Baker goes back to school to learn new tricks
Baker signs up for advanced baking course at ITE to unleash creativity
Like many of her peers pursuing a Higher Nitec in Pastry & Baking, Reena Yeo Zhi Yan wants to be a good baker.
Unlike them, the 28-year-old already has seven years of industry experience.
Before enrolling in the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College West in April, Ms Yeo was an assistant baker at BreadTalk from 2011 to 2015. She then spent two years as a senior service crew member in a cafe that has since closed.
In 2011, Ms Yeo graduated with a Nitec in Pastry & Baking from ITE College West, which taught her how to mix, knead, and portion the dough.
Working in the food and beverage industry also taught her how to adjust settings such as temperature, dough texture, and moisture, for baking the perfect loaf.
However, Ms Yeo was hungry for more.
"At work, I followed a fixed recipe. I wanted more personal input," she told The New Paper.
"In school, you can unleash your creativity and come up with your own menu," she added.
Ms Yeo is one of 40 students from the first intake of her programme, which is offered by the School of Hospitality at ITE College West.
The Higher Nitec in Pastry & Baking is a one-year full-time programme, which builds on the Nitec in Pastry & Baking programme.
The course focuses on skills deepening and supervisory skills to prepare students for progression in their career.
A total of 160 students from ITE's School of Hospitality will be taking part in the ITE Hospitality Showcase, which is part of this year's Sentosa GrillFest.
Held at the Emerald Pavilion at Siloso Beach, the showcase is a partnership between ITE's School of Hospitality and Sentosa Development Corporation.
From Friday till Sunday , visitors can look forward to trying food items from the menu, such as steamy salmon ($12) and petit fours($10).
The students worked in teams to whip up the dishes from a menu jointly developed by ITE College West lecturers and students.
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