Tara Elementary opens Banana Leaf Restaurant for one night only

Blake Coleman, a Tara Elementary School kindergartner, put on his chef's hat and stood in line at his station. 

With the help of his teacher, Josephine Johnson, Coleman scooped out a portion of chicken canton noodles with vegetables and put it on a plate. He then grabbed some tongs to put a spring roll on the plate. 

He smiled as he saw how happy the customers of the Banana Leaf Restaurant were to receive the homemade food. 

Johnson's kindergarten class opened the Banana Leaf Restaurant at Tara Elementary for its annual one-night run in the school's cafeteria May 11.

Each of her students worked in the restaurant as waiters, chefs, greeters, servers and more. 

The restaurant's menu included cuisines from Italy, Vietnam, Peru and Thailand. 

Johnson said the culinary diversity was a result of her students' families being willing to cook authentic food representing their cultures. 

"We need to embrace everybody's culture," Johnson said. "We are bursting with a desire to be accepted. When we share, we feel like we're at home. In my classroom, I want them to feel at home."

Kindergartner Alice Delia's family made penne al ragù with meat, while Brian Nguyen's mother, Triot Nguyen, made sesame balls. Samantha Long's parents made a Peruvian dish, causa peruana, which is mashed potatoes with chicken, mayonnaise, avocado, eggs and black olives. 

Long's mother, Fiorella Long, said she was excited for people to try her dish, which was accompanied by a Peruvian drink, chicha morada. 

Johnson had the students help with making the spring rolls, which incorporated lessons in math, reading, vocabulary, writing and more. 

The class used ingredients growing in the school's garden.

She said the students loved being a part of the process and getting to taste what they made. 

Exceptional student education teacher Loreena Durrance said the students remember the Banana Leaf Restaurant experience for years. 

Durrance's son Seth Durrance was a part of the restaurant when he was a kindergartner and now her grandson Brantley Emmons was a waiter at the restaurant this school year. 

"It's an authentic hands-on experience," Durrance said. "This is one thing that the children will always remember. Not only the children, but the parents and grandparents as well."

Teresa Johnson, whose kindergartner Logan Johnson was a cashier at the restaurant, loved seeing the students interact with the guests and take their jobs with such seriousness. 

"The kids do everything," she said. "It's a big moment for them. I love the food and watching the kids just enjoy it. You'll see the servers walking back and forth, and they feel so big and proud."

Teresa Johnson's daughter Tesla Johnson, who is now a sixth grader at Braden River Middle School, returned to the restaurant to volunteer. 

"Tesla still raves about her experience (with the restaurant)," Teresa Johnson said. "She was a manager for hers."

After dinner was served, Josephine Johnson's class finished the night with a performance. 

Her students went on stage and sang and danced to a few songs. 

"It was just absolutely adorable," Teresa Johnson said about the performance.