“Cooking is more than just a lifetime skill. It’s more about a lifestyle. Knowing how to cook can help one to make friends, like I have done in this CCA. Learning Chinese cooking is also a way of spreading Chinese Culture.” -Ricky Liang, Year 12 Student
At Pao School, students are encouraged to develop wholistically, gaining skills that will serve them throughout their lives. The Chinese Cooking and Baking CCAs are prime examples, offering immersion in culinary traditions and valuable life skills. Through hands-on experiences, students learn to cook or bake, collaborate with peers, and develop a deeper appreciation for cultural heritage, one dish at a time.
The Chinese Cooking CCA, led by teacher Joy Zhou, is a favourite among students. She maintains that every Chinese dish is rich in cultural significance. While enjoying the preparation and consumption of homemade food, students can appreciate the deeper meaning it embodies. For her, cooking is not just about satisfying taste buds, but about mastering an essential life skill. Each session begins with Ms. Zhou selecting a traditional dish for the class to learn about, using fresh, seasonal ingredients, and attuned to traditional Chinese festivals, such as making fresh meat mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Ricky Liang, a Year 12 student, explained that 回锅肉 (hui guo rou), known as twice-cooked pork, involves a two-step cooking process. First, the pork is boiled, and then sautéed in a frying pan with vegetables. Ricky's specific responsibility for this dish was to wash and chop the vegetables while his team handled the other tasks. To save time and streamline the process for the students, the pork was pre-sliced before cooking. Maggie Qian, also in Year 12, said she especially enjoyed making handmade noodles. Although this is typically a complex process that can take up to three hours, by following Ms. Zhou’s directions of cutting the noodles instead of stretching them out, she was able to finish the process within the 45 minutes of class time.
The Baking CCA, led by teacher Ann Wang, meets every Monday and Wednesday. Ms. Wang, a baking enthusiast, wants students to experience the joy and sense of accomplishment that comes from baking and sharing their creations with others. Much like the Chinese Cooking CCA, Ms. Wang ensures that everything is prepared in advance, so students can begin baking as soon as they arrive, having arranged all the ingredients prior to class. In past sessions, she has guided students in making a variety of Western pastries, including madeleines, scones, and chocolate lava cakes, as well as traditional Chinese snacks like peach crisps.
Gabrielle Mao, a Year 12 student, explains that she joined the CCA as it was her last opportunity to participate before heading off to university. She fondly recalls her first experience of baking on her own—a margarita cookie—and the sense of fulfilment she felt upon successfully creating it. She doesn’t always indulge in the baked goods herself, and stated “I think one of the good things of baking is I feel fulfillment when others taste my product, because it’s like others approve your skill and appreciate your product. It’s a great fulfillment and happiness to me”. Similarly, Tony Yang, also from Year 12, described making matcha cookies, in a process made smooth by the support of his peers and clear instructions. He also experimented with making matcha popcorn, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
Despite their differences, the Chinese Cooking CCA and the Baking CCA share important commitments. Both provide students with immediately rewarding opportunities to improve their culinary knowledge, appreciation, and practical skills, teaching lessons of lifelong value. Ricky Liang, for instance, learnt that cooking is not just a crucial life skill, but also a way of life, an opportunity to make friends, and a window onto Chinese culture.
Maggie Qian echoed these sentiments, stating that being able to prepare authentic Chinese dishes will allow her to carry a piece of home away with her, when she departs for study overseas. By mastering cooking and baking, students gain the confidence to prepare meals for themselves and others, strengthening the sense of community and belonging wherever they may be.
