Tourism Industry success and failiur

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Minister St Anges launches Seychelles’ pavilion at Biennale des Arts

08-May-2015
Talented and well-known Seychellois artists George Camille and Leon Radegonde are in Venice, Italy, taking part in the Biennale des Arts.

This is the first time Seychelles takes part in the Biennale and Tourism and Culture Minister Alain St Ange joined Camille and Radegonde in Venice this week.

Camille's work at the Biennale is based on the fragile relationship between the economical development and environmental policies of our small island state.

Lalyann Anvisan (creepers) is one of the works that he is exhibiting in Venice, while Radegonde is presenting a series of artworks based on childhood memories. These include multi-dimensional facets of old tarnished clothes, exposing an element of forgotten times.

Sarah J. MacDonald, a well-known curator who curated La Salle d'Attente in 2013, and Victor Schaub Wong, a creative director, are the two curators of the Seychelles pavilion at this year’s Biennale des Arts in Venice.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=245342

It was Minister St Ange who had the honour of officially launching the Seychelles pavilion at the Palazzo Mora on May 7 in Venice and he described the event as a milestone in the development of arts in Seychelles.

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President opens first phase of new tourism academy

27-June-2015




Modern and well-equipped classrooms, an ICT (Information and Communication Technology) section, a specialised library, office space and a modern kitchen and new restaurant, those are the new facilities built as part of the first phase of the new Hotel and Tourism Academy building at La Misère.

It was President James Michel who had the honour to unveil the plaque to officially inaugurate the new facilities, in the company of Vice-President Danny Faure, Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange and the academy’s principal Flavien Joubert. Other guests included members of the diplomatic corps, members of the National Assembly (MNAs), members of the National Celebrations Committee and of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association (SHTA) as well as lecturers and students.

In a short speech, Minister St Ange described the occasion as “a great day”, as he feels that “we have delivered for the trade, the country and more importantly for the students who aspire to join the trade which remains the pillar of Seychelles’ economy”.

He remarked that under the leadership of President Michel, the country has been able, added to an inter-ministerial committee which permits discussions with other government sectors of the tourism trade, to establish a perfect public-private partnership which involves the SHTA and private operators. He believes that this has helped the trade deliver on the president’s vision to take back our tourism industry.

“These types of operations are an example to other countries in the world,” Minister St Ange said, adding that “government has realised that if we want to keep our five-star status as a tourist destination, we must invest in necessary facilities”.

“There is nothing best to learn in the atmosphere that Seychelles offers the best,” commented the minister responsible for tourism.

He went on to remind that the STA is, with the help of the French government, the first educational institution in the country to offer half of its courses in French and half in English. He noted that in the spirit of regional cooperation in the field of tourism, the relations with France and its Indian Ocean dependencies of Reunion and Mayotte will continue.

He also thanked Mr Joubert for, with its partnership with Shannon College in Ireland, producing quality students for the trade.

Mr Joubert on his side reminded how the new STA building was conceived:

“In 2009, President Michel visited the STA and promised to build a new academy. […] Today we are witnessing the realisation of a promise made by the president to the students and teachers of the academy and to the people of Seychelles. It was a promise made, it is now a promise delivered,” he said.

He added that as the building was being built, the STA has equipped itself in quality human resources through heavy recruitment and an intensive training programme locally as well as overseas, in order to build up a 100% team of Seychellois lecturers.

Mr Joubert has called on the students to join him in thanking all the “champions” in the tourism industry who make things move and who have contributed in building and equipping the new school.

Daniel Bonnelame, a first-year student of the Tourism and Tour Guiding Course, gave his impressions of having started his studies in the new facilities.

He said he and his colleagues were very lucky to benefit from the state-of-the-art establishment and promised that they will do their very best to satisfy the trade.

Work on the second phase of the construction of the new Seychelles Tourism Academy building will include the construction of a training hotel with separate villas, banqueting centre, spa and wellness centre, reception area and dormitories for staff and students.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=245874

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All you need to know about the Seychelles National Culinary Contest 2015

09-July-2015

Last year’s culinary competition at STA

Now in existence for over five years, the Seychelles National Culinary Competition continues to strive to expand its programmes and offering to the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) students. Financial support is extremely important to the academy as they depend on donations to purchase new equipment for the continuous training of the students each year in order for them to fulfill their courses. Therefore ISPC Seychelles has made it as their mission to the STA.
www.nation.sc brings you more detailed information on the Seychelles National Culinary Contest 2015 which was recently officially launched by ISPC Seychelles and its partners at the company’s premises on Bois de Rose.
The competition will be organised in three steps: the Starter Contest, the Main Course Contest and the Dessert Contest. After the three competitions, the overall winners will receive their prizes at a charity gala dinner during which each winner will serve his/her winning dish to the guests. The gala dinner will be a fund-raising event in aid of STA (infrastructure and services).
1.1. SPONSOR AND CONTEST DATES
The Seychelles National Culinary Contest is produced by the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) and sponsored by ISPC Seychelles.
Subscriptions for the Starter Contest must be submitted by July 31, 2015.
The preliminary test (if needed) will be held at La Plage restaurant on August 3, 2015.
The final will be held at the STA on September 1, 2015.

