Cook the pasta
 Serving the Mediterranean Chicken, with a suitable garnish to enhance
finish and decoration.
Resources:
 Use of question bags and blooms spoons during discussion and
demonstration
 Individual recipe
 Live Word wall to extend use of technical language, literacy and
numeracy.
 Differentiated recipe cards: Italian, French, Greek, Spanish, Portuguese
Moroccan, Croatian etc
 Recipes for Mediterranean meals on BBC Good Food website

Group session: give students the International cuisine design brief. The
Mediterranean diet is renowned for its health benefits. Select a cuisine from a
Mediterranean country of your choice. Research the features and characteristics
of the chosen cuisine. Plan a main course with accompaniments to make during
the next lesson, which celebrates the cuisine of your choice.'

Homework and preparation for next lesson

1. Select an International cuisine of your choice. Bring in all ingredients, serving
dish and container for your chosen main course.
2. Start research based activity into chosen international cuisine. Students to
produce a recipe card and a customer information guide on chosen cuisine.
Recipe card should include the following information:
 Recipe name and chosen cuisine
 Photograph of dish
 Ingredients list and quantities
 Method of making
 Nutritional profile and health benefits
 Allergy advice and special dietary advice
 Costings and portion size
 Information on ingredients sourcing and any ethical or environmental
claims
 Storage and reheating instructions (if appropriate).
Resources:
 Differentiated homework worksheets and home learning resources to
carry out research into chosen cuisine
 Example of product leaflet
Lesson 2

Starter Activity
AO3
Registration and objectives. Inform students they are to plan, prepare, cook and
serve a main course dish which celebrates an international cuisine. Questioning
for learning: recap what makes a successful practical lesson. Preparation for
practical work. Use online stopwatch to set up workstations.
Resources:
 PowerPoint with objectives, recipes and lesson outline, groups and tasks
 Online stopwatch

Main activity
AO3, AO4
Skills include: general practical skills, knife skills, use of the cooker, use of a
range of small equipment, different cooking methods, tenderising and
marinating.
1. Prepare, cook and serve a main course dish which celebrates chosen
international cuisine
2. Follow a set of instructions carefully with the awareness of the importance of
working safely and hygienically at all times
3. Develop a good workshop routine, working independently whilst adhering to
tight time deadlines and producing a good quality lunch dish with a high level
of finish
4. Work effectively as a team to clear away work stations and equipment
following the essential instructions to maintain high standards of cleanliness
and good hygiene throughout
5. Serve dish and present for assessment.
Plenary: Celebration display and teacher or peer assessment of final dishes.
Feedback on attainment, self-reflection and individual targets set for next
practical activity. Photography of final dishes made for use on recipe card.
Final presentation of dishes and student explanation of how dishes meet the
international cuisine design brief. Discussion of possible improvements to
international dish made.
Further work and reading
Extension - Stretch and challenge activity
You can differentiate the design brief to meet the individual student needs.
Outcomes can range from a snack or starter, a basic main meal or a complex
main meal served with suitable carbohydrate and vegetable accompaniment. The
brief is designed to offer you the flexibility to allow students to choose from a
wide range of cuisines. You can also specify a cuisine or recipe and the lesson
plan can be simplified or extended accordingly.

Homework and preparation for next lesson

Completion of International cuisine homework task below.
Students to complete production of a recipe card and customer information
guide on chosen cuisine. Recipe card should include the following information:
Recipe name and chosen cuisine, photograph of dish, ingredients list and
quantities method of making, nutritional profile and health benefits, allergy
advice and special dietary advice, costings and portion size, information on
ingredients sourcing and any ethical or environmental claims and finally storage
and reheating instructions (if appropriate).
Resources:
 Explore food, Food a fact of life website