Thai taste: Students prepare cultural meal for Zion employees

Employees at Zion National Park enjoyed a taste of Thailand at Zion Lodge prepared by SUU students in the Quantity Food Production class on Tuesday.

Assistant Professor of Hotel, Resort and Hospitality Management and course instructor Lisa Assante said the class prepared the meal as a service learning project.

Assante said this gave the students an opportunity to cook in a commercial-sized kitchen, which is an improvement from cooking in the Cedar High School home economics' kitchen.

"You can't really produce huge quantities (there)," she said.

The students had the chance to choose where they would prepare food from and they chose Thailand, Assante said.

Assante said she thought Tuesday's event went well.

"I think it went outstanding; it was really awesome," she said. "I think the kids really got a great opportunity to cook commercially."

The students started preparing the food at about 3 p.m. and needed to be ready to serve at 5 p.m.

Assante said there were only small difficulties making deadline.

"I think we were pushed to the wire a little bit," she said. "At five o'clock we were pretty much ready to go, but there were a couple of tight spots," she said.

Assante said she had a good time and said it seemed the students did as well.

"It was really fun being in the kitchen," she said.

Justin Kailing, a master of psychology and management student from Delta, said it was a good opportunity working in a larger kitchen.

"(It was) nice to be able to come in with burners that work, grills, and large soup pots we can use," he said.

Throughout the night some of the students left the kitchen and talked to the guests about the food and presentation.

Kailing said he received positive feedback from the costumers.

"They were really impressed and that made me feel good," he said.

There were nine different Thai dishes served at the event including soup, shrimp, curry, bananas in coconut cream and fried rice with pineapple.

Nichol Tate, one of the diners, said she enjoyed the food.

Tate said she liked the rice, and the shrimp was cooked "perfectly."

She said she enjoyed the atmosphere of the dining hall and thought the people attending had been looking forward to the event and enjoyed it.

"Everyone is having a good time," she said.

Assante said she had help from Assistant Professor of Hotel, Resort & Hospitality Management Sophi Sukalakamala.

Assante said Sukalakamala helped quite a bit with the project, especially because she is from Thailand.

Sukalakamala said she enjoyed working on the project.

"It (was) a good opportunity for me to work with the students so I have time to teach them a little bit about Thai food," she said.

Sukalakamala said she was impressed with the amount of work the students and Assante did.

"I appreciate all the work they have done they have put so many hours both students and Lisa (Assante)," she said.

Jason Smith, a freshman management major from Delta, said he has liked the class and the experience he has had.

"I like cooking," he said.

Kailing said the class has been a good experience for him.

"The experience has been awesome," he said. "It has been one I am really grateful for just because I've been able to take the lessons I have learned here … and take it home and make my wife a nice meal."