Started in 2015 by International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) with the support of Ministry of Tourism - Government of India, 'Young Chef Olympiad' is one of the world's biggest culinary competitions for students across globe. With participants from 38 countries, this year's Young Chef Olympiad was the toughest competition among its all three editions. At the end, challenging the defending champions Team Canada and other favourite teams like UK, France, Spain, China, Australia and Mexico, Singaporean Chef Tham Jiajun Mathew emerged as the champion. For the 24-year-old Chef Tham, who is currently studying in At-Sunrice Global Chef Academy, Young Chef Olympiad is not the first international championship in his culinary saga. He is also the team member of the Singapore National Junior Culinary Team for the Alen Thong Golden Coffee Pot Young Chef Challenge 2016 at Abu Dhabi, where the Singapore team came first.
Commenting on Chef Tham's recent success at Young Chef Olympiad, Chef Sebastien Lefort, Director of Craft, Service Excellence and Partnership in At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy said, "Training and winning international competitions are a great way for young chefs to be challenged and to excel. We work closely with the Singapore Chefs Association and plan a year in advance to groom the next generation of champions in succession." Perhaps, those are the reasons why At-Sunrice is considered as one of the favourite destinations for international students to explore the world of Culinary, Pastry & Bakery and Food & Beverage.
International students receive a monthly apprenticeship allowance of 800 Singapore Dollars, which is a little over 38,000 Indian Rupees in today's conversion rate.
At-Sunrice teaches the fundamentals to the advanced Asian and Western cuisines, skills and techniques. With a unique 'Study & Work' pedagogy, the diploma programmes of At- Sunrice allow the wannabe-chefs to go on an experiential journey where they learn a wide variety of cooking or baking techniques from the basics to the advanced, as well as take part in selected apprenticeship programmes in established restaurants and hotels in Singapore. Students also get the rare privilege of working alongside established global chefs across international locations.
With its unique Overseas Industrial Attachment (OIA) programme, it adds a new dimension to their experiential education where they get immersed in an entirely new culture. It will enable them to further gain insights into a multi-cultural industry and be exposed to new and diverse cuisines, whilst working alongside industry professionals.
At-Sunrice also provides their students with various opportunities to further their culinary and F&B education by creating a seamless progression towards a degree pathway. Having signed degree articulation agreements with well-respected universities such as Johnson & Wales University (USA), University of West London (UK) and Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong, At-Sunrice's degree pathway programme is designed to stand apart with the right balance of academic studies, cultural exposure and work experience. At present, the academy has six bachelor degree tracks available upon graduation, offering their diploma students the opportunity to complete a bachelor degree in 1.5 to 2.5 years.
The Study & Work Environment
Over the last two decades, Singapore has emerged as one of the top destinations for the reputed international hotel chain to set their shops in. Hence, students who are hoping for a smooth entry into the hospitality industry after pursuing a diploma in culinary arts from the institutes in Singapore, will be able to gain the benefit of experiencing a work-study module and industry training as part of their course curriculum. At-Sunrice offers a rigorous study and work pedagogy, which enables the students to enhance their classroom learning with on-the-job training and exposes them to new talents and creative ideas.
International students receive a monthly apprenticeship allowance of 800 Singapore Dollars, which is a little over 38,000 Indian Rupees in today's conversion rate. This practise has helped the students to manage their living expenses in a city like Singapore, which is known as one of top five expensive cities to live. Each student gets two paid apprenticeships by the time they graduate, giving them good placement at the end of their academics. The institute also organises Singapore's only culinary fair known as TalentMatch, which hosts over 50 companies of national and international repute every year.
Indian Connections
At-Sunrice, a home away from home for many Indian students, maintains a cordial relationship with Indian industry bodies. In association with the Board of the Indian Restaurant Association (IRA) and The Indian Heritage Centre, At-Sunrice conducted short 'Cook Chill' courses for the Chefs and members of IRA in 2015. In reciprocity, Chef Gujaran and Sweet Master Chef Sashi of Jaggi's Northern Indian Cuisine did a Master class on Jalebi, exclusively to the students and alumni of At-Sunrice. Today, the institute is working closely with a number of Indian restaurants in Singapore including The Song of India and Yantra, where they are able to place their diploma students for the apprenticeship attachment.
The institute is also planning to participate in various education fairs, conduct chef demonstrations and do career talks in various IHM and secondary schools in India with the help of their overseas representative in India, Edwise International.
16 years in the making, At-Sunrice has achieved many milestones in the education sector by providing opportunities for the students to get the most out of their culinary journey with the academy. In 2016, At-Sunrice was awarded as the Best Private Education Institution for Culinary Arts. The academy was also the first culinary institution to be awarded Edutrust 4 years in 2010 and has just received their new Edutrust, which will take them to 2020. While there are many more accolades to be mentioned and many awards to be received, it is easy to infer that the programmes designed by At-Sunrice stands apart with the right balance of academic studies, cultural exposure and work experience.
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