NATIONAL: Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI) will in September host the national skills competitions featuring various trades in the field of hospitality and tourism.
The competitions that will take place on a yet to be confirmed date shall feature cookery, bakery, and restaurant service, among others, with competitors coming from different hotel and tourism institutions across the country.
The competition, the first of its kind in Uganda, aims at assessing the skills and abilities of competitors entering the field of hospitality.
Candidates shall be showcasing good knowledge of all aspects of a modern kitchen and restaurant along with significant cookery and presentation skills.
The competition is open to students from different hospitality institutions across the country who will converge at UHTTI to showcase their culinary skills and share best cookery and modern kitchen management practices. Only 10 participants below 23 years of age will be allowed to participate in each of the trades.
Chef Ivan Kalule, leading the organizing committee at UHTTI, says the competitors will be verified upon submission of a valid identification documents, including the institution’s identity card, and birth certificates.
Under cookery, participants will be expected to prepare, cook, and present a three-course menu in a sequence of three units of competition, each taking three hours. Each participant will produce three portions of the dish in equal quantities for assessment and media coverage.
In the Bakery category, participants will be required to prepare, bake, and present six artillery pieces that will be accompanied by two bakery pieces as described by the test item.
Under restaurant service, participants will be required to prepare and serve different styles of service such as, Napkin folding, Bar/Barrister making signature coffee, Casual dining, Fine Dining, Banquets and fruit Selection and curving as guided by the description.
Each of the trades will have its technical description that details the procedures, assessment strategy and specifications, competition rules, tools, ingredients list, equipment lists, roles of the judges, working methods, occupational standards and other related competition information.
Mr Kalule says test items have been developed to ensure an all-round representation of each trade guided by the national trends and seasons.
“Ingredients to be used shall be representative of the country’s classical fresh items from different regions having at least six mystery ingredients from the regions of Busoga,” he said.
Institutions willing to participate in this inaugural competition are already undertaking intense preparations and equipping their students with relevant knowledge and skills to strengthen their capabilities ahead of the revered competitions.
