This month, our very own Chantal Kabatesi attended an incredible training with Rwanda’s Work Development Authority (WDA). Right here in Butare, the WDA hosted a Southern Province Hospitality Training in several sectors, including Culinary Skills.
Fatina Mukarubibi, the Deputy Director of the WDA
The Culinary Skills training – which Chantal was selected to attend – is very thorough, lasting one month and with 7 hours of training every day. Chantal has worked tirelessly, both attending this full-time training and returning to the shop to assist her fellow staff in the evening. She will finish the program this week!
During the training, Chantal studied advanced kitchen techniques, tools, and food classifications. She also learned new aspects of food presentation and design, as well as the professional ethics of a chef. One of the best parts? The uniform! Very classy, all the way down to the classically tall chef’s hat.
Chantal in her chef's uniform!
If you were to leaf through her binder from the training, you’d find page after page of painstaking notes and handouts, ranging anywhere from different types of breakfasts and ways to serve them, all the way through soup and sauce classifications and a variety of vegetarian dishes. She also explored many preparation methods, including boiling vs. simmering, poaching, blanching, steaming, and braising. In addition, Chantal received focused training in hospitality, professionalism, creativity, and productivity as related to the culinary arts.
On her written midterm, Chantal received superior marks. Last week, Chantal took her practical final exam. The assigned task? Prepare the following gourmet menu within the time limit:
STARTER
Nicoise Salad dressed with spiced mayonnaise
SOUP
Beef consommé
MAIN DISH
Marriage of chicken served with orange reduction, accompanied with chateau potatoes and seasonal vegetables
DESSERT
Double chocolate cake filled with chocolate and finished with chocolate ganache
It looks absolutely mouthwatering, doesn’t it?
Inzozi Nziza is extremely proud of Chantal’s hard work, and we can’t wait to see how we can use her new talents here in the shop! We are looking forward to arranging a “debrief” in which Chantal helps to train all of our staff in selected skills that apply particularly well to the special focuses of our shop.
Looking at the larger picture, as an organization we are so pleased that we are continuing to expand our collective skill set, and that we are creating opportunities for our women to diversify, expand their horizons, and increase their confidence and sense of empowerment through local Rwandan efforts.
Mouthwatering!
**Kinyarwanda Corner**
Training – amahurwa (“ahmah-hurrgwa”)
Cake – keke (“cake-y”)
Employee – umukozi (“oomoo-cozey”); literally means “one who works”
Exam – ikizami (“eecheezamee”)
To Cook – guteka (“gootayka”)
UP NEXT: Learn how Inzozi Nziza has decided to put Chantal’s training to use! Our baked goods cabinet is about to get a major boost…
