Chefs-in-training cook for journalists
Belize’s growing corps of journalists can sometimes be an unruly bunch, but one issue around which virtually every reporter can unite is the value of a free meal… particularly one prepared by some enthusiastic chefs in training. Ann-Marie serves up the story.
Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting
“The Belize Hotel Association has embarked on a pilot project with Johnson and Wales Culinary College in the U.S.A. to turn local cooks into chefs. Lucy Fleming, President of the Belize Hotel Association, says the six day course has both theory and practice.
Lucy Fleming, President, Belize Hotel Association
“We do not have very many chefs within our hotels. We have a lot of excellent cooks, though with excellent skills. So what we’re hoping to achieve here is to give our very good cooks better training opportunities here so that they can learn about more classical cookery skills, and then apply their own expertise to the skills, so that we don’t want to deviate from a Belizean taste. We certainly want to have our own flavour, but we want to train people on how to best achieve creating that flavour.”
And part of their final assessment was a mouth watering buffet served up to a hungry press corps.
Chef Charles Collins, who teaches at Johnson and Wales College, says the food was prepared to an international standard.
Charles Collins, Instructor, Johnson and Wales College
“They did a chicken creole stew, which a real down home American southern type of stew and we added to that by browning a little flour.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“And the entrees?”
Charles Collins
“That’s once of the entrees and then we did a little spicy baked fresh snapper. We did a little poached shrimp salad today, mango and shrimp salad. Those are the main entrees, and then they did a little fired okra. We made bread from scratch, we did Focaccia bread and grilled it and made it into vegetarian pizzas.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Desserts?”
Charles Collins
“No desserts today.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Because? How could you have a fine meal without a dessert?”
Charles Collins
“We were concentrating on all of the entrees today, we’ll get into desserts later.”
Collins is hoping the skills learnt will be used to improve the industry sooner rather than later.
Charles Collins
“I’d like to see less European and American cooks and chefs hired to run these resorts. It really should be the people from Belize, or the people from whatever country you’re in, moving up the ladder in running these resorts. They all have the talent, so now they just need a little bit of the book knowledge to prove that they can get that job. Once they get it, they’ll be able to keep it.”
The chefs who came from all over the country told us the intensive course was necessary to upgrade their skills.
Sharon Martinez, Nautical Inn
“I like how they did their presentations. Sometimes you send a plate out and it’s really boring and doesn’t appeal to the guest when they come to have dinner. And If it’s not appealing they won’t eat it.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“So the variety and the presentation you like?”
Sharon Martinez
“Yeah, I liked a lot of the presentation.”
Bernardo Matute, Blancaneaux Lodge
“It reminds me of going to high school many years ago, but it’s so inspiring. It makes you feel…it gives you enough courage to study. There is something more about just being a chef.”
Telma Piviral, Cave’s Branch Jungle Lodge
“I learnt a lot of different garnishes, sauces, soups, different stuff here.”
Bernardo Matute
“Well working with our local Belizeans like myself and sharing all the experience, although some of them have so much experience, it’s even better to know that you are working with these people and sharing some idea or the other with them.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“And the proof of the pudding as they say, is in the eating. (takes a bite) I’ll let you know.”
Since a good journalist does not report with her mouth full, Ann-Marie has assured me that the chefs did a magnificent job. Assistance for the training course was provided by the Radisson Fort George and Fort Street Restaurant.
