First-Year Students Get a Taste of Culinary Creativity at Deacon Dining’s Teaching Kitchen

September 8, Hopkins Hall — Winston-Salem, NC

This Monday, Deacon Dining welcomed first-year students to a flavorful and educational experience at Hopkins Hall with a special Teaching Kitchen led by Chef Jonathan Burns, Director of Culinary Development. The event offered students a hands-on opportunity to learn how to prepare a vibrant Summer Grilled Peach and Berry Salad, while gaining valuable culinary skills.

Chef Burns guided attendees through essential techniques such as proper cutting methods, flavor balancing, and the use of clean, wholesome ingredients. The session emphasized creativity in the kitchen, encouraging students to experiment with simple ingredients they may already have at home.

Guests were treated to a full demonstration and received the recipe to try on their own. The salad featured grilled peaches, fresh berries, pickled onions, and a tangy homemade dressing — all layered over a bed of greens and topped with blue cheese crumbles.

Want to recreate the dish at home? Here’s the recipe:

🥗 Summer Grilled Peach and Berry Salad

Ingredients

  • For the pickled onions:
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup hot water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 whole cloves

 

  • For the salad dressing:
  • ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup salad oil (like canola or olive)
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds
  • Juice of ½ an orange + thin strips of orange peel

 

  • For the salad:
  • 3–4 peaches, halved and pitted
  • 1 cup strawberries, halved
  • 1 cup blackberries
  • Spinach or mixed greens
  • Olive oil, salt, and pepper (to taste)
  • Blue cheese crumbles

Directions

  1. Prepare the fruit: Slice peaches in half horizontally and remove pits. Halve strawberries and set aside. Cut red onion in halves, and then long thin slices.
  1. Grill the peaches: Coat peach halves in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill until caramelized, then dice into cubes.
  1. Pickle the onions: In a jar, combine vinegar, sugar, hot water, bay leaf, mustard seed, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Add sliced onion, shake well, and let sit.
  1. Make the dressing: Whisk vinegar, oil, Dijon, honey, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and poppy seeds. Add orange juice and thin strips of peel.
  1. Prepare the greens: Toss spinach or mixed greens with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
  1. Assemble the salad: Top greens with grilled peaches, strawberries, blackberries, pickled onions, blue cheese, and a drizzle of dressing. Garnish with citrus peel.