Polynesian paradise

The weekend practicals for 12 groups of final-year students began in February, except for Easter and Carnival week-ends, with presentations centred on various countries, researched and fully organised by the students. With Charles Pereira, executive chef of this the 11th group were sous chef Anselm Seepaul and chefs de partie Evan George, Shermane Joufield, Crispin Grant, Mario Williams and Ken Williams.

The three food and beverage managers who made sure that their staff of approximately 20 student waiters performed their duties smoothly and efficiently were Kelly Agard, Lyndon Coolman and Kathryn Hill.

Guests were welcomed to “Polynesian Paradise” at the institute, so ideally suited to an “island” function, with colourful leis.

From the door where coconut shells filled with white sand stood among lit candles, to the dining room with its overhead, floating orange coloured panels, soft lighting, crotons and other tropical flora and fauna, families and friends who had come to support those about to graduate could have been on a Pacific island. The setting was authentic, down to the napkin holders made from bamboo.

In one corner of the dining room, a huge suckling pig with a necklace of grapes stood ready for carving, under a palm tree made with a trunk of pineapples. On the same table was a Polynesian hut with furniture, made entirely from butter.

The waiters appointed to the individual tables politely introduced themselves and offered a choice of welcome cocktails (banana daiquiri and pina colada), or mocktails including coconapple (pineapple juice with coconut cr?me) and Brooke Shields (sprite and ginger ale with grenadine syrup).

In the beautifully designed programme, the students provided a condensed history of Polynesia — islands located in the Pacific Ocean, some of which are very far apart and hard to reach by boat.

Many scholars believe that the first settlers in the Pacific Islands came from Southeast Asia thousands of years ago and probably reached the Pacific by way of Indonesia, then travelled to islands in Melanesia and later in Micronesia. The first settlers of Polynesia were probably groups of seafaring people from islands of eastern Melanesia or Micronesia.

The seven courses served were put together in minute portions so that we were able to eat and enjoy each one, starting with Bora Bora, a medley of paw paw and melonballs in a chow, followed by Tropical Hearts of Palm Salad, Pacific Island Fish, Anslem’s Seafood Festival, Festive chicken, Tahiti — Polynesian Pork, ending with Napoleon Dynamite for dessert.

Not only was presentation important, but each serving was either smothered in, or drizzled/flavoured with, an unusual sauce, accompanied by starches such as a nest of vanilla scented sweet potato, garlic potato wedges, a cassava chip and veggies of a twist of citrus carrots and spiced broccoli.

Entertainment started off with a greeting by Ryan Nanton and his snake, and moved on to pan playing by Dorianne Bellamy, a performance by the Julia Edwards Dance Company and three lovely hula dancers, Zena Dennis, Akilah Cumberbatch and Kady Cezair.

It would be interesting to know how the professionals who went about the business of marking the work with such seriousness, graded these final-year students.