13 Belizean Chefs Complete Culinary Certification Program

And while NICH looks ahead under fresh leadership, Belize’s culinary sector is also celebrating a major step forward. Thirteen local chefs have earned international certification after completing a demanding five month program led by the BTB and the American Culinary Federation, marking a big win for Belize’s growing food industry.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Cooking may be an art, but it’s also a science, and for the past five months, thirteen chefs from across Belize have been pushing themselves to master both. Today, all that hard work paid off. The group received their culinary certifications from the American Culinary Federation, thanks to a partnership with the Belize Tourism Board. BTB’s Director of Cruise and Capacity Development, Lloyd Enriquez, explains what the program brought to the table and how it’s helping to elevate Belizean cuisine.

 

Lloyd Enriquez, Director of Cruise & Capacity Dev., Belize Tourism Board

“This is a part of a journey that  e’ve embarked upon to build tourism capacity or capacity in the tourism industry. We’ve formed MOUs in the American Culinary Federation and the American Hotel and Lodging Education Institute. Both of those bodies are certification bodies that allow persons to build to move from one level to another. They can start at a very base level and then move their way up all the way up to executive level.It is world renowned certification. So they can actually take the certification and work anywhere in the world. But of course, we want to retain our talent, build our talent, and retain it here in Belize.”

 

The training included certifications for Sous Chefs, Chefs de Cuisine, and Executive Chefs. Sean Kuylen, a familiar face across Belize, is now a certified Executive Chef.

 

Sean Kuylen, Certified Executive Chef

“We have jankro belly and thing but that is not an excuse.  People are coming to the country today with celiac diseases and allergies. But we have to understand what that means. Fortunately for me as a Belizean chef, my culture satisfy all these things. Garifuna, lactose intolerant, coconut milk, masa. But now you have to add the science to it. So this certification is adding the science to it, and as I mentioned in my speeches is no easy feat. There’s only less than six thousand  people certified executive chefs in the United States. For pastry there’s only less than ten certified executives, pastry chefs in the whole world.”

 

Kuylen emphasized the importance of following your passion while still showing up with professionalism. For chef Michael Acal, better known as Maya Mike, that message hits home. He’s been in the kitchen for more than a decade, starting out as a dishwasher before working his way up. Today’s certification, he says, is a major honor and a defining moment in his culinary journey.

 

Michael Acal, Certified Chef De Cuisine

“This training is probably over five, six months. That’s the pressure there, some of us, even myself, I was a little bit little bit back of with it, I was I had to catch up with the crew and so about, it’s four or five tough months for starting late nights, as Chef Sean mentioned earlier. Not going to sleep three, four o’clock in the morning. And yeah, I think it, I deserve it. We deserve it together.”

 

Ennel Valdez has spent more than fifteen years sharpening his skills in the culinary world, and he’s now passing that knowledge on as an instructor at the Cayo Center for Employment Training. Today, he added a major milestone to his résumé, becoming a Certified Chef. He says the achievement gives him an even stronger platform to help shape and inspire the next generation of Belizean culinary talent.

 

Ennel Valdez, Certified Executive Chef

“For me, this was definitely an eye-opening. It marks a before and after. So from here we can only get better and move on together as young chefs, I would say because we do have a lot of energy and the kids coming behind us, they’re greedy, they’re hungry, and we also have to put our part with what we’ve learned to pass on the information, pass on the knowledge. I mostly say thanks to Chef Kuylen because he does hire us a lot and we come and we get a lot of hands-on work in this gathering. And they also get to explore our country.”

 

Participants say the certification was tough to earn and required multiple attempts at several stages of the exam. Isela Jimenez, now a certified sous chef, is excited for where this achievement will take her in her culinary journey.

 

Isela Jimenez, Certified Sous Chef 

“It was challenging. I won’t lie. It was very challenging but dedication, discipline makes to a great success. Many nights if not sleeping well but yes I made it through. I push myself. It’s not the stop for me, I will continue growing and I will continue uplifting the kitchens where I work and I am here to help the company build themselves and build myself as well.”

 

The Belize Tourism Board says that this certification raises the bar for culinary excellence in Belize and strengthens our reputation as a top regional food destination. The board also plans to take the initiative a step further and establish a permanent training facility in Belize. Britney Gordon for News Five.