President-Hospitality Alliance of Ghana (HAG), Chef Joe Wilson Tetteh, has advocated establishing a certification process in the hospitality space – emphasising its critical role in unlocking the sector’s vast potential.
According to him, the sector is replete with opportunities and it is essential to introduce certifications for specific skills in the space to elevate standards and promote skills development.
“I am advocating certification of all the hospitality skills – from the chef to housekeeping and waiting skills, a certification process that we will take everybody through,” he noted.
He made this call while speaking on the sidelines of a Culinary Fair maiden edition – an event spearheaded by Dainess Chef’s School (DCS) to spark and ignite the love for cooking among aspiring chefs, caterers and food enthusiasts.
It was held under the theme ‘Culinary frontiers: elevating culinary standards in Ghana’.
Focusing on culinary aspects of the hospitality sector, Mr. Tetteh highlighted its contributions to the tourism sector by saying: “When you look at other economies, food tourism does a big percentage in their overall tourism attractions” – adding that its impacts will be realised “if we can harness it properly”.
Also, he expressed concern about traditional dishes that are “going extinct”.
To address the challenge above, Principal and Founder-Dainess Chef’s School Pamela Sarkodee advocated integrating international culinary techniques with local ingredients, adding that it must be presented in a manner that is “comparable to international standards”.
“What we can do is introduce Ghanaian ingredients into the meals we prepare. We cannot stop where the direction is going, but we can infuse our cultural heritage in the space by highlighting some of our ingredients’ versatility. Potatoes can be replaced with coco-yam, sweet potatoes, yam or cassava. Spinach can be replaced with kontomire,” she suggested.
About DCS Culinary Fair
The one-day Culinary Fair brought together industry professionals and stakeholders, who engaged participants in interactive and practical sessions showcasing best practices in the sector.
Chefs from DCS, White Restaurant and Gardens, Mukaase Chic, Marriot Hotel and Chocolate Sarayi demonstrated a range of cooking techniques – including chocolate and plating art, complementing fine dining with Ghanaian cuisine and pairing local spices and herbs.
In addition to cooking demonstrations, a representative from the Ghana Chef Association provided insights on succeeding in the culinary industry, while the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) conducted a seminar on food safety standards.
Highlighting the event’s contribution to the culinary space, Ms. Sarkodee noted that with celebrating the ‘Year of Return’ in December – leading to an influx of foreign patronage and establishment of more hotels and restaurants in the country – skills and knowledge acquired from the fair position players in the sector to present local dishes in an appealing way for foreigners to appreciate local foods.
She added that they intend to make the Culinary Fair an annual event, bringing experts onto one platform to network with aspiring chefs and food enthusiasts.
A participant, Portia Ahiamedzi, expressed satisfaction with the event; highlighting the skills learnt and hopes to implement them. She recommended the programme for all workers in the space and urged them to participate in subsequent editions.