Subscriptions for the Main Course Contest must be submitted by July 31, 2015.
The preliminary test (if needed) will be held at La Plage restaurant on August 4, 2015.
The final will be held at the STA on September 2, 2015.

Subscriptions for the Dessert Contest must be submitted by July 31, 2015.
The preliminary test (if needed) will be held at La Plage restaurant on August 5, 2015.
The final will be held at the STA on September 3, 2015.

1.2. Eligibility

All contests are open to all Seychellois culinary professionals – chefs, cooks, and production personnel employed in Seychelles. The same contestants can take part in all three contests.
Contestants must be at least 18 years old and must be employed by the hotel/restaurant he/she is representing for at least three months.

If more than five competitors enter a contest, a preliminary test will be held at La Plage restaurant, Beau Vallon, with all applicants. They will be submitted to a thereotical test (multiple choice questions) and practical test (a testing test) in order to select the five finalists.
Contestants from inner and outer islands shall be accommodated at the STA.
1.3. 3 ways to enter the contest

1- By Post
All entries must be mailed before July 31, 2015 to ISPC Seychelles.
Address: ISPC Seychelles Ltd, Avenue Bois de Rose, PO Box 410, Victoria

2- By Fax
Entries may be faxed to the following fax number: 4389 201. All faxes must be received by 2pm on July 31, 2015 to qualify for the contest.

3- By Email
Entries must be sent my email by filling out the entry form below and send it in an attachment to the following address: sncc@ispc.sc
Your entry must be received by 2pm on July 31, 2015.

The first round of the contest (if there are more than five contestants per category) will be held on August 3, 4 and 5, 2015 at La Plage Restaurant, Beau Vallon.

Based on the result of this first round (multiple choice questionnaire and testings), five chefs will be selected for the final.

The finals will be held at STA:
- Starter Contest: September 1, 2015
- Main Course Contest: September 2, 2015
- Dessert Contest: September 3, 2015

1.4. Recipe requirements for the 5 finalists

Recipes must use the following mandatory ingredient:
- For the Starter Contest: ISPC Sword Fish
- For the warm Contest: ISPC Vieille Maconde
- For the Dessert Contest: ISPC Nespresso Ristretto Coffee

1.5. The Finals
Individual competitors will have 2 hours (3 hours for the final of the Dessert Contest), with five additional minutes for plating to prepare six portions (5 plates are needed for the judges and one form photography) of an original dish featuring the mandatory ingredients.
Each competitor will be helped by 2 commis of the STA (randomly chosen just before the contest).
Each competition cooking station will be supplied with the following equipment: 4 gas burners, 1 gas oven, I sink and large Inox working tables.
Competition times will be timed. Sharing times will be randomly assigned.

1.6. Judging
1) Recipes will be judged on taste, originality and appearance. Recipes must be original.”Original” is defined as not previously published in the same or substantially the same form. Contestant finalists will be required to certify that the entry is “original.”
2) Winning recipes will be judged by a qualified jury of 5 persons. The President of the Jury is Mr Lionnel Rigolet, the famous 2 Michelin Stars Chef of the equally famous restaurant Comme Chez Soi in Brussels. This year Mr Eric Boschman, best Belgian head waiter in 1988, Best Sommelier in 1989, will form part of the jury. Eric has worked in famous restaurants in Belgium such as Le Barbizon, Romeyer or Chez Bruneau. He has written several books and is a renowned expert collaborating actively with famous newspaper, magazines and TV shows.

1.7. Winners
Winners will be announced on the day of the finals directly after the final.
The winner agrees to prepare, present and serve (with the support of STA students or their own staff), their winning dish for the Gala Dinner. All necessary ingredients will be supplied freely by ISPC Seychelles.
8. Prices and Sponsors
Air Seychelles, Cable and Wireless and Constance Hotels and Resorts are the faithful sponsors.
The three final winners will receive each a flight ticket from Air Seychelles; 7 nights in the 5-Star hotel of the Constance Belle Mare Plage of the Constance Hotels and Resorts and €800 (R12,000) cash from Cable and Wireless.
Runners-up and third place finishers will also receive prizes such as famous and chef’s preferred knives from the famous brand ‘Global’, Heineken prizes as well as kitchen and table equipment for professionals.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=245993