Culinary students from Zim varsities learn gastronomy tourism in Spain
. . . move courtesy of First Lady
THERE are vast prospects for exchanges and collaborations between the advanced Basque Culinary Centre in Spain and Zimbabwean universities, a development expected to boost gastronomy tourism and foster skills transfer.
This came out during a tour of the culinary centre by students from various universities in Zimbabwe on the sidelines of the eighth United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)’s World Food Forum on Gastronomy Tourism, courtesy of First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, who roped them into her delegation.
This also comes as the Angel of Hope Foundation is collaborating with Zimbabwean universities in the areas of culinary arts, gastronomy, cultural tourism and research on traditional grains and foods.
Therefore, the leading European gastronomic university, Basque Culinary Centre — which focuses on training both theory and practical, research and innovation, among other fields — was the place to be.
Covid-19 resulted in many experienced chefs taking up jobs elsewhere, leaving the country with limited capacity to learn gastronomy tourism.
Therefore, the students’ participation bodes well for skills development, knowledge sharing in best tourism practices and growth. Amai Mnangagwa, who was invited by UNWTO to address the forum, brought along the students from various universities across the country in a first-of-its-kind move to enhance their knowledge in the field of food science and gastronomy.
The students had an opportunity to gain hands-on experience, learning different cooking techniques, food preparation and serving skills, among others.
The Basque Culinary Centre — which offers bachelor’s, masters and PhD degree programmes in gastronomic sciences — is also a research and innovation centre for new products and services, sensory health sustainability and digital transformation.
Areas visited during the tour included the bread workshop, the pastry kitchen, food kitchens, restaurants, food and wine-testing centre, the boiled food workshop and the prepared food workshop.
The students were accompanied by Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi and University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Mapfumo, who was representing tertiary institutions.
Basque Culinary Centre general manager Mr Joxe Mari Aizega commended the First Lady for her hard work and bringing the students. He said the institution was created 14 years ago to promote the social and economic development of gastronomy.
“At the moment, it’s a very wide ecosystem with the university faculties. We have bachelor’s degrees, 10 master programmes, PhD programmes in gastronomic sciences with students from all over the world. They are from 35 countries and are coming here to study and to specialise in gastronomy. We do research about sensory health sustainability, digital transformation, new products and services. We offer different programmes, for example, we have high school students coming here to study for the bachelor’s degree,” he said.
“We are pleased to have a delegation from Zimbabwe led by the First Lady at the forum, and it has been a pleasant experience to be welcoming the students from universities in Zimbabwe to show them and share with them how we do it here — the education, the cooking training, as well as the management. I see they are very committed and have a lot of energy about the future. They are going to be big professionals. We hope to have exchanges and collaboration with Zimbabwean universities.”
Minister Rwodzi said it was an honour to have the First Lady as a patron in her ministry due to the success of her programmes.
“Her cookout competitions that started in 2021 have now landed us here in Spain and today, through her initiative of inviting the universities on board for the growth of gastronomy tourism, we are here together with the Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Mapfumo, with students from various universities in the country, learning, experiencing and having exposure about what exactly gastronomy tourism is about, which is what the First Lady has a vision about and where she wants to take gastronomy tourism for the country, Zimbabwe,” she said.
“Now, she has been honoured and she has been recognised. She has been respected by the UNWTO for the work that she started. For us, it is a privilege and we are very happy and we are looking forward to growing gastronomy tourism in our country further and bigger through her guidance.”
Prof Mapfumo described the First Lady as an icon, who has helped shape the tourism education framework from theory to practical learning.