Cooking on Board is an experience like no other. Anyone who has ever eaten at a fine restaurant knows the exquisite tastes and aromas that are part of the dining experience. But for the traveler who loves to cook and wants to share the experience, cooking on board can be just as wonderful, and maybe even more so. Cookery on board a ship is almost like having a family gathering every day at your favorite restaurant. You get to eat traditional Caribbean fare, and you are surrounded by people enjoying the same food.
Cooking on Board (or simply “board”) is the ideal way to experience traditional Caribbean cuisine. Experiencing is not limited to the actual cooking experience. Guests often share authentic Caribbean stories and prepare the dishes together as a group. Many hosts even share traditional Caribbean recipes and provide a unique taste of the culture through the stories and flavors behind every dish.
A great idea for a cooking and dining experience on a ship is to dine on a traditional Caribbean pizza. The dough is made fresh daily from scratch, and it is baked in an oven in the kitchen itself. The chef will then carefully cut the yeast and dough into the required sizes. It is cut into pieces that are perfect for a particular dish or eaten as is, for example, a half pizza, half white grape pizza, or a half beef and half vegetable pizza.
To master this cooking adventure, it is best to sign up for one of the many cooking and hospitality courses offered by various Caribbean island chains. These classes are designed to introduce guests to the important elements of cooking and hospitality. Most cooking schools and institutes offer a basic first course, then a more advanced course that helps build a full repertoire of cooking skills. The institutes and schools also offer extensive programs that incorporate hands-on experience using the latest equipment. This type of hands-on experience is essential to building a repertoire of skills and perfecting techniques. Many of the institutes that teach cooking and catering courses focus on preparing exciting menus complete with interesting presentations of recipes.
The virtual cooking class gives aspiring chefs a chance to get their feet wet working alongside professional chefs, learn from their mistakes, and build a full chef’s resume. While the virtual cooking class gives guests an opportunity to experience cooking in a real setting, it does not give the chef the chance to assess whether the food is up to restaurant quality standards. However, the chef can check his or her resume for accuracy after the event. Guests who have attended the cooking class and received a certificate usually make the best grade for being the best chef in the restaurant.
While attending a cooking school or an institute for culinary training, it is important to note that courses are taught by actual professionals. It may seem like good money, but cooking and food preparation skills take years to perfect. The chef should be able to work with ingredients to bring out the best in each dish he or she prepares. The chef should also be able to work quickly in a tight kitchen setting, and be able to stay calm under pressure. While attending a cooking school or institute, the budding chef should be sure to ask for feedback from past participants as well as get information about the courses offered at the institute. The right culinary school can prepare cooks for almost any career, so choosing the right one is key to finding success in the industry.
