By Joe Palabao
Correspondent
December 28, 2010
Business Week Mindanao
DOZENS of people gathered at the ground floor of Country Village Hotel in Cagayan de Oro and savored with gusto the grand buffet of Hawaiian cuisine prepared by 14-student chefs (Batch 2) of the prestigious Culinary Institute of Cagayan de Oro (CIC) on December 19.
The grand buffet culmination and party was a thanksgiving activity and a joyous celebration of the 14-student chefs (Batch 2) from CIC after finishing their eight-month Culinary Arts Studies with Holistic Nutrition Program.
The grand buffet was themed as Hawaiian Dinner Party with an ambience of a festive mood greeted the nearly 200 guests present at that memorable night.
All the guests were having an accent of Hawaiian touch by the leis given to them. It was a display of high-level of culinary skills, preparation of gourmet Hawaiian Cuisine rolled into an evening of nostalgia showcasing their competence in event preparation, fashion show, mesmerizing fire dancing, and their world class entertainment performance and well choreographed entertaining numbers.
Mouth watering menu of Hawaiian cuisine were artistically displayed for the guests to savor. From their APPETIZER-Shrimp Kebabs and Lemon Grass Chicken Balls; MAIN MENU ENTREE-Roast Beef in Cream Brown Sauce, Pacific Vegetable Rolls, Hawaiian Wings, Fish Dou, Noodle Surf & Turf and Yellow Rice; SALAD-Savory & Sweet Salad Island; DESSER-Grilled Pineapple Dish and overflowing DRINKS of Ice Tea and Hawaiian Punch.
Proper planning, coordination, support from the School Administration, overwhelming support coming from individual families of the 14 student chefs and from the sponsors Future Trade International Inc.,-Gran Marinela Wines, HDR Foods Corporation-Mothers Best Worcestershire & Oyster Sauces, Print Creations-Tarp for Tickets and Program Invitation and Castrodes Poultry Farm which made the Culminating Activity a resounding success.
In an interview, Ms. Maribel Pineda-CIC Batch 2 Class President and Over-all Project Coordinator, told BusinessWeek Mindanao that the Grand Buffet is their Culminating Activity ending their formal 8-months culinary classes before they will individually embark to their respective on-the-job training (OJT) to the different prestigious hotels and restaurants assigned to them. After the OJT, by March or April 2011 they will be conferred a Diploma on Culinary Arts by the Culinary Institute of Cagayan de Oro-the first culinary institute in Northern Mindanao and will be ready for the global culinary arts adventure and industry. They will be then a part of the 1.6 million chefs needed by the global industry up to the Year 2016.
Batch 2 CIC Students Chefs who made a Culinary Event History in the Region today are Agnes Bacarisas, Dianne Adriano, Stephanie Jaro, Maribel Pineda, Allen Basco, Hazel Bacarro, Catherine Reycites, Shyma Monir, Sharon Daniot, Zaira Blanco, Christian Allan Dy, Marc Vergel Gallenero and Ruffy Llamera. Indeed they made a history that impressed Kagay-anons that will live on and on and to be followed by the incoming batches of CIC.
Batch 1 Student Chef of CIC also made a very significant performance last December 18, 2010 as they culminated their Grand Buffet Activity as they showcased “A Taste of Asia” theme at High Ridge, Aluba, Cagayan de Oro City. Indeed these students chefs are trained with world class culinary training at the Culinary Institute of Cagayan de Oro City.