2019 ICCA Scholarship Book - Print

Jomel Marundan Magandam Towers Rotana Hotel-Dubai › God had a plan for me when he put me as a kitchen steward in Dubai. I wanted to study culinary but could not do so because of the financial conditions at home. I didn’t lose hope to achieve my ambition someday. While stewarding I was amazed to see the chefs serve food to the guests with so much enthusiasm. I decided to cross train after my duty hours and the chefs helped me because of my willingness to learn. Initially it was a lot of struggle as I did not even have enough knowledge in culinary. Professional standards only come through professional training, not only the skills but also kitchen attitude & behaviors. I now apply all the learning at my workplace and it helps me to perform better. I am proud that I'm a product of the scholarship program and will remember this experience all my life. Christian Feliciano Ansaldo COYA Restaurant › My journey in culinary industry started at a small restaurant as an assistant cook and it was mainly to earn money for the family as finances were tight. Slowly things changed as I got eager to explore more dishes & ingredients. If one loves food, becoming a chef is the right career to move forward. Being a chef is hard work. It involves crazy work hours, constant stress & pressure, even frustration, rapid-fire orders, tough critics, and a lot of heat. But this career offers me the freedom to push my creative skills. Professional training helps me to improve my skills, knowledge, techniques and how to handle food in proper way, helps me to understand how things must work, understand how to balance the ingredients and pairing of flavors. The Diploma is a motivation to me to achieve higher goals and add to my credentials as a great chef. Althaf Ali Konnenkudy Radisson Blu Hotel › My father is a retired taxi driver and we are a family of 5. He struggled a lot to take care of our basic education. After matriculation, my brother & I had to quit studies & work at small odd jobs to help support the family. I later joined a small cafeteria and then got a break in a hotel as a Commis Chef. A desire to learn and the dedication to perform will help one sustain the job. However, to grow on the job one needs the right technical knowledge to perform the duties with so much more precision taking care of the small details and tips.The training has helped me to manage time efficiently & stay more focused as now I enjoy my work more and also confidently demonstrate best practices learnt. The International Qualification is a boon that takes me to an all new and higher level. Anoop Chait Ram JW Marriott Marquis › We are a family of 5 living in a remote mountainous region living off agriculture. Education was a challenge as the school was very distant with no roads. Finances were also meager and so had to quit studies after high school. I took up a job in a small pastry shop, then step by step in other restaurants & finally to a hotel in Dubai. I have seen my co-workers drastically change their way of working after getting professionally trained and that is the importance of education. It sets the base for thinking & planning. The classic methods & evolved cooking techniques like sous-vide when applied to a dish make all the difference. The training has also helped me with my time management skills as it is of key importance during busy operations. The Diploma has helped me get more creative & innovative bringing a huge surge to my career graph.

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