10 Culinarians Graduate From Pro Chef 1

The Organization of American States (OAS) and the Belize Tourism Board continue their commitment to the upgrading of the tourism product in Belize. Under the three year OAS/BTB Capacity Building: Tourism Training and Certification Project, 10 Belizeans moved one step closer to becoming the first home-grown professional Chefs. The 10 graduates have successfully completed the course work and exam leading to the designation of Certified Culinarians from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA). They were awarded 4.8 CEUs (Continued Education Units) that could be used as credits towards pursuing a higher level of training in the culinary field. Present at the event were the Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism. Addressing the graduates was Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr., Minister of Tourism.

The program is geared towards enhancing the quality of service within the Tourism and Hospitality Industry and focused on the culinary sector for special attention. The goal is to build the critical link between the agricultural and tourism sectors, while infusing the different elements of Belize's culture into its culinary offerings.