Entering SHATEC, I notice it gives off a vibe unlike many other institutions.
Here we are greeted by clean and aesthetically-pleasing kitchens, instead of classrooms.
Through clear glass panes, we can see neatly-attired student chefs go about their daily tasks.
The air of professionalism lingers through wisps of flour.
For over 35 years, SHATEC serves from the bottom of its heart where it relentlessly contributes to the hospitality industry. Its graduates form the lifeblood of the sector, ringing true the institution’s slogan: “Where the Art of Hospitality Lies Within the Heart”.
Embarking on this campus tour, I glimpse an ongoing culinary lesson. Students have just finished serving their salad plates, and are eagerly awaiting the feedback. SHATEC adheres strictly to the FIFO (‘First-in First-out’) system to ensure top cleanliness and food safety. With all its Culinary & Pastry chefs having been restaurant and industry chefs, students can definitely look forward to learning from the crème de la crème.
Did you know? Currently, the oldest student of SHATEC is 72-years-old! This truly exemplifies SHATEC’s spirit of lifelong learning and the centre of producing a pipeline of talent for the local hospitality scene.
The campus walls are adorned with giant mug shots of SHATEC’s pride and glory. Many of its alumni are now big names in the industry, such as Celebrity Chef and Culinary Consultant of ET Culinary Arts Singapore, Mr. Eric Teo, Chief Executive of Far East Hospitality, Mr. Arthur Kiong and President of Trafalgar (Asia), Mr. Nicholas Lim.
Talk about the Walk of Fame!
What intrigues me most is visiting SHATEC’s beverage lab. Sat at the back of the classroom is an assortment of alcoholic beverages and mixers amidst a bar setting. Here students learn bar mixology, as well as food and beverage under tutor supervision.
I had the gastronomic pleasure to attend a 3-Course Appreciation Lunch specially curated by SHATEC for Montfort Secondary School. It’s interesting to note that several rooms in SHATEC are sponsored by its partners, where the rooms are transformed into mock-up concepts of the actual hotels. For instance, the room where we enjoyed our lunch is sponsored by Amara Hotels & Resorts, an award-winning regional hospitality group in Singapore, Bangkok, and Shanghai.
SHATEC’s very own Hospitality & Tourism students, and Culinary students took on the roles of bartenders, waiters and personal chefs for the appreciation lunch, a practice that is not uncommon in their curriculum in a bid to prepare the students for their attachment programs as well as the working world.
The specially curated appetizer, Cream of Mushroom is served to our toothsome delight. The creamy soup is garnished with a sweet and savory potato topping, making the dish especially flavorful and pleasing to the tongue. It most certainly whets our appetites for the next two courses!
The thinly sliced Chicken Roulade is topped with vegetables and a sweet sauce that give an overall mild compliment to the dish. The tender meat is easy to bite, presenting a delish taste.
Finally, dessert is served. The Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream is every bite swoon-worthy, with the rich fudgy squares of chocolate melting in your mouth, and vanilla topping that gives a sweet and cooling finish to the dessert. It’s a perfect combination.
Amidst the appreciation lunch, there was a pleasant surprise for Mr. Vincent from Montfort Secondary School. It turns out that one of Montfort’s very own alumnus, and Mr. Vincent’s former student, is now a student with SHATEC!
As one of the finishing highlights of the tour, the students got to visit a mock-up guestroom, nestled just within SHATEC’s campus! Personally led by SHATEC’s senior trainer, Chef Samson, students had the opportunity to pose questions about life at SHATEC and even got valuable advice in return: “Attitude determines your altitude!”
I’m sure the students had a lot of precious takeaways.
Finally, the tour came to an end. It was definitely an eye-opening experience. Next up, SHATEC will be hosting its very own Open House on the 22 December’18, and 12 January’19. Programme highlights include DIY culinary and pastry workshops with professional trainers; live culinary stations; creative mixology; informative consultation sessions with trainers and alumni; as well as all-day game booths and hourly Instagram/selfie contests for attractive prizes!
In the words of one of Singapore’s leading industry veteran, Ms. Jennie Chua, “There is now a gamut of hospitality training schools in Singapore and the region – privately-run ones, polytechnics, vocational institutions, hotel chains’ own academies, you name it – but the grandmother was SHATEC”.
With its graduates all over the world helming key positions in the hospitality industry and its students continuing to be highly accoladed and excelling in competitions, SHATEC has proven to be a strong leader of the industry.
There’s a lot more in store for SHATEC in 2019, so don’t wait any further!
It’s time to ignite your future with SHATEC.
