Great food has always been essential to life at sea. As onboard dining expectations evolve, continuous culinary development is key.
UMTC recently conducted a pilot run of its Greek Cuisine Course in partnership with Friendly Maritime Services, welcoming four qualified ship cooks eager to expand their culinary expertise.
This 7-day course has been developed by Chef Joselito Pante, Officer-in-Charge of Culinary Training, and is taught by an experienced instructor, Chef Von Pelisigas.
It is specifically tailored for qualified ship cooks who are seeking professional development. The program combines hands-on preparation of authentic Greek dishes, breads, and pastries with practical training in personal hygiene, safe food handling, and HACCP-compliant food flow.
The course began with
classroom sessions in which Chef Pelisigas discussed the fundamentals of Greek
cuisine and emphasized the importance of adhering to HACCP standards to ensure
safety and sanitation on board. This was followed by practical demonstrations
and exercises covering various Greek main dishes, desserts, and baking sessions
with Chef Ermo Consista.
Participants learned not only how to prepare these dishes but also the cultural and historical context behind them, adding greater value to their culinary creations.
On their last day of training, participants were evaluated based on feedback from Friendly Maritime Services representatives, who sampled the dishes they prepared, resulting in overwhelmingly positive responses.
More than just learning new
recipes, the course empowers ship cooks to enhance the onboard dining
experience by preparing meals that are both authentic and safe, bringing
greater variety and quality to the tables of seafarers worldwide.
As this pilot batch concludes, UMTC remains committed to developing specialized culinary training that equips maritime professionals with the skills needed to meet the changing demands of the global shipping industry.