(Seychelles News Agency) - Chefs in Seychelles now have a platform that brings them together, providing members with training through which they can take part in national and international competitions. 

The platform was made possible after a revamped Seychelles Chef Association was launched on Friday.

“Our aim is to connect the Seychelles Chef Association with the outside world. We need to bring international experience to the local and we have a lot of plans for members which includes training. We need everybody's support to grow,” said Hamzeh Abu El Foul, the president of the association.

During his speech at the launching ceremony held at Kempinski Seychelles Resort, Baie Lazare, he added that most countries in the world have an association for chefs and Seychelles shouldn’t be an exception.

The executive committee of the association consists of eight members, three of whom are Seychellois. The association is affiliated with the Emirates Culinary Guild (ECG).

Erryl Morel, the Vice President Administrator of the association, said that the body has plans for members who are to join.

“It is a platform for all chefs in Seychelles, including the young ones, as we want to see the youth working in the industry promoted. Competitions are among our priorities and we want to start with two competitions per year,” said Morel.

He explained that “the winner of local competitions will have the chance to go to Dubai, where they will receive training and take part in other competitions.” 

The platform was made possible after a revamped Seychelles Chef Association was launched on Friday. (Seychelles Chefs Association, Facebook) Photo License:  All Rights Reserved

Global Chef and East Coast Salon Culinary and Cocktail Competition are two of many competitions members of the association will be able to take part in. Chefs registered with the local association will also benefit from local trainings.

Richard Mathiot, a chef present at the launching, said that even if most of the chefs that came together to form the association are foreigners, “I do believe that we need to have a stepping stone somewhere.”

“I am calling on young Seychellois chefs to come and join the association as it is an opportunity for all. Cooking is a lifelong career where you get to see the whole world. By being a member of a chef association in your country, a chef can gather more professional baggage, without which one is not recognised,” said Mathiot.

The chairperson of the Board of Governance of the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA), John Stravens, said that chefs in Seychelles have realised that it is important that they come together.

“I welcome this idea of recreating and relaunching the Chef Association of Seychelles. Our tourism industry has a lot of angles and culinary is one that makes it happen as it is in human nature to appreciate good cuisine,” said Stravens.

Stravens also added that “it be great if we could combine the fine cuisine from overseas and our refined Creole food.”

Chefs working or studying in Seychelles - 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean - are being urged to join the association. All they need to do is fill the membership form and pay a registration fee of between $18 and $73, depending on their qualifications. More information can be obtained from the association’s Facebook page.