MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1980
3
165 CHEFS IN THE MAKING
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A GROUP OF 165 ASPIRING YOUNG CHEFS HAVE ENROLLED AT HAKING WONG TECHNICAL INSTITUTE TO LEARN THE INTRICACIES OF WESTERN STYLE COOKING.
THEY ARE THE PIONEERS OF A NEW HOTEL COOK (WESTERN STYLE) APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME RUN BY THE INSTITUTE'S DEPARTMENT OF HOTEL-KEEPING AND TOURISM STUDIES TO MEET GROWING MANPOWER DEMANDS BY THE LOCAL HOTEL AND CATERING INDUSTRY.
THE SCHEME WAS FIRST PROPOSED BY THE HOTEL, CATERING AND TOURISM INDUSTRY TRAINING BOARD IN THE FIRST YEAR OF ITS OPERATION. IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DESIGNATED AN APPRENTICESHIP BY THE GOVERNMENT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE TRAINING COUNCIL THIS YEAR.
THE COURSE IS FOR THREE YEARS AND COVERS A WIDE RANGE OF WESTERN STYLE COOKING AS WELL AS FOOD HYGIENE AND KITCHEN DUTIES.
THE YOUNG CHEFS ATTEND ONE DAY A WEEK DURING THE USUAL ACADEMIC YEAR WHICH RUNS FROM SEPTEMBER UNTIL THE END OF MAY, FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
MR PETER KERRISON, HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOTEL-KEEPING AND TOURISM STUDIES, SAID THE COURSE WHILE DRAWING HEAVILY UPON EUROPEAN CULINARY STYLES HAS BEEN ADAPTED TO LOCAL NEEDS AND CONDITIONS.
THE STUDENT CHEFS HAVE TO ACQUIRE WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF FRENCH CULINARY TERMS, EUROPEAN STYLE WINING AND DINING, FOOD PORTION CONTROL, AND USE OF INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED CATERING EQUIPMENT,
+WESTERN STYLE COOKING,+ SAID MR KERRISON, +1S BASED UPON A TRADITION OF SKILLS THAT ARE NOW EXPORTED TO MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD BY EXPERIENCED PRACTITIONERS.
+THESE SKILLS ARE USED TO CATER FOR THE EVER-GROWING AND INCREASINGLY KNOWLEDGEABLE GROUP OF FOOD CONNOISSEURS,+ HE
SAID.
UPON COMPLETION OF THE APPRENTICESHIP AND AWARDED CERTIFICATES, THE STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE A BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF WESTERN STYLE COOKING AND BE ABLE TO PLAN BASIC WESTERN STYLE MENUS WITH A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF PORTION SIZES, MENU PATTERNS, CUSTOMER PREFERENCES AND AVAILABILITY OF LOCAL RAW MATERIALS.
MR KERRISON IS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE RESPONSE AND SUPPORT FROM THE LOCAL HOTEL INDUSTRY.
+ IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THIS SCHEME REFLECTS LOCAL NEEDS AND YET BE AS GOOD AS ANY APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME IN EUROPE, AS HONG KONG HAS SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST REPUTABLE HOTELS CATERING FOR SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST SOPHISTICATED AND DEMANDING CUSTOMERS.
+THEREFORE THESE YOUNG CHEFS MUST RECEIVE A TRAINING AND EDUCATION THAT WILL DEFINITELY HELP THEM EXCEL IN FUTURE,+ HE SAID.