Chefs from around Samoa will be taught Food Safety and Hygiene by trainers who have cooked for the Queen of England and the Olympic Games.

The six-week Australian Pacific Technical College (APTC) training course was officially launched by Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi at the Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) fale on Friday.  

The course is being funded by the New Zealand Government.  

In his keynote address, Tuilaepa said this training was important with both the upcoming United Nation’s Small Island Developing States (UNSIDS) conference and the Teuila Festival only months away.  

“It is without a doubt that the conference will bring many, many, visitors to our shores to discover Samoa,” he said.

“And we in turn must put up our best services in hosting our guests.”  

“The UNSIDS and the Teuila Festival are therefore the home grown grounds for our Teuila arts and crafts and the Teuila food festival, which you, our specially selected local cooks and arts and crafts artists, will feature in demonstrating your cuisine and your art.”  

“We are again most grateful for the opportunity provided through the assistance of the New Zealand Government for our selected cooks to be trained by the APTC in partnership with the STA”  

“We look forward to your delicious creations and especially in knowing that our own home grown cooks and chefs will also receive certification that will be recognised in Australia and in Samoa.”  

“As well as knowing that we will have a group of well trained cooks to cater for our future conferences.”  

STA CEO, Papali’i Sonja Hunter, said this training would ensure cuisine preparation in Samoa would be bought to a higher level.  

“There are a lot of people that are here who will help you to ensure that we do deliver our promise of a great and successful UNSIDS for endurable and genuine partnerships,” she said.  

“This is a wonderful opportunity because the trainers who are going to train you throughout the training have actually not only cooked for Queen Elizabeth but have also coordinated the cuisine preparation at Olympic Games.”  

“So we have the capacity with us and I pray that we will all make use of it.”  

In response APTC Country Manager, Francis Howes, thanked the Samoan Government, the STA and the New Zealand Government for allowing her institution to be a part of this.  

“I want to congratulate the Samoan Government, the STA and New Zealand Aid for putting together the proposal to take on such a huge challenge as the SIDS conference,” she said. 

“(And) also to look at ways to showcase Samoa’s best.”  

“And you are the people of Samoa, you know your food you know your ingredients and you have that wonderful Samoan warmth that will welcome your guests to this beautiful country.”  

“APTC is privileged to help with this training around Food Safety and Hygiene, to help you with that side of it.”  

“But we know that the creativity and the food and the cuisine will be your creations.”

“And I congratulate you and thank you for allowing us to be a part of that.”

(Source: Samoa Observer Online)