Sharjah 24: Much to the delight of primary school students visiting the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF 2024)’s, the Cookery Corner on Thursday featured an all-time favourite - burgers - during one of the many interesting and insightful demonstrations around the culinary world this platform stages every day.

During the session ‘Gourmet Burgers’, children aged 8 and above received a free masterclass on how to make and assemble a burger.

Under their guidance of culinary experts from Yellow Moves, children are learning to craft an array of simple and healthy eats like smoothies, chicken and veggie burgers, chocolate parfaits, pretzels, and garden salads. “Our aim is to introduce foods suitable for different meal times”, explained Lamia Msallam, a lead instructor at the festival.

The Gourmet Burgers workshop is particularly popular among young visitors. “Who doesn’t like chicken burgers?” quipped Lamia.

Detailing an ideal burger composition, Aysha, one of the participants said, “I prefer plain sandwich buns topped with mayonnaise, a slice of cheese, and some lettuce for the crunch. I’m not a fan of ketchup.”

The workshop began by explaining how frozen chicken patties are cooked in ovens at 160 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes. While the patties cooked, the children busied themselves with assembling their burgers. Some approached the task with the precision of artists applying paint to a canvas, carefully spreading sauces, while others quickly assembled their creations, eager to enjoy the fruits of their labour.

The spirit of teamwork and sharing was also visible, with one girl splitting her burger in half to share with a friend who had arrived late. The 30-minute workshop was filled with a buzz of excitement and pride as the children eagerly devoured their creations.

Beyond the kitchen, the festival buzzes with a myriad of activities and workshops designed to cater to diverse interests. This year, the SCRF boasts a packed calendar with over 1,500 scheduled events aimed at enriching children's experiences.

The festival continues until May 12 at the Expo Centre Sharjah, with free admission for all visitors. For more details on daily activities and events, please visit www.scrf.ae.