Tortillas, salsa sauce and jalapeno peppers were the order of the day for Ashville Junior School pupils running a pop-up Mexican-themed diner.
Cocina Arriba – which over the course of two afternoons served in excess of 400 customers – was the culmination of this term’s Year 6 enterprise project.
For the annual assignment, the Green Lane school partners with a number of local experts, who coach the budding entrepreneurs in what it takes to run a successful business.
Over the last few months they have learned the importance of budgeting, marketing, portion control, menu design and customer service skills before throwing open the restaurant doors to parents, siblings, peers and teachers.
The businesses that assisted in the success of Cocina Arriba were Morrisons Supermarket and Savvy Marketing, Omega Signs and Amici Restaurant.
Diners were given the choice of six main courses and four desserts, which included Flamin’ Fiesta (flame-grilled chicken breast served in a soft flour tortilla), Cha-Cha Chilli (slightly spicy chilli with a serving tortilla chips), Cheezy Gonzalez (flame-grilled beef burger, cheese and ketchup), El Dorado (chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream), Single Sombrero (ring doughnut served with warm chocolate sauce) and The Mayan Mountain (moist chocolate brownie served with ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce).
Simon Bailey, Ashville Junior School head teacher, said: The Year 6 enterprise cafe is always extremely popular with parents and pupils alike, and this year’s was the busiest we have ever seen it. It just gets better and better.
This project is one of the highlights of the Year 6 calendar, and the students and staff worked incredibly hard over both days, and in the run-up to it, ensuring its success. The project is enjoyable and educational, and it teaches the pupils plenty of life skills.
Once again I would like to thank all the businesses for their support over the months. As always their advice and encouragement has been invaluable.
