Culinary College students off to USA

Gaborone College of Culinary Arts has sent 29 learners to the USA for a fourmonth attachment. The students will be based in different areas that include Colorado, Georgia, and Missouri, and they will be based at different hotels and hospitality establishments during their stay in the USA.

Director of the College, Chef Monana, recently shared the good news with Botswana Guardian. She tells this publication that they have been building up to this moment, and is ecstatic to see this dream coming true. The school has been in operation for nine years, and Chef

Monana is always exploring her network base to take her learners to the world. With this particular opportunity, it was open to students who are aged 18- 32 years, and are in the Food and beverage service.

The first batch of the students departed for their respective destination last week, Thursday, with the last group departing on Friday, this week. Already, the students are settling in well, and are ready to hit the ground running during their paid internship. “This is the first time that a group from Botswana is doing something like this. This is big for the school as it means that they recognize our City & Guilds qualifications,” she explains, adding that they also have students from the University of Botswana in the group. She explains that this is a summer internship/ working internship for culinary and stewards’ students. The program, she says, will expose them to what life as a chef entails. She further notes that during the course of the training, the students will be earning a salary. “They will go back again, for a 12 months rigorous program,” she points out. Chef Monana further points out that for most of the students, this will be their first time away from home, and that they are all excited and ready to learn from the best chefs/ teachers. “This will give them exposure. I always tell my students that they must always think beyond Botswana,” she says.