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# ‘Supersize Me’ a class assignment at Samohi
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/supersize-me-a-class-assignment-at-samohi/
- Published: 2004-05-13T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T04:17:59.000Z
- Author: Carolyn Sackariason
- Tags: Education, Promenade, #archive-import

*‘Supersize Me’ a class assignment at Samohi*

PROMENADE — High school students have learned a new word in biology class — “slowcook.”

It sums up the lost experience of cooking and eating together — a rarity for many families these days. That’s why Santa Monica High School teacher Eileen Hiss took 20 of her students to Italian restaurant Locanda del Lago at the corner of Arizona Avenue and the Third Street Promenade on Wednesday.

She wanted them to see firsthand what it means to share a culinary experience with each other. Together, with the help of Lago’s executive chef, Davide Vedovelli, the students made their own pesto ravioli from scratch — with ingredients from the local farmers’ market. The students were split into three groups, and made their own pesto sauce. Each one was then judged by Lago owner West Hooker and Vedovelli. The winning group will be treated to a pizza on the house.

Hooker is part of an international movement called “Slowcook.” Created by a chef in Italy, the movement is in response to a fast food restaurant entering a small town in the chef’s home country. Now, there are “Slowcook” chapters throughout the world, designed to remind people that dining should be a shared experience — full of conversation, debate and bringing one another closer.

“I was shocked at the number of kids who eat alone,” said Hiss, who teaches ninth grade biology and health at Samohi. “And we wonder why they don’t have any social skills... this is really about de-isolating kids... and they love eating.”

Hiss’ students work in Samohi’s garden, where they grow vegetables and fruit like lettuce, radishes, peas, onions and strawberries. After they watch their garden grow, students harvest the food and use it to for class recipes.

Hiss tries to incorporate culinary exploration into her classroom — she has taken them in the past to genetics conferences and on Friday she’ll take them to see the movie, “Supersize Me,” based on a man who eats nothing but McDonald’s for an extended period time to see its health effects.

Hiss hopes that nutrition and culinary arts make into the curriculum for all grades at Samohi.

“We do have the resources to do it across the board,” she said. “The key is getting the kids to buy into it.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/051304-03_01.jpg)

(Photo: Carolyn Sackariason/Daily Press)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 13, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051304.pdf?ref=smdp.com)