Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Ten graduate from the San Pedro Institute of Culinary Education program

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What began as a pilot project at Holy Cross Anglican Primary School in the San Mateo subdivision of San Pedro Town has successfully culminated in the graduation of ten students from the San Pedro Institute of Culinary Education (SPICE). Graduation celebrations were held on Friday, December 14, and Saturday, December 15. This successful fifteen-week culinary program, developed in collaboration with the primary school and Gaynor’s School, provided participants with professional culinary techniques. Students learned essential skills: sautĂ©ing, braising, roasting, grilling, and egg cookery. Following the positive response from tourism stakeholders and the success of this first group of graduates, organizers are excited to plan for the program’s return sometime next year after the Easter break.
Gaynor Grant, the owner of Gaynor’s School of Cooking in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was responsible for guiding and teaching participants who had previously worked at some of the top restaurants on the island. With 45 years of experience in the culinary arts, she was eager to share her expertise with Belizean cooks. Gaynor told The Sun that she and her husband learned about the school’s plans to open a vocational department in San Pedro. They discussed initiating this venture with the San Pedro Roman Catholic Church and incorporating a cooking program.

The fifteen-week program had students meeting twice a week at Holy Cross. They completed all their lessons in the school’s cafeteria kitchen. This technique-driven program taught them classical culinary methods. “They can adapt these techniques, new procedures, to local ingredients, local tastes, but you also need to keep in mind that you are feeding a lot of tourists who are people that tend to have sophisticated palates these days and may expect a certain level of quality,” Grant said. “This is a good opportunity to make their culinary experience more diverse,” Grant noted that many cooks do not have the opportunity to attend cooking school and learn on the job. She mentioned that this is not necessarily a negative, but that access to culinary classes can be very beneficial. Grant encouraged Belizeans interested in becoming cooks or chefs to take advantage of these programs to help advance their careers in the industry.
Graduation Celebration Dinner
The two-day graduation celebration welcomed employers, family, and friends of the graduates. This special occasion featured a dinner prepared by the students. The formal proceedings began with a speech from Holy Cross Board Vice Chair Jim Bizal, who welcomed everyone and congratulated the graduates. Bizal also highlighted the success of the culinary program and expressed gratitude to everyone who supported it, especially Grant, for initiating the opportunity for the students.

Later, dinner was served, starting with Shrimp Provençal. This was followed by a delicious and well-balanced dish of Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple Onion Sauce, accompanied by Asparagus Timbales, Stir-Fried Garlic Carrots, and Sweet Potato and Potato Gratin.
While the graduates continued to prepare and serve the meal, the guests enjoyed beverages as they savored their food. The next course was a Spinach Orange Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette. To conclude the evening, an Almond Fruit Tart was served for dessert. Everyone was delighted with the dinner and praised the program and the cooks for their hard work and success.

The stars of the evening, the graduates, were recognized for their dedication and successful program completion in front of everyone. Certificates of completion were distributed throughout the two-day event. The graduates included Lisbeth Mejia, Laura Ramos, Edwin Tzul, Marcelino Choc, Devon Bainton, Judy Hancock, Dora Anariba, Veronica Hernandez, Ingrid Perez, and Stanley Tillet. The participants represented various restaurants, including Blue Water Grill, Victoria House, Alaia Hotel, El Fogon, and Hidden Treasure. Organizations such as the Rotary Club of Belize, Someplace South, Black Orchid Restaurant, and Toast supported the program.
Vernon Wilson addressed the gathering and congratulated the graduates. He and his wife, Francis, played a key role in establishing the Holy Cross Anglican School, which opened in September 2006. Although they moved to Panama in 2011, they remained actively involved in various projects to support the primary school and its students. Wilson expressed his excitement about the success of the program. “This is an example that when we plan and dedicate ourselves to something, it is possible, it can happen,” he said. Wilson is excited about welcoming new students next year and is considering expanding the program to accommodate more participants. This growth will require dedicated facilities to support larger groups. Additionally, the project aims to offer night classes for tourists, using the proceeds to reinvest in the program and the school. Wilson noted that, besides cooking, there are plans to introduce programs in plumbing, carpentry, and other vocational trades.
For more information about SPICE, visit https://www.spicebz.com/about-us, or to view Grant’s “Art of Fine Cooking” series, visit www.gaynorsschoolofcooking.com.

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