Six years ago, the food demonstration portion of Healthy U was a disaster.
Chef Mike Homan of the Michigan Athletic Club, 2900 Hannah Blvd., had to haul all the food and equipment through the Union just to teach some MSU employees how to cook a meal.
But that’s a thing of the past.
Now Homan finds himself working the food presentations only a hop, skip and a jump away from his kitchen at the MAC - just across the hall.
“The morning of it is tough, but once you get involved in the crowd it’s fun,” Homan said. “You get to know people.”
“Fall Comfort Foods Cooking Demonstration” was sponsored by MSU’s Healthy U program, which showcases presentations on health and nutritional topics throughout the semester.
Homan said he asked previous participants what they wanted to see him cook for the comfort foods program. The presentation focused on cooking squash soup, salmon florentine and apple tart.
Carol Swinehart, an MSU employee, said she enjoyed the array of food recipes Homan came up with.
“I don’t do a lot of cooking,” she said. “But they are things that I would like to try.”
Judith Michael, administrative assistant for Healthy U, said the food demonstrations are the most popular program for the semester, and usually fill up quickly with MSU employees.
“When you’ve been to one you don’t want to miss an opportunity,” she said.
Michael said Homan’s ability to blend educational information into his presentation while he cooks enhanced the demonstration’s atmosphere.
“He challenges the participants to recall what he has done on previous demonstrations,” Michael said. “He has a definite following.”
And that’s OK with Homan.
“Normally people don’t come up,” he said. “But people are getting used to the environment.”
During the presentation, Homan asked for volunteers to toss some dough in the air. Although some people hesitated, Swinehart accepted the challenge.
“I was wishing I had taken (my) jacket off,” she said. “I was certainly hoping I wouldn’t drop it.”
Other demonstrations for Healthy U are full this semester, but there will be spots open for MSU employees starting in the spring semester.
“They get to enjoy the lunch with the educational component,” Michael said.
