Week-by-Week Growth: My Culinary Innovation Experience
Over the past 12 weeks, I had the privilege to immerse myself in the Food Innovation module as part of my Culinary Arts Management course at the University of West London. This journey challenged me to push boundaries, experiment with flavours, and refine my plating techniques.
Here is a glimpse of the dishes I created each week:
Week 1 - Raspberry Yoghurt Tart
Week 2 - Pineapple Tarte-Tatin
Week 3 - Raspberry Soufflé
Week 4 - Carrot Cake
Week 5 - Lime, Coconut, and White Chocolate Dessert
Week 6 - Spiced Apple and Passion Fruit Dessert
Week 7 - Strawberry Cheesecake
Week 8 - Tropical Verrine
Week 9 - Chocolate Fondant
Week 10 - Le Apple Petit Gateaux (Preparing and freezing individual components) Week 11 - Le Apple Petit Gateaux (Assembling and refining the components into a finished dessert)
Week 12 - Revisited Carrot Cake (Mock Test for the Assessment)
In Week 12, as part of the module, I revisited the Carrot Cake I created in Week 4 as a mock assessment. This was an opportunity to apply my learning from the past weeks and improve the dish. I focused on refining the balance of spices, elevating the texture, enhancing the presentation, and ensuring the portion sizes were precise and practical.
The process for dishes like the Le Apple Petit Gateaux, which involved preparing components in Week 10 and assembling them in Week 11, emphasised the importance of planning and precision when creating multi-layered desserts.
These 12 weeks have been an incredible journey of growth, where each dish reflects a combination of creativity, technique, and flavour development. I am deeply grateful to my tutor, Shamin, and my peers for their guidance and support throughout this module.
“We eat with our eyes first.” – Apicius This 12-week journey has taught me that every dish is not just about flavour but also about visual storytelling. I learned to balance creativity, precision, and presentation to craft dishes that captivate even before the first bite. These lessons will continue to inspire me as I grow and create unforgettable culinary experiences.
