A Symphony of Chefs: Celebrating Taylor’s University School of Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary Arts (TCHT)’s 25th Anniversary

Media:  The Star  
Date:      8 Dec 2011

It was a night of glamour, music and tantalising French cuisine as Taylor’s University School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts (TCHT) kick-started their silver jubilee celebration with the Symphony of Chefs.
As the theme said it, “A Stellar Past, A Brighter Future”, TCHT, the largest and most established hospitality and tourism management school in South East Asia promised a more vibrant and exciting future, while remembering its 24 years of significant achievements.

Representatives from Taylor’s University, French Embassy in Malaysia, French Ministry,                 University of Toulouse and Academie de Toulouse cut a birthday cake to signal the launch of               Taylor’s University School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts (TCHT)’s 25th anniversary celebration.

The celebration culminated in an evening of fine cuisine, whereby a trio of well-known Chefs or “craftsmen” with the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) title prepared a gastronomic feast for the guests. Among those present were Monsieur Laurent Le Marchand, Acting Ambassador of the Embassy of France in Malaysia; Professor Olivier Dugrip, Rector of Toulouse Academie; Professor Daniel Filatre, President of University of Toulouse 2; Professor Pierre-Yves Boisseau, Vice President of University of Toulouse 2; Dr. Mathieu Guerin, Director of Malaysia-France University Centre (MUFC); Dato’ Loy Teik Ngan, Group CEO of Taylor’s Education Group; Professor Dato’ Dr. Hassan Said, Vice Chancellor & President, Taylor’s University; and Mr Pradeep Nair, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Taylor’s University; industry experts and partners as well as TCHT alumni members.

It was a showcase of talent of the TCHT students as they served the entrée with a dance performance.

According to Mr. Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan, Dean of Taylor's University School of Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary Arts (TCHT), the silver jubilee celebration has gotten everyone at TCHT renewed with vigour, enthusiasm and determination to continue to touch lives through higher education.

“In the past 25 years TCHT has accomplished remarkable achievements as a result of our graduates’ achievements in the industry; the strength of our education and training programmes; and the quality of the faculty, top class facilities and student learning. We will continue to set new benchmarks in the industry and raise the bar in education for many more years to come,” said Neethia. 

TCHT students were lucky enough to learn from the master, Chef Robert Bertolino MOF (with chef hat).

The event saw a gathering of three MOFs flew in all the way to work with students and lecturers of TCHT to serve up world renown French cuisine with a slight Asian twist. It was certainly an honour for the students and lecturers as they learned from Chef Robert Bertolino, Chef Jean-Luc Danjou and Madam Chantal Wittmann their secret to the most delicious French gastronomic meal and the French way of servicing, a day leading to the event. 

Menu of the Night:

• Foie Gras Tandoori served with Cauliflower Fireworks by Jean-Luc Danjou MOF
• Sea & Garden Bouillon A Mix of Seafood Consomme & Vegetable Bouillon served with Shellfish, Baby Vegetables & Micro Herbs Recreated by Chef Faruok Othman and Chef Frederic Cerchi as per the Original Dish Selon la Recette de Olivier Roellinger
• Pan Fried Red Snapper Fillet with Tapenade, Zucchini Spaghettie & Smoked Salmon Waffles Sewed with a Veloute of Coconut & Ginger Flower by Robert Bertolino
• Bitter Chocolate ‘Gateau’ served with Orange Confit & Extra Virgin Oil by Chef Karam as per the Original Selon la Recette de Pierre Gagnaire

TCHT students posed with the invited guests after the Symphony of Chefs.

During the day, a Symposium entitled “French and Malaysian Gastronomy in Perspective” provided a platform for knowledge-sharing with renowned gastronomy specialists and academics from France. Celebrating the inscription of French gastronomic meal as UNESCO world intangible heritage, a panel of industry experts from both France and Malaysia shared their experiences, knowledge and opinions on the institutionalization of gastronomy as a world heritage in this symposium. The symposium saw some industry experts flown all the way from France to share with us on how gastronomy meals can become UNESCO world intangible heritage.

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