News > Culinary Wizards Mentor Budding Chefs
Culinary Wizards Mentor Budding Chefs At one work station, Whitney Barnes watches intently as Chef Keisha Bonimy gives instructions about how to prepare an exotic chicken dish, while another group of impressionable youngsters simultaneously learn the art of making a decadent chocolate cake and other pastries from scratch. In this kitchen at the Choices Restaurant at the Culinary & Hospitality Management Institute [CHMI], teachers and students all share a common love for the culinary arts and the Lil' Chefs Summer Training Programme of CHMI's Industry Training Department has given them to opportunity to nurture it.  But she quickly points out that her interest in the kitchen is purely for practical purposes, rather than a career aspiration. "I hope to get a little bit more skill level in the kitchen out of this experience in order to take back home," she adds. Talented local chefs, who are graduates of The College of The Bahamas, began mentoring budding chefs on July 13th. The programme also includes weeklong training sessions in Exuma and Grand Bahama. The Lil' Chefs programme has been running for three years and has grown from initially 15 students learning only culinary arts to approximately 50 students being trained in culinary, pastry and cold food delights.  This year, students enrolled in New Providence have the added benefit of etiquette training from well known image management consultant Stacia Williams. Anae Bain was excited when she learned about the Lil' Chefs training programme, especially because she aspires to become a chef. But she admits that she must first conquer her trepidation of handling raw food. "I'm not the best in the kitchen but I can do little stuff. I don't like touching raw food, but I do want to be a chef because I think it's cool," she says. "I hope to learn more and help my mom in the kitchen and then do it myself. I'm learning culinary and pasty and pastry is awesome because I can learn how to make all kinds of cakes from scratch." Under the CHMI, The College offers two baccalaureate degree programmes – one in tourism management and the other in hospitality management. There is also an Associate of Arts degree in Culinary Arts and a three year chef's programme. In addition the Industry Training Department offers short certificate courses in specific culinary areas.  The Lil' Chefs programme is designed for kids between the ages of 10 and 15 and runs in New Providence until July 31st.
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