By Taiye Olayemi
The Federal Government on Monday trained no fewer than 20 Nigerian chefs in the preparation of Spanish continental cuisine to upscale skill acquisition in the Nigerian hospitality industry.
The programme which was organised by the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) was tagged, “Training for Chefs and Culinary Schools in Nigeria”.
Alex Marugan, a Spanish professional Chef and instructor for the training session, said he had taken the beneficiaries through the preparation of Spanish cuisine like Croquetas, Sacpićon, Torrija, Pescado en salsa verde and Arior meloso con pato.
He said that the essence of this was to promote culinary cultural exchange platforms between Nigerians and the Spanish as well as impact positively on the Nigerian hospitality industry.
“This is an opportunity to share food culture between Nigerians and the Spanish. I have taken them through the process of preparation of some traditional Spanish dishes.
“I’m happy that the students showed a lot of interest in learning and it was quite a participatory class.
“I enjoy being a chef and the only thing I love more than cooking is eating,” he said.
One of the trainees, Mrs Temitope Oladosu, said that the training session had positioned her to be able to work at Intercontinental hotels.
Oladosu noted that she had been exposed to the reason a metal spoon should not be used with a metal pot.
“Now, I know that metallic food poisoning can occur when a metal spoon is used with a metal pot while cooking. So, it is always advisable to use a wooden spoon when a metal pot is used.
“I have also learnt a lot about hygiene while cooking,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Mr Ayorinde Olupinla, said he learnt how to prepare different types of Spanish fish sauces without using spices.
Mrs Funmi Olatuyi said, “This is a beautiful exposure for me. I will remain eternally grateful to NIHOTOUR for this training. I look forward to benefiting from more trainings that would involve other nation’s cuisine. (NAN) (nannews.ng)
