IO – Celebrity Chef Davina Hermawan is elighted to have been involved in the “Lunar in Ox Wonderland” event organized by Sampoerna Academy virtually through a variety of platforms, last Wednesday, January 10.
Devina is one of the performers at the event, which aims to encourage students to express their understanding of Lunar New Year culture and traditions through various performance sessions, from folklore performances, “The Great Race”, to talent shows from various class levels and the entire Sampoerna Academy campus.
Devina plays a role in the Cooking Show. Participants can also take part in various exciting and educational workshops using STEAM (Science Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) learning methods ranging from DIY Lantern Workshops to Calligraphy Writing.
“For me, the essence of Lunar New Year is togetherness, and this atmoing sphere can be created through food. Even though this year’s celebration is at home, we can still make this moment special, by cooking foods typical for the Lunar New Year, such as dim sum,” Devina said.
“At home, cooking activities for the Lunar New Year menu has become a family tradition. While cooking, I can simultaneously introduce and teach my little one new things, from reading the scale numbers, sorting out the flavors, to explaining about hot steam when boiling water. I call it learning while playing”.
The new year’s celebration from Sampoerna Academy this time is packaged lively and uniquely prioritizing the Sampoerna Academy learning philosophy, in the form of a STEAM approach that focuses on developing 5C competencies (Creative, Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Character) and IGNITE values (Integrity, Growth Mindset, Nobility, Innovation, Teamwork, Excellence).
“As an intercultural school, we uphold and respect diversity. Therefore, the Lunar New Year’s celebration is a special moment for us to introduce multiculturalism while teaching the values of tolerance, solidarity, and empathy to students. This is in line with our learning philosophy, which focuses on developing 5C competencies and of course, safeguarding IGNITE values,” said Firda Dwiyanti, principal of Sampoerna Academy, Sentul.
“I agree with the values, STEAM and IGNITE. Education through celebrations can encourage enthusiasm to work even better. I hope that apart from enjoying cooking activities the children can also learn so that they will be more creative and eager to spend time at home during this pandemic,” hoped Devina.
“Before inviting the children to cook, first look at the abilities of each child. If, for example, they already understand the dangers of fire and heat, maybe we can trust them more. The most important thing is that there is always two-way communication.”
The cooking traditions of each family at any Chinese New Year event may be different, but there are always mandatory dishes to be made. “What is obligatory includes layered fruits like pineapple which symbolize the layers of fortune in the new year, as well as layered vegetables such as cabbage and layer cakes. Then the noodles symbolizing the hope of long life, and fish. Sweet pastries to wish a sweeter life in the new year. The sticky basket cake symbolizes the closeness of the family”.
Happy Lunar New Year. We hope life becomes sweeter and the pandemic will soon pass in the Year of the Ox. )