MONROE College, St. Lucia Campus, is once again offering its Chefs’ Administration Course. This is the fifth cohort since the programme started two years ago and is the largest group of chefs registering in the programme so far.
Director of Administration, Monroe College, Mr. Neil Nichols, in welcoming 20 chefs from nine (9) hotels at the orientation ceremony at Conway Hall, Monroe College Campus, Barnard Hill, Castries, told them they are now part of the “Monroe College family” and advised that they “take full advantage of the opportunity as Monroe College had put the best of its faculty and resources at their disposal.”
The Chefs’ Administrative course teaches supervisory skills needed for running an efficient, professional kitchen; chefs exchange being in their kitchens on their jobs and sit in classrooms at Monroe College to enhance their supervisory “soft skills”. Subjects covered: Decision making, Information Technology in Food Preparation, Communications, Motivation, Emotional Intelligence (EI) and conflict resolution.
The Chefs’ Administration Course is a collaboration between Monroe College’s School of Hospitality Management and the Culinary Arts and the St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA). Some 40 chefs have so far benefitted from the training programme since it was introduced. Representative of the SLHTA, Ms. Yola St. Jour, told participants that the relationship with Monroe College allows its members to “access international quality education in a local environment.” She complemented the attendees and their management for making the sacrifice to attend the course. She said: “To be the best in the industry, you have to continue to upgrade yourselves and we applaud your commitment to doing so.”
According to course coordinator, Mr. Winston Benjamin, the purpose of the programme is to enhance the quality of food service delivery. “Many chefs already have great kitchen and food related skills, but this course is to help them get the best from employees they supervise. We are more than happy to work with the various properties in this regard.”
Since establishing a campus in St. Lucia seven years ago , Monroe College, an Accredited American institution founded in 1933, believes it has been making a tremendous and valuable contribution to higher education and the St. Lucian economy by providing “access and opportunity” to higher education for all those willing to work hard towards completing their degrees.