International Chef’s Day 2008 was celebrated in Singapore quite differently as compared to previous years. Instead of visiting homes for the elderly and cooking for them, chefs from the Singapore Chef’s Association(SCA) invited more than 100 youths from Andrew & Grace Home, Northlight and Care Corner Family Services Center Woodlands to learn the ways of the chef at At-Sunrice Global Chef Academy. The objective of the chefs was twofold: to teach the young participants how to cook delicious and nutritional food and inspire them to enter the chef profession. “We wanted to share our skills with the underprivileged kids, and teach them that eating well may not be an expensive affair. With the right culinary skills, such as how to handle meats or cut vegetables the right way, they can be empowered to whip up a delicious, healthy meal at home anytime at a low cost.” Eric Teo, president of SCA.

The day began in the early afternoon at At-Sunrice, where, after a short introduction, the kids aged 12 to 17 were taken for a tour of the spice gardens surrounding the academy. After a returning to the academy and taking a short break — a break punctuated by the laughter of the kids as they donned their chef garb — the kids were divided into three teams and brought into the kitchens to see the instructors in actions.

It would be an understatement to say: “It was then the participants’ turn to cook”, for the aroma wafting through the air as each kitchen was a bustle of activity was unbelievably mouth-watering.

In the words of Bridget Hootan, a participant from Andrew & Grace Home who had previously attended other cooking classes, International Chef’s Day 2008 was “a new experience because the first cooking class we attended they spoon-fed us everything. So now at least we get to walk around and understand different aspects of cooking.”

“I think it was a very good event and there was very good response. I think bringing all those kids from those various schools to the academy today was a very meaningful event to do and I think they will leave with great memories and hopefully give them some interests about what cuisines and food is all about and to understand the importance of good nutrition and food knowledge which today has the tendency to be forgotten,” said Christophe Megel, chief executive officer of At-Sunrice.

The day ended with a communal dinner at At-Sunrice, where the kids dined with their new friends, the chefs.

Singapore Chefs Association gives back to community on International Chefs Day by teaching children from homes how to cook.

The Singapore Chefs Association will be celebrating International Chefs Day this 2008 by kicking off a series of cooking classes at at-sunrice cooking school. The invited guests: More than 100 children from Andrew and Grace Home, Northlight and Care Corner FSC Woodlands.

While the Singapore Chefs Association has been visiting homes and cooking at old folks homes in the past, the association has decided to focus on the youth this year. According to Eric Teo, President of SCA, “We wanted to share our skills with the underprivileged kids, and teach them that eating well may not be an expensive affair. With the right culinary skills, such as how to handle meats or cut vegetables the right way, they can be empowered to whip up a delicious, healthy meal at home anytime at a low cost.”

The chefs, assisted by the Singapore Junior Chefs Club, have devised four 3-hour cooking classes that will take place over the day to suit the needs of the different age groups. The children will be treated to a spice tour upon arrival, before going into ‘class’, where they will watch the chef demonstration, and finally, trying their hands on the recipes. The day will be rounded up with a communal meal together with the chefs.

At-sunrice cooking school, which is the location sponsor, has also volunteered their staff’s expertise to create an experience that will engage the children’s attention.

As Teo shared, “It is our hope that we will be able to create an experience that will be memorable for the children. At the same time, we hope to be able to share with them a little more about the chef profession, and hopefully ispire some to join the future chefs generation.”

About International Chefs Day
Since International Chefs Day was inaugurated in 2004, 20 October has been marked as a special occasion by culinarians to salute the profession and create awareness of chefs who have set remarkable industry standards for the art of cooking. The commemorative day was initiated by the World Association of Cooks Societies (WACS), which counts over eight million chefs from all over the world as members.

The main aim of this special day is for chefs from 72 countries to create massive awareness of the profession by hosting culinary competitions, demonstrations and charity events to raise funds for the international culinary community. Government officials, charity organisations and tourism boards of each country will come together to drive the vision of WACS, as well as raise the profile of the associations.

About Singapore Chefs Association (SCA):
Founded in 1984, SCA is a family in which all members of Singapore’s culinary profession can belong. This professional body provides knowledge and encouragement to individuals, offering a host of opportunities for young chefs to hone their skills at local and international competitions. Being an authoritative spokesperson for the hospitality industry in Singapore, SCA represents the interests of over 600 culinary professionals and around 350 junior chef members. The association believes in promoting the culinary arts and providing better education for culinarians through its extensive network of international chefs around the world. SCA is responsible for the guidance and promotion of Singapore’s Culinary National Team in food competitions worldwide and renders its culinary expertise by providing judges for these international competitions.

About Singapore Junior Chefs Club (SJCC):
SJCC is the first junior chefs club in Asia. With a vision to nurture future talents in the Food & Beverage industry, SJCC inspires young enthusiastic culinarians to be creative and innovative in promoting the culinary arts. Built on the foundations of Education and Sharing of Knowledge, members of SJCC enjoy the opportunity to meet rising stars of the culinary profession, participate in gourmet events and competitions through its association with the Singapore Chefs Association.

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