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Since 2011, SATS has been celebrating International Chefs’ Day, which falls on 20 October, with a meaningful twist. Each year, SATS Catering will mark the occasion by inviting a Voluntary Welfare Organisation to participate in the event and to inspire the beneficiaries to learn more about food in a playful and engaging way.
This year is no exception. SATS invited 67 students ranging from 7 to 10 years old from Grace Orchard School to the Multi-Purpose Hall (MPH) at SATS Inflight Catering Centre 1 to have a fun-filled and experiential afternoon of “Art on a Plate”. The event was hosted by our very own chefs and colleagues, and supported by SATS Staff Association. Denis Marie, Senior Vice President of Apron and Security Services, Nazri Othman, Senior Vice President of Passenger Services and Ronald Yeo, Senior Vice President of Planning and Support Services also took time to support the event!
“This theme is close to the hearts of our passionate culinary team at SATS. Our chefs are experts in creating gastronomic experiences which are not just a feast for the stomach, but also a feast for the eyes,” said Tan Chuan Lye, Chairman of Food Solutions, who was invited to grace the event. “They do so by putting a lot of thoughts and research into menu planning, to ensure dietary needs are met, just like the lunch spread our chefs had prepared specially for the students from Grace Orchard School,” he added.
Grace Orchard School, a Voluntary Welfare Organisation operating under the umbrella of Presbyterian Community Services, caters to students who have been diagnosed with Mild Intellectual Disability and those with Mild Autism Spectrum Disorders. Just like any other children, their faces brimmed with excitement with the string of activities that awaited them as staff volunteers helped to put on their aprons and chef hats.
At the MPH, Chuan Lye and Executive Sous Chef Mark Laming welcomed the students warmly. A class monitor also presented a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of Grace Orchard School to Chuan Lye as a show of appreciation for hosting the students. Thereafter, students were invited to try out different activities under the guidance of our chefs to express their creativity! These include making their own pizzas, decorating plates with craft materials and painting their own masterpieces using food ingredients! There were also face paintings and glitter tattoos for the students to explore body art!
After the students had a round at every activity, they were invited to enjoy a mouth-watering spread of high-tea which included our signature chicken satay and a delightful variety of desserts like strawberry tarts, rainbow jelly, chocolate fudge cake and profiteroles. A balloon sculptor was also invited to remodel simple balloons creatively into swords, flowers and mini-chef figure for the children as a take-home souvenir!
“This is a good activity for all the chefs so that our job isn’t just about cooking but it also involves doing charity,” shared Saiful Bahri, Executive Sous Chef, who was one of the helpers at the event and served the food to the children. Robert Yeo, Executive Sous Chef, also echoed the same sentiments, “It feels good to be able to share some joy and fun to these children on the International Chefs Day, and to prepare a spread of international food for them to enjoy as some of them may be less privileged than other children.”
