Be the Next MasterChef with MDIS National Certificate in Professional Cookery!

Singapore is an exciting place for culinary professionals as we have many unique and diverse cuisines, and opportunities are endless. If you are dreaming of becoming the next MasterChef, perhaps the first step you should be taking is to sign up for the National Certificate in Professional Cookery at the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS)!

MDIS has launched the new National Certificate in Professional Cookery programme in collaboration with City of Glasgow College, United Kingdom. It is awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority where the winner of BBC MasterChef: The Professionals 2016, Gary Maclean, is currently teaching.

The school offer hands-on learning, and has on-campus student-run dining establishments, and expert faculty. MDIS School of Tourism & Hospitality invested in two new hospitality facilities — MDIS Bakery, and Culinary Studio. The facilities are about 1,000 sq ft and are equipped with eight cooking stations and two combi ovens.

Sean and I had the chance to visit the new culinary studio in MDIS where we participated in a cook-off! Mille-feuille, to me, is always a dessert where you spread layers of custard on a French pastry. Our instructor, Mr Ramlee came up with a savoury version and showed us how to make a simple “Salmon & Dory Mille-Feuille”.

The fresh dory and salmon are blended separately with seasonings and spread over toasted garlic bread. Then, they are baked in a combi oven for about 15 minutes. My eyes lit up when I saw the oven. A combi oven! You students are so lucky! The oven allows you to cook in many ways and students can cook quality food effortlessly under professional guidance.

While waiting for the dish to be ready, the chef also taught us how to make hollandaise sauce. This rich and lemony sauce goes so well with so many dishes. With the guidance of the trainers, we whisked the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a bowl over a double-boiler until the mixture thickened. The final product is nicely plated with some lemon, mushrooms and cucumber.

And now, it’s our turn! Sean and I had to recreate the same dish ON OUR OWN!

Look at our confident faces because we have the trainers to help us! No sweat, no sweat!

The National Certificate in Professional Cookery programme can help you gain the confidence and skills you need to follow your dreams and become a professional chef or accomplished home cook. Students will be required to complete a total of 12 modules over a period of 6 months (for full-time students) or 15 months (for part-time students).

They will also get a chance to learn from the professionals from City of Glasgow College, including Mr Maclean and Mr Willie McCurrach, Curriculum Head for Food.

Indeed, keeping the class small is necessary because trainers can help as and when the students require assistance. My trainer, Reza Sumali, was very patient with me. He taught me the proper way to sauté a dish. For example, if you are using butter, you will know your pan is hot enough and it is time to start cooking when the butter stops foaming and begins to turn a pale brown. When you add in the garlic, you’ll know it’s done when you can smell the garlic and your mouth starts watering!

Even though it looked easy, many techniques were employed to prepare this dish. For example, when we were making the hollandaise sauce, we were reminded to continuously stir the sauce so that it is smooth and the eggs are not overcooked. It’s always good to have a trainer around so that he can tell you if the sauce is smooth enough.

Our final dish is ready! We were allowed to unleash our creativity and plate our own dishes. Sean loves garlic so he added garlic to everything, including the cucumber and mushrooms. For me, I like to keep it as French as possible, hence my dish has a lighter taste profile. Watch our video to find out who won the cook-off!

A big thank you to both our trainers for their help and patience. It must not have been easy coaching two noobs. We tried very hard to memorise the steps and instructions okay, but it was harder than we thought. However, I was surprised that even in just a quick session like this, I managed to learn the proper way of sautéing a dish and how to make a smooth and tasty hollandaise sauce. Not bad!

After the cook-off, we visited their bakery studio and took some freshly baked breads! Oh my, they were so good.

We ended our tour with a glass of MDIS Sling at their Tropical Breeze Bar. MDIS offers students the opportunity to learn how to perform front office duties and carry out hospitality operations with the latest Opera Fidelio Property Management System, well-equipped bar counter facilities, and a mock-up guest room.

As you can see, the National Certificate in Professional Cookery programme will enable learners to develop their skills and knowledge across a range of different disciplines which will enable them to build up their cookery skills, culinary theoretical knowledge and gain a better understanding of the catering industry and food products.

In collaboration with the Restaurant Association of Singapore, students from the programme can look forward to securing a career opportunity with one of their partners upon graduation.

If you share a deep passion for all things food, you need to be here!

For more information on the National Certificate in Professional Cookery programme, please visit MDIS website for more information.

If you love to cook, why not check out some of our really popular recipes such as The Ultimate Butter Cookie and Egg Tart?