Educational opportunities abound for budding chefs

Are you bored of your job and longing to do something creative?

Young Bermudians interested in a career as a chef will be exercising their creativity when they begin training as chef apprentices in the Island?s top hotels next month.

Hundreds of teens and adults interested in a career in the culinary arts attended the presentation of Chef Search, the programme run by the National Training Board and the Occupational Advisory Committee for the Culinary Arts Industry at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess last week.

Chef Stephan Juliusburger, who manages programme, said the fourteen apprentices selected will have formal interviews with host chefs at the different hotels before the final selection is made.

Apprentices selected for the programme undertake three years of full-time work under a qualified supervising chef and attend school part-time. They are paid what organisers describe as a ?competitive wage?. At the end of the course they will have work experience and certification recognised by the American Culinary Federation.

This year, Mr. Juliusburger said the apprentices will begin their practical training and their studies at different times to allow the apprentices to earn money over the summer months. Apprentices will begin hands-on training in the kitchen in July and their Bermuda College classes will start in September.

Apprentices learn everything from butchery to sanitation, pastry work and kitchen management skills. Designed to train and educate Bermudian students, the programme?s aim is to encourage an interest in the hospitality industry and allow students to make some money as well.

Mr. Juliusburger said a number of teenagers and their parents expressed an interest in a career as a chef which he attributes to the media attention surrounding celebrity chefs.

?Parents are now proud when they hear that their son or daughter wants to be a chef,? he said. ?The money in the profession is getting better and better, and they?re understanding it?s as difficult and as well respected as a profession like an engineer.?

Last year more than 140 students attended the programme and six were selected. Sonesta, the local Fairmont hotels, the Little Venice group , the Lemon Tree, Aqua, Fresco?s and Cambridge Beaches have each taken on apprentices through the programme.

This year the Fairmont Hamilton Princess, the Fairmont Southampton Princess, and Cambridge Beaches will employ apprentices.

Police, firefighters honoured

Several Police officers and firefighters have been presented with awards for their work during and after Hurricane Fabian.

A Bermuda Police Service spokesman said six firefighters, two Police officers and a civilian were honoured for attempting to rescue the four Hurricane Fabian victims P.c. Stephen Symons, WP.c. Nicole O?Connor, station duty officer Gladys Saunders and civilian Manuel Pacheco.

The six firefighters who attempted to save the four were Divisional Officer Anthony Howard Caisey, Sgt Wendell Simmons, firefighters Carl Govia, Michael Maderios, Lionel Furbert and Leroy Maxwell.

The two Police officers were P.c. Brian Robinson and P.c. Richard Austin. And Coolridge Butterfield from Island Construction also received an award for his efforts.

The Bermuda Police Service award ceremony took place last Thursday at the Police Recreation Club. Bermuda Police spokesman Dwayne Caines said it was an opportunity to highlight the achievements of Police officers and civilian personnel.

?It was also to thank those individuals for the hard work they done throughout the year,? he said. ?There were a host of awards and over 100 people received either a perfect attendance certificate, merit award or the Commissioners Commendations.?

Six Family Liaison Officers received awards for their support to the victim?s families in the aftermath of Hurricane Fabian.

They were Insp. Cindy Eve, Sgt. Linda Perry, Sgt. Gregory Grimes, and Det. Cons. Marlon Waldron, Sharnita Tankard and Tracy Burgess.

Mr. Caines said the wrath of Hurricane Fabian and its aftermath drew upon all areas of Police manpower and resources.

Four members of the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team, were in attendance after the hurricane last September. ?In fact they worked long hours, which delayed attending to their own homes and personal needs,? said Mr. Caines.

?Their role proved invaluable to our service of recovery. CISM members are completely voluntary and they unselfishly give of their time.?

The awards were presented to Acting Chief Inspector Tracy Adams, Det. Sgt, Mark Clarke, P.c. Andy Morgan and P.c. Mark Proctor. Det. Insp. Nicholas Pedro was presented with an award for investigating the Hurricane Fabian deaths.

Local Court helps Sierra Leone

Bermuda?s Supreme Court judges are doing their bit to help rebuild Sierra Leone?s justice system with a donation of a shipment of law books for the country?s High Court law library. Eighteen file-sized boxes of books are heading to Sierra Leone?s capital, Freetown, thanks to a generous discount provided by BEST Shipping, and the generosity of the judges.

The initiative is part of an international effort spearheaded by the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales, and Lawyers? Rights Watch Canada. Sierra Leone?s High Court was destroyed by fire during the country?s ten year civil war, leaving the system without its research facilities and resources.

The international effort also aims to build a library for the country?s Special Court which has started proceedings against those deemed most responsible for the human rights atrocities committed during the war.