Hospitality students off to Ghana

By Sunday Express On Mar 28, 2017

Chef Donald hard at work in the kitchen with the students to ensure they bring out thier A game

Mohalenyane Phakela

NINE students from Dona@Balos Chef and Hospitality School are set to leave for a six-month internship in Ghana on Thursday.

The diploma students will be attached at different hotels in the Ghanaian capital, Accra.

Thamae Bakoena, Helena Lintle Rikabe, Tlhoriso Mafereka and Makoaba Refiloe Agnes will be attached at the Golden Tulip Hotel.

Sefuthi Tumelo and Khali Matepa Rosalia (Kempinski Hotel), while Mosimang Rose Sebongile and Sehlabi Tumisang (Swizz Spirit Hotel) and Senate Bernice Letsie will be attached at Zina Lodge.

The group recently prepared their farewell menu at the Dona@Balos Restaurant in Thetsane where they served their parents five different lunch dishes.

The school’s Chief Lecturer, Chef Thato Monyamane expressed confidence in the team’s abilities.

“Today’s event was a reality check hence preparing five different meals for their parents so the students proved that they have what it takes to represent us well in Ghana,” Chef Monyamane told the Xpress People on the sidelines of the dining ceremony on Thursday.

“When they enrolled in this institution, they were clueless about planning a menu but now they can now plan, cook and serve food without any inhibitions they used to have.

“Last year we had competitions where they competed in preparing different African cuisines which they executed well. They also got the international exposure while competing in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) in December 2016 and I believe they will not disappoint at all,” she said.

One of the students, Sefuthi said: “Since we are the first team from Lesotho to be attached in a different country and bearing in mind we will not only be representing our school but the country as a whole, we aim to leave a remarkable impression”.

“While we would be equipped with skills to prepare different cuisines, the aim is to secure permanent jobs there and pave the way for other Lesotho students. The menu will be totally new but we are used to learning different things everyday so it will not be a problem,” he said.

Dona@Balos owner, Chef Donald Moletsane said that attachments had been made possible by the relationships they formed during past editions of the African Food Festival competitions.

“In September 2016 when the African Food Festival was held in Ghana, the chefs association of that country approached me and said they were impressed with the competency of my students hence they offered to host them for their internship programme.

“They also indicated that they see the need of a chef’s school in their country so they have also invited me to spend a week in their country, helping them to upgrade their cuisine as well as work on fostering working relations between chefs associations of Lesotho and Ghana,” he said.

“Chef Donald Moletsane has been invited to support the work of Chefs Association of Ghana by giving a presentation about partnership between Lesotho chefs Association. He will be visiting the Ghana Tourism Federation President, Ghana Tourism Authority Chief Executive Officer and the new Minister of Tourism,” reads part of the invitation letter to Chef Donald Moletsane from the president of Chef Association of Ghana, Isaac Sackey.

“He will also be supporting us in project design with regards to chefs as professional consumers and with regards to improving the sustainability and quality of local food chains,” the letter further states.