Sometimes one would be awed at a certain class or activity organized by a school. That was exactly what happened to me when I saw my schedule with an activity called Pedagogical Lunch. At first, as I was studying the culinary arts, and since we are in Paris, gastronomy capital of the world, I thought it would be a lunch with a teaching purpose. I have to say in the end I was disappointed, since I think some people might have ended the afternoon a little bit more tipsy than they should have or that I would have enjoyed, and even though there were quite a few things to talk about the service, the food, and the wine pairings, such discussion I had expected did not happen. Then someone explained to me that actually these lunches were aimed only at integrating the group. Not exactly up to my expectations for I would have enjoyed and probably learned a lot from discussing about it with my chef instructors. Or they should have called it ‘Integration Lunch’ and then I wouldn’t demand anything else and expect the tipsy people.
I thought maybe I should approach the administration and talk about it, since it might actually be a good idea… and so I did. The answer was quite astonishing to my taste, since I was told that if I wanted I could talk and ask the chefs about their opinion and discuss the meal, but that was as far as it would go. So, my reading was ‘sure, if you want we won’t say you can’t talk about the lunch with your teachers, but we won’t organize a specific setting for everyone to talk about it’. Dommage, as the French would say, I still think.
The places got better as the studies advanced, however, I have to say out loud that if the purpose is just to become peas and carrots with my school buddies, I don’t need to dress up and go to a certain place dictated by the school syllabus. Most of us are foodies, so it might be quite easy to take us pretty much anywhere as long as the food is good. Nonetheless, if we are going to analyze, talk about, and eat a set menu, then I would be more open to attending one or another place preferred by Madame La Directrice.
I mean, don’t you agree?
Still, just my crazy idea.
