It was a summer of achievements for two of Camana Bay’s restaurants, as Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink and Ortanique completed their second Summer

Internship Programme and a Michael’s Genuine team member and Cayman International School (CIS) student, Moses Ebanks, was honoured with the 5th Annual Dodie Ebanks Humanitarian Award.

The Award is presented to a CIS student who has demonstrated commitment to others through qualities such as a strong work ethic; positive attitude towards school, school work or community; community service; service to school; obvious commitment to the welfare of others; and strong leadership skills. While studying at CIS, 11th grader Ebanks also works part-time at Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink as a Busser and Kitchen Assistant, and has been a valued member of the team since June 2011.

“We are all very proud of Moses and would like to congratulate him on this great achievement,” says Sally.

Young, Human Resources & Office Manager for the restaurants. “Moses’ never-wavering positivity, commitment and dedication to his work at the restaurant only highlight how skills such as these can be

used beyond the school environment.”

Budding restaurateurs from John Gray High School also got a jumpstart to their culinary careers this summer, thanks to Michael’s Genuine and Ortanique’s Summer Internship Programme. Now in its second year, the Programme is attended by Year 10 and 11 students who have shown an interest in food, nutrition or the restaurant industry both in and out of school, as identified by high school councillor Ms Paulette Gayle.

“We are very keen to assist young Caymanians in pursuing their dreams and were pleased to be able to run the Programme for the second year in a row,” explains Young. Four students interned at the two restaurants over two four-week sessions: Debbriana Christian-Eloise and Dusean Jones joined the team at Ortanique, while Estefhany Mencia and Patrick Williams assisted the team at Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink.

“I’m interested in pastry, so I thought the Summer Internship Programme would be a great opportunity for me to gain some knowledge and experience of being a pastry chef,” explains sixteen-year-old Mencia, who hopes to one day own her own bakery.

Day-to-day duties at Michael’s Genuine included preparing meats and vegetables, plating dishes and assisting Pastry Chef Adriana Duran in creating some of the delicious desserts that the restaurant is so well-known for on-island. Interns also gained experience in front-of-house, which included serving, ‘running’, hosting, clearing and setting tables.

When not surfing the Internet or boxing, the Programme’s youngest intern, Christian-Eloise, loves to cook. “Councillor asked if I wanted a summer job and when I found out it was to do with working at a restaurant, I said to myself, why not?

Cooking is one of the hobbies I like to do in my spare time,” explains the fifteen year- old. She particularly enjoyed working with Ortanique’s Pastry Chef Quiana Erb. “She made my experience fun and awesome. Even though working in the restaurant can be hectic and fast-paced, Chef Quiana kept the atmosphere at ease and filled me with the motivation to complete a successful internship.”

Students also worked one-on-one with Executive Chefs Thomas Tennant (Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink) and Sara Mair (Ortanique), who both benefitted first-hand from work experience early in their careers.

“Offering Cayman’s youth an introduction to the hospitality industry through work experience is now more important than ever,” explains Chef Thomas. “Not only for the person who is looking to learn the skills needed to succeed, but for employers seeking better-prepared candidates with some time in a working kitchen under their belts from day one.”

Chef Sara agrees the Programme offers students a unique opportunity to gain first-hand experience of working in a busy restaurant. “At Ortanique, interns learn about every aspect of the restaurant business – from hospitality and service skills to food handling, preparation and presentation,” she says.

“By working in the kitchen and helping front of house with events like our Farm-to-Table dinner series, our interns get a well-rounded understanding of how a restaurant operates and gain invaluable training both in and out the kitchen,” adds Chef Thomas. “It is through internships like this that the youth are able to begin a prosperous career that can benefit not only themselves but their islands, as well – especially with a local economy that depends so much on tourism.”

For more information about Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, visit the website at www.michaelsgenuine.com and blog at www.thegenuinekitchen.com .

For more information about Ortanique visit the website at www.cindyhutsoncuisine.com .