Learning Cooking Science the Begawan Guru way

From May to September 2024, the students of Begawan Guru Learning Centre embarked on a five-month journey into Cooking Science. Through a series of hands-on activities designed specifically for Balinese children, the children immersed themselves in the world of food, from local food sources to preparation styles to service and consumption. The students’ final project — hosting a dining event in the Learning Centre — was the perfect culmination of the program.

A young student wearing a chef's hat and apron, harvesting fresh herbs in a lush garden as part of the Begawan Guru Cooking Science program.

Begawan Guru’s progressive curriculum is centred around 12 thematic programs, each of which is designed for transdisciplinary learning and allows students to gain and apply knowledge in real-world scenarios and entrepreneurial settings. Begawan’s education team designed a comprehensive Cooking Science program that would impart skills and knowledge, develop mindful eating habits, and introduce students to a range of careers in the culinary arts.

The program began with food sourcing and ingredients, and extended to cooking techniques, the impact of food on health, and the cultural significance of food. As the theme continued, students explored specific topics such as food preservation, presentation techniques, and food sustainability. Along the way they enjoyed blind food tasting, cooking competitions and field activities.

A group of students learning how to make Kusamba sea salt.
A student learning how to make Kusamba sea salt.

To better understand where specific ingredients come from, the students visited Uyah Kusamba Organic Salt, a traditional salt farming facility in Kusamba village in the southeast of Bali. Here they were guided by local experts in the process of making Kusamba sea salt.

Get a look inside Begawan Guru's innovative Cooking Science program, one of 12 thematic programs in its tailored curriculum for Balinese students.
Students learning to cook traditional Balinese dishes like lawar, tum ayam, and sambal embe over an open fire.

While learning about food preparation, the students took an outdoor cooking class and learned to prepare traditional Balinese dishes on open fire, such as lawar, tum ayam, and sambal embe. Afterwards, they ate together as a group in a tradition called ‘megibung’.

Students learning table setting and serving techniques from professional chefs in Bali.
Students learning table setting and serving techniques from professional chefs in Bali.

The children took a deep dive into the food and beverage hospitality when they visited a local culinary school. They learned from culinary professionals how to set tables, eat with Western cutlery, take orders and serve customers.

Students showcasing their culinary skills and knowledge through their final project, a restaurant experience at Begawan Guru.
Students applying their learning from the Cooking Science program to a real-world scenario, managing a restaurant and serving guests.

The Cooking Science journey ended with a final project which gave the children a chance to apply their new knowledge and skills in a real-world context. The Begawan Guru education team transformed the Learning Centre into a fully functioning restaurant, and the Eco-Warriors cooked, served, and managed a three-course meal for an invited audience of family and friends.

Students celebrating the success of their final project, a restaurant event where they cooked, served, and managed a three-course meal.
Students applying their learning from the Cooking Science program to a real-world scenario, managing a restaurant and serving guests.

Though only open for a day, the Begawan Restaurant delighted parents and students. Students took orders, bussed tables, cooked and served a menu of kebab bites, basil roasted rice, and klepon pudding. The diners left happy, and the students left with a holistic understanding of the role of food in health, culture, and the environment.