BURNTTOAST also challenged us to reflect on our own abilities within a collaborative environment, as working in a team required organization, communication, flexibility, and efficiency. This included balancing school responsibilities with the planning and preparation required for each recipe.

At times, we had conflicting opinions influenced by our experiences, cultures, inspirations, biases, and flavor preferences. While this occasionally slowed our progress, it also revealed areas where we needed growth, particularly in listening, compromising, and coordinating with one another. Additionally, it was not until the final few cooking sessions that we began to recognize one another’s strengths and weaknesses, allowing us to distribute tasks and responsibilities more effectively. To support our goal of cultural exploration, we drew inspiration from cuisines from countries such as Korea, the Philippines, and China, featuring dishes such as bibimbap and spam musubi. This helped expand our global and cultural knowledge while encouraging us to appreciate the diversity of our audience.

The BURNTTOAST project ultimately made creativity our method of indirect service. Throughout the planning and cooking process, we developed practical life skills and learned to adapt to different perspectives. By the end of the project, we had grown as a team and come to understand that even small, everyday meals can contribute to a greater sense of cultural connection.