Crafting a career in culinary arts
“DISCIPLINE, professional ethics and practical learning have become the cornerstones of my career in culinary art,” said Alex Ng Fu Li, a graduate of Diploma in Food Preparation and Cooking (City & Guilds) at Cilantro Culinary Academy.
Ng says Cilantro attaches great importance to student discipline and professional ethics.
“The kitchen is the place where discipline needs to be paid attention to since we get exposure to food every day,” he said, “it is important to keep ourselves clean and tidy – hair, nails, or clothing need to meet the kitchen compulsory hygiene standards or the chef instructor will stop you from entering the kitchen.”
As the largest private culinary and pastry vocational academy in Malaysia, it owns over 15 well-equipped kitchens, a line-up of professional chef instructors with extensive working experience in five-star hotels aimed to provide students with the high standards of quality education.
This is the key standard that kept Cilantro firm in its academic excellence for over 11 years since its inception.
Ng also believes the best part of Cilantro is that 70% of the course content focuses on practical study in the kitchen.
“Practice, coupled with a solid theoretical study, allowed me to master the comprehensive cooking skills," he said.
By prioritising hands-on practical skills, the emphasis is on teaching students from scratch and discouraging using pre-mix ingredients in class.
Students spend 70% of their time mastering skills in the kitchen.
The establishment believes equipping students with essential skills and knowledge enables them to master their craft and become more adaptable in a fast-changing workplace.
A mock restaurant also provides students a platform to experience an actual job-specific situation.
Their remaining time is spent in classrooms learning essential theoretical knowledge on budgeting, costing management, food nutrition and more.
In a globally knowledgeable, skill-driven society, certification and working experience are major components in providing access to employment and career advancement.
Graduates from Cilantro can obtain up to five qualifications from four countries, including local and international qualifications.