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Skillful Food

An innovative international hospitality mission is being conducted in Queensland.

The positive effects will benefit all participants as well as Queensland consumers and tourists. The mission is called Meister, a word derived from the German language which means skilful in certain fields/jobs.

It is the name which refers to the Indonesian Skill Training Program. Organisers of this international program are the Department of Indonesian Vocational Education, the Aus-Training Nusantara and the Southbank Institute of TAFE, Brisbane.

Four Sheraton properties in Queensland are heavily involved. The program has 25 hospitality teachers from different vocational high schools and provinces in Indonesia.

After completing a theory component at the Institute of TAFE, the 25 teachers now are completing 32 weeks of on-the-job training within four Sheraton properties in Queensland. Six are working at each of the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas, Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast and Sheraton Noosa Resort and seven at the Sheraton Brisbane Hotel.

The Indonesian Food Festival, being held at the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Lagoons Restaurant, starts on April 20 and closes on May 2. The festival buffet is served daily in Lagoons Restaurant from 6-10 pm.

The students are working in housekeeping, front office, laundry, Lagoons Restaurant, room service, banquets, porters and various sections of the kitchen.

At the end of the program, the teachers will return to their provinces complete with a Certificate III in Hospitality, financed by the Indonesian Government.


Indonesian teachers who are involved with the Meister program at the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas are: Rita Krismiaty, hospitality teacher from central Borneo; Bagyono, hospitality teacher from Surakarta – Solo; I Gede Surata, food production teacher, from North Sumatra; Sutanto, hospitality teacher, from West Java; Wahyu Kusumaningtyas; food production teacher, from Jakarta; and Nancy Pontoh, hospitality teacher, from Sulawesi.

While not qualified as chefs, Ayo and Gede are the two Indonesian teachers in the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas kitchen. They are here to learn about western cooking in a hands-on capacity.

Equally important is that they pass on their knowledge to those here. This knowledge gas been used in much of the food served at Lagoons buffet – in particular with the hot and cold foods – salads and marinades for seafood and meats, dipping sauces, soups and especially garnishes for completed dishes.

Some of the recipes for these dishes appear below. But the question begs to be asked – could this program extend to other countries and the answer came back – definitely yes! Michael Cottray, general manager of The Sheraton Mirage, Port Douglas said: “The program has proved of benefit to both sides, and there is no reason that we could not do so, the only limiting factor being language – but even on that front (with this program), there has been impressive progress made.

RENDANG SAPI (Beef in Coconut milk)
Ingredient:
1 kg topside beef cut into 5 cm x 2.5 cm squares
6 cups of coconut milk
3 kaffir lime leaves
3 fresh turmeric leaves (optional leaves)
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole star anis
5 cardamom pods, bruised
Salt
Spice paste: 8 birdseye chillies, 12 shallots, 10 cloves of garlic, 2 tsp ginger, 2 pcs galangal, 1 tsp peppercorns crushed

This dish has its origin in west Sumatra, an area known for its spices, fresh herbs, burning chillies and pepper. For those who like their curries hot, this is the dish for you. Prepare the spice paste by grinding (mortar) or blending all ingredients finely. Put beef, spice paste and all other ingredients into a wok and bring slowly to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent the coconut milk from separating. Cook over low heat, stirring from time to time, until the meat is very tender and all the sauce has evaporated. Continue cooking the beef, which will fry in the oil that has come out from the coconut milk, until rich brown. Serve 4 people. Helpful hints: The spice paste can be pre-prepared and kept in an airtight jar in the fridge until used.

SAMBAL BAJAK (Fragrant Chilli Sambal)
Ingredient:
7 red chillies, seeded and sliced
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp dried shrimp paste, toasted
6 shallots, peeled and sliced
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 ½ tsp palm sugar, chopped
2 tsp oil
2 lemongrass, bruised
1 cm galangal, peeled and sliced
4 tsp tamarind sauce

Combine first seven ingredients and grind (mortar) or blend (slow speed) finely. Heat the oil and sauté ground ingredients together with lemongrass and galangal, stirring until mixture changes colour. Add tamarind juice and simmer for another minutes, then leaves to cool. Remove lemon grass and galangal before serving. Keep for up to one week. Sambal are a very important part of an Indonesian meal, sambal are used for flavouring the dishes and the rice.

SATE MADURA (Lamb Satay)
Ingredient:
1 kg lamb leg (in 2 cm cubes)
½ cup sweet soy sauce
½ tsp coriander, crushed
¼ tsp white peppercorn, crushed
Lime juice
Shallots, sliced

Normally made with goat, this is the most common satay in Indonesia, originating in the Island of Madura just to the northeast of Java. Thread the lamb cubes on to bamboo skewers; combine all ingredients except for the shallots, mixing well. Divide in two parts. Dip each skewer in the sauce, using a spoon to help cover the meat. Marinate for 30 minutes. Drain then grill the satay over hot charcoal. Combine sauce with shallots and serve as a dip for the cooked satays.