Seychelles tourism celebrates National Culinary Contest

The Seychelles National Culinary Contest started in August last year with a qualifications test where 60 contestants applied.

The Seychelles National Culinary Contest started in August last year with a qualifications test where 60 contestants applied. They had to answer 40 questions and do a blind taste test of different ingredients, some of which they had to use during the contest. This is followed by the finals whereby they had to prepare the dishes they invent practically.

The Seychelles Tourism Academy and ISPC Seychelles, on Thursday, May 12, 2016, organized the Annual Seychelles National Culinary Contest Gala Dinner. This was held at the Tourism Academy itself at La Misere in their new restaurant.


The event was prepared by the three winners of the Seychelles National Culinary Contest 2015 with the assistance of 2-Michelin-Star Chef, Lionel Rigolet, from Belgium and the Tourism Academy students. The dinner was for the guest and sponsors to experience the winning dishes and secondly as a fundraising activity to which what was raised will be handed over to the Seychelles Tourism Academy.

During the event, Alfred Fourcroy, the CEO of ISPC Seychelles, thanked the guests for their presence on that night, since it was an indication of their support towards the young chefs and to the Seychelles Tourism Academy as well.

Flavien Joubert on his part thanked Mr. Fourcroy for his continued support through his partnership and sponsorship to the academy. He also thanked the guests whose presence showed support to young Seychellois chefs who are exceling in their careers.

The Seychelles National Culinary Contest started in August last year with a qualifications test where 60 contestants applied. They had to answer 40 questions and do a blind taste test of different ingredients, some of which they had to use during the contest. This is followed by the finals whereby they had to prepare the dishes they invent practically.

The winners for the SNCC 2015 were Bradley Larue for Starter, who works at the ISPC Atelier and was Espadron Marine, gambas, couscous Mโ€™Hamsa au basilica, granny smith et fenouil.

Patrick Barbe for Main Course, works at the Carana Beach Hotel, was Vieille, fever des marais, artichaut poivrade, beurre monte aux baies d’argousier et a la citronelle.

And Robin Etienne, from Raffles Hotel, was for ganache cafรฉ. Crรจme mascarpone a l’amaretto, coulis fraise et framboise aux baies rose was the dessert.

It is to be noted that both Bradley and Robin are former students of the Seychelles Hospitality Tourism Training College (SHTTC) now called the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA).

Minister Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, who was also attending the event, hailed the young chefs for their talent and stated that this was a good opportunity for them to showcase their skills so as to better improve the standards in the industry. He also thanked the sponsors for their endless effort in promoting the Tourism Academy to move forward. “We continue to train our young Seychellois at our Tourism Academy for our islandsโ€™ tourism industry. Today, we all feel proud to see what young Seychellois can dish out, and we know that our industry is in good hands,” said Minister St.Ange. Murla Gabriel, the Senior Coordinator External Relation of the Tourism Academy, said that service for the event was carried out by the Tourism Academy’s Service Year two students and the Restaurant and Bar team and the Kitchen Student Year two was also helping with their lecturer there to guide them.

Seychelles is a founding member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) . For more information on Seychelles Minister of Tourism and Culture Alain St.Ange, click here.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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