Caleb Anis, youthful Nigerian demi chef, gives back at Transcorp Hilton
In 2016, Caleb Anis was among the many aspiring chefs at an apprenticeship programme organised by the Hilton Group at Transcorp Hilton Abuja.
Then as a trainee, his commitment on the job was noticed by the hotel as he went ahead to finish top of his set.
Today, the youthful Anis works as assistant supervisor at Hilton Jumeirah, a five-star hotel in Dubai. With his current position, which is popularly known as ‘demi chef’ in the culinary parlance, Anis is already living out his dream of building a career in hospitality and ultimately becoming an executive chef in the future.
Instead of banking, telecom and oil and gas sectors where his folks dream to be, Demi Chef Anis says being a chef is career and lifestyle for him. He recognizes the fact that building reputable career in the culinary profession is very tasking and competitive, but he is committed to going the extra mile to make his mark in the sector.
Of course, as he celebrates any success in his work in the kitchen at Hilton Jumeirah in Dubai, Demi Chef Anis remembers his days of little beginning and appreciates Transcorp Hilton Abuja for offering him opportunity through the 2016 apprenticeship programme.
“I came top of my class in the apprenticeship programme in 2016 and I was given opportunity at Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja afterwards. Hilton Group gave me the foundation, that is why I am here today and without Hilton I would not have been where I am in Dubai or in the hospitality sector today”, he explains.
However, in appreciation of the good gestures of Hilton, Demi Chef Anis recently returned to Nigeria to boost the culinary expertise at Transcorp Hilton Abuja. While on vacation, the young chef initiated and hosted a culinary competition, which he called ‘Anis Cooking Competition’.
The competition, which held on October 17, 2019 at the Zuma Grill, Transcorp Hilton Abuja, witnessed seven contestants who explored new menus with ingredients provided by the hotel.
“The contestants cooked one dish in two plates. It is a mix of local and continental offerings, like a fusion menu”, he says.
For five hours, the seven ambitious young chefs tasked their creative ingenuity and came up with exciting new menus, tasted and approved by a panel of judges comprising three directors of the hotel, the head of training and Shola Adeyemo, public relations/marketing manager of the hotel.
At the end, a winner emerged. Elijah Abraham beat other contestants to emerge the overall winner of the maiden edition of the competition. He impressed the judges with his menu made from beef with yam puree, cherry tomatoes among other ingredients.
Other contestants include; Christian Obi, 1st runner up, Pelumi Omoniyi, 2nd runner up, Onuabu Iredia Stephen, 3rd runner up, David Hassan, 5th position, Bose Sarah Uwem, 6th position and Grace Amaka Ugwueke, 7th position.
Elijah Abraham, the winner, appreciates the hotel for offering him opportunity to follow his passion and Anis for boosting his career and the morale of his colleagues with the competition.
“For the winner, the judges checked the presentation, the taste, cleanliness and the creativity put in to make the dish distinctive”, he Anis says.
The overall winner went home with a big trophy, certificate of participation and a set of kitchen accessory. As well, the first and second runner ups went home with smaller trophies, certificate of participation and kitchen accessory.
Moreover, all the seven contestants got Hilton customized aprons.
“I came up with the scoring. The winner had good points, the taste was fantastic, presentation was unique, and he was very creative. He had a combination of something local like yam and then cooking it in the continental way. The technique was high level”, he explains further.
Speaking on reason for the competition during the presentation of the prizes to the winners, Anis says the competition is a giveback initiative for him. “I organised the competition to give back to my folks at the hotel being that I have worked at Transcorp Hilton Abuja before. Again, that day was my birthday and I was looking for a way to make it unique, so the cooking competition was a perfect idea”, he explains.
He appreciates the hotel for the support, especially for approving his idea, providing ingredients, venue and allowing staff to participate in the competition. He hopes to make the competition an annual event.
Both staff and management of Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja appreciate Demi Chef Anis for initiating healthy rivalry in the kitchen, boosting culinary expertise and also recognizing the early support from the hotel and appreciating it through giving back to the staff.
Shola Adeyemo, public relations/ marketing manager, Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja, says, “The competition is a welcome development and interesting as a former apprentice who passed through the hotel could come back to show appreciation and motivate those who are coming behind to excel”.
Commenting on Anis swift rise in his career, Adeyemo says that the success within a short period is a testimony to the quality of training the enterprising chef received while at Transcorp Hotel Abuja.