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Learning the art of fine cuisine, from east to west
Three students learn to make Indian food at Singapore's At-Sunrice Academy where many Indonesians learn to cook
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Three students learn to make Indian food at Singapore's At-Sunrice Academy where many Indonesians learn to cook. (JP/Apriadi Gunawan)
Three Indonesian students were busy preparing an Indian dish at a chef academy, At-Sunrice, in Singapore.
The students were from Bali but were skilled in the art of preparing Indian cuisine.
A moment later, the food was ready to be served.
Indian cuisine is one of a variety of flavors being taught at the academy.
Situated in Fort Canning Park, At-Sunrice Academy is managed by 12 professional teachers who are skilled in international cuisine, and come from various countries including Japan, Switzerland, India, China, Malaysia, France, Thailand and Singapore.
Natasya Tjandra, one of the Indonesian students at the academy, said in her seven months learning how to cook she had gained an in-depth knowledge of the culinary arts.
The 18-year-old from Bali said she was able to pre-pare dishes from several countries, including Italy, India, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.
At-Sunrice also teaches students how to prepare Indonesian culinary delights like rendang (dry beef curry in chili and coconut seasoning) and soto ayam (clear, spicy chicken soup).
The academy is a good place to learn because many foreign recipes and styles are taught there, Natasya said.
Natasya has eight months left remaining at the academy. Once she graduates, she plans to look for experience overseas for several years before returning to open a restaurant in Bali.
Dewi told The Jakarta Post at the academy, "It has become my goal to open a restaurant in Bali."
She said, "I will try to combine the skills and experience I gain overseas to develop my restaurant."
Another Indonesian student at the academy, 26-year-old Michael Wibisono, said he was glad to be allowed to work while studying at the academy. Michael was recruited by a French restaurant in Singapore.
"To be honest, I was happy to be able to learn while working here," he said.
"The teachers never stop us from working outside, even though we are still learning." Michael said he left
At-Sunrice at midday after finishing class, to work at the restaurant.
The money he earns at the restaurant is more than enough to cover his daily expenses while studying in Singapore, he said.
"My salary is S$500 (US$384) a month - enough for me even though I only work half the day at the restaurant," said Michael, a Balinese man who has studied seven months at the academy.
At Sunrise head Mizuho Hara said she was very proud when the academy's students were accepted by other places even if the students were still learning.
Mizuho, who is fluent in Indonesian, said there were some 200 students at the academy.
The students, she said, come from 25 different countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Mexico and Indonesia.
"Around 15 percent of the 200 students at At-Sunrice are from Indonesia," Mizuho told the Post.
Many were interested in the academy because its tuition fees were considered lower than similar schools in Europe or the United States.
At-Sunrice, she said, offers four culinary education programs; a diploma in culinary crafts and service excellence, a diploma in pastry and baking, a diploma in advanced culinary placement and a short course program.
The three diploma programs run for between 15 and 24 months, with fees ranging from S$23,000 to $S39,000.
The short-course program runs for two weeks and is provided for overseas visitors who come to Singapore and want to learn culinary skills intensively.
The school was set up in 2001 and has produced at least 300 alumni. It has also achieved official recognition on several occasions, including the World Gourmet Summit Award of Excellence 2008 (for the Asia Pacific region), Mizuho said.
A large number of At-Sunrice graduates have gone on to open their own restaurants, while others had been accepted to work in well-known international hotels, including the seven-star Hotel Burj Al Arab, Mizuho said.
The academy, she said, teaches students western and eastern culinary skills.
"One thing we maintain when teaching various recipes from western and eastern cultures is that we never change the original components of the recipe.
"This is important for students, so they gain a good understanding of eastern and western traditional cookery."
