Local Chefs gain in China

Improving the knowledge and skills of culinary business owners, hotel chefs and home cooks in Samoa was the aim of a three- week culinary workshop held in Shandong, China last month. The training was a joint collaboration between the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the Shandong Foreign Trade Vocational College.

Samoa was privileged to have given the opportunity to randomly select its first group of pioneers to attend the inaugural and pilot culinary training.

The training has significantly built and established the platform for future culinary training programme for other potential beneficiaries who have contributed positively towards the development of the hospitality industry around the world.

There were a total of 19 participants consisting of professional chefs, assistant chefs, home cooks and kitchen support staff attended and completed the training. The course covered both theoretical and practical approaches to ensure cooking techniques and recipes obtained are applied and understood. Topics covered varied from health management, basic nutriology, food safety and hygiene, nutrition catering, recipe design and other related themes.

Among the attendees was owner of The Whisk Pop Up Restaurant, Chef Livi Junior Poulava who was grateful for this Culinary Course and was pleased with the learning experiences he had gained.

“I learnt so much from it and got to experience first-hand cooking from some of China’s most inspiring Chefs. I am still so amazed at the level of care they have in handling their food. Everything is handled so delicately and well”. 

Chef Jesse Junior Lee of Palusami Restaurant stated that, “the trip has inspired a new method of cooking local produce, using Chinese and traditional methods. This has now started a whole new outlook of how I see our local food and cuisine and where I want to take it”.

Ms Sheena Ng Lam, STA representative said “I am grateful for this invaluable training opportunity that our local chefs received to attend overseas attachment to gain international exposure and experience in the field they are passionate about.”