Chef Hats and Aprons

Pic by Dazar Suarman

JOHOR BARU: FIVE orphans under the care of the Amitabha Malaysia, Johor chapter, recently got a taste of what it was like to work in a hotel.

The children, two girls and three boys aged between 7 and 12, were the special guests of Renaissance Johor Baru, which had organised for them a baking session with hotel chef Mohd Haznor Nazmi.

Haznor, whose specialty is cakes and bread, especially pistachio pave cake, demonstrated to the children how to bake cupcakes.

After showing them how to mix the flour with the egg, he taught them how to do the icing and toppings.

Chef’s hats and aprons had been prepared for the children, who eagerly put them on with the help of hotel general manager Marc Cosyns.

Cosyns said the one-hour session was held to mark Marriott’s annual Global Customer Appreciation Week 2014 and as part of the hotel’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme.

“All of the hotel’s CSR activities are handled by our Spirit To Serve Committee and our staff readily volunteer their time whenever the committee comes up with proposals and ideas on how we can give back to the community,” he said.

Cosyns said the hotel was participating in a charity project organised by the Johor Arts Foundation today at Danga City Mall, here.

The Halloween Fund Raising Party and Movie Night is held to collect money to help 10-year-old Angela Har Yi Qi, who is suffering from acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Meanwhile, Amitabha Malaysia Johor project executive Chloe Chan, who was the chaperone, said baking was a novelty to the children who had only seen people cook with a wok and spatula.

Thanks to the hotel, Chan said, the girls have now set their minds on a career in the hospitality industry.

“Many children only think of becoming a doctor, teacher or lawyer when they grow up because they hear what the adults want.

“There are so many other careers, like being a chef, for instance, that children may not know about. The tour of the hotel kitchen has given these children an idea of what it is like to work in a hotel.

“As for the baking, I think the children enjoyed eating the cupcakes more than baking them,” she said.

by Chuah Bee Kim

source NST online