By ANA NIUMATAIWALU of FNU
Nadi: Thursday, October 7, 2013. TWENTY SEVEN students from the Fiji National University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Studies will participate at this year’s Moffat National Salon Culinaire.
Pastry lecturer Amelia Gucake said students from the Trade Diploma programmes, Certificate III and IV in baking and patisserie, culinary arts and cookery would participate in the three day event.
She said last year FNU scooped two gold medals from the event and was looking at bettering their performance this year.
She said pastry student Lynette Simmons was the schools hopeful of scooping a double medal in two static classes and one live class.
“We want our students to gain as much experience and exposure for the Trade diploma students since most of them will be leaving FNU after this trimester,” she said.
“This is the platform where students can be confident of themselves to display their skills.”
The University’s Nadi campus will play host to the three day event which would see participants vying for medals in the 27 different classes.
Ms Gucake said a new category was introduced this year -Class 8 – Theme Cake static for those 23 years and below (born on or after 1 Jan 1990).
She said an FNU staff would also be vying for the Pastry chef of the year.
“The advantage of hosting the event at the Nadi campus is that Students get to experience – live kitchen demonstrations. Students get to meet chefs from the industry and have lots of opportunity to ask about attachment,” she said.
“FNU also gets to showcase our fully equipped kitchen, so chefs can also enquire about sending staff back for education or hiring staff to island resorts for training.”
There is a total of 27 different classes which include specific events for student chefs, junior chefs, senior chefs and of course pastry chefs.
The various competitions are judged by local and international Chefs – some of whom travel from Australia and New Zealand.
The Moffat Fiji National Salon Culinaire is a three-day event of cooking competitions for industry chefs and students.
The Event will also determine the coveted titles of
Fiji Chef of the Year
Fiji Pastry Chef of the Year
Fiji Junior Chef of the Year
The “Moffat Fiji Chefs Salon Culinaire 2013” allows Chefs from a range of establishments across Fiji to come together in one place to challenge each other learn from and inspire one another, to exercise individual creativity and benchmark their skills, to drive their passion and professionalism for the betterment of their culinary career and tourism experiences as a whole.
A competition like is a huge benefit to the individuals, the Chefs Association and of course the hospitality industry as a whole.
This competition would enable the local chefs to be able to travel and experience what was also happening internationally.
The younger chefs who get this opportunity are exposed to current and ever changing food trends, new products and technologies as well as being able to network and meet with other young Chefs.
Meanwhile this evening would see the Chef of the year competition commencing with the three course meal as there are 17 entries for this category. The first 10 would start tonight.