I also use this in my academic classes. I have the students do both a self evaluation and peer evaluations. We evaluate work immediately by engaging in constructive discussions that ultimately enriches the entire learning experience.
Because I have many years of experience in the field it is important that I use rubrics, student to student feed back and self evaluation methods in my classes. I also have other chefs come in to judge student projects when appropriate.
I try to get the student to look at their work from the prospective of a potentiona cutomer. Are the expectations of our "guests" being met?
I generally have the finished product for the student to compare their presentation to my own. I demonstrate some items the day prior to the lab and then I construct mise en place trays for the students to see prior to them starting production. During production I complete the recipes myself so that when they present their finished products they will be able to compare look, taste and texture as well as observe the processes as I proceed with my presentation dishes. At critical times I will call for a short procedural demo while myself and the students are in preparation. I also conduct a class discussion the following day using a handout that asks for specific characteristics, problems they may have encountered and encourage other students to describe their experience to other students while in lab production the previous day. Finally I always ask each student individually what they think thy would have done differently and why.
IN earlier foundation classes I bring in two chefs to re-assess my grades and then all three feedbacks will be discussed and if all three have similar comments it underscores that part of the critique, and if only one chef or two chefs make similar comments it brings a great chance to talk about subjectivity in grading food.
In later classes, especially classes where other students are invited in to share our food, we ask for the students to fill out comment cards and then they are reviewed by me and grouped. Then the next day I have the class self-critique (which generally is very positive, with a few slight "mis steps"). Then I show them the anonymous comment cards which is generally met with disbelief, which is the perfect time to talk about professional criticism and the ability to soften to it and learn from it rather than be intimidated by it or even worse to not learn from it.
i do side by side comparison. I have the whole class cook and plate their food and show whats good, bad and ok. I show them how to change for the better ect.
I have asked the student to achieve a desired specific consistancy of sauces, and soup. If it is to be the consistancy of cream...then bring in some cream and ask the student to compare their soup consistancy to the consistancy of the cream.
Other instructors or aa group feedback is interesting for the student. I have also demonstrated the consistency of a soup as being the same as cream. I ask the students to pour their soup and cream on a plate, to see how close they are to the requested consistency. Always clarifies the point to them.
I like the idea of their feedback first; Ill have to work onmy poker face - new students often say what they "think" you want to hear
We are fortunate enough to be able to open our dining room to the public. So I have the students go out and sell the dessert they made that day and after about 15 minutes, I have them check on the table to make sure everything is going well and to maybe get some instant feedback from the guests. When they come back into the kitchen, they tell us what the guest said, sometimes its objective feedback and other times it is subjective. Either way, we as a group critique the dishes ourselves and give objective feedback.
