Twenty-four of Bermuda's youth are currently taking part an amazing opportunity in the hospitality industry ? being chefs, waiters, bus boys, bartenders and doing office work.

This initiative is put on by MEF Limited ? The Little Venice Group since 1998. They take on as many students as possible and employ them throughout 12 restaurants.

The mission is to give exposure to both high school and university students interested in the culinary arts by placing them in restaurants throughout the island.

This summer there are 24 student chefs in total. Eight are university students and 16 are high school students. Three of them are working in kitchens, four in The Little Venice office and the rest are in dining rooms as bus boys, waiters and bar tenders.

Minister of Community Affairs and Sport Dale Butler is the co-ordinator of the programme said: "The purpose of the programme is to not only give them a job and money but also give them an opportunity in the hospitality industry."

Mr. Butler said he was overwhelmed by the amount of applications that poured in and credited it to the National Youth Tourism Day held in May by Minister of Tourism Dr. Ewart Brown.

In the past sometimes it was difficult to get all the position full, Mr. Butler said, adding: "Now we've made is a company policy to hire as many students."

The minister said he was happy that so many students showed interest in this hospitality industry.

"We're giving them an insight into the restaurant business and just business period. We have people coming all the time who want to learn to be a chef," he said.

"A number of girls indicated they were interested in pursuing a career as a chef and eight students are interested in going to Johnson in Wales or CIA ? Culinary Institute of America."

Mr. Butler said although they can't provide any international scholarships, there are two scholarships available in the hospitality sector at the Bermuda College.

He also stressed how important it was that the students knew important information about Bermuda so they could assist tourists in the restaurants. "If they have knowledge of their own community they can share it."