OTTIMMO – As a young educational institution, Ottimmo is constantly making improvement every year. The changes that have intensively been made are lecture system, especially practical study in Culinary Arts Kitchen and Baking-Pastry Arts Kitchen.
The chefs continue to make modifications and improvements in the lecture system and some refer to other advanced institutions. One of the educational institutions that became the role model is TAFE Australia which in fact became the largest vocational education institution in Australia.
One of the major changes was made in 2018. The weekly exam selection method that is held every Friday for first year students. In individual exams, each student must bring the work he or she creates in Culinary Arts Kitchen to be presented directly in front of the chefs.
This method was only applied in 2018 because the chef only evaluates the results of the exam in Culinary Arts Kitchen without direct student involvement. Meanwhile in the new method, students can directly interact with the chefs.
“Using the new method, students can communicate more with the chefs. They can reveal complaints or obstacles in the kitchen related to the test process directly. This method also allows us to know what constraints faced by students, “explained Chef Zaldy Iskandar, Director of Ottimmo Academy.
Other changes were also been made during group exams. This year’s examination involves more juries, not just chefs but also staffs, as well as from college students from the senior level. The intensity of group exams is also enhanced, in order for students to be more accustomed working together as a team.
Another change is the delivery of materials or demos before the commencement of lectures at Culinary Arts Kitchen. If in the previous year demo was only done one chef, starting 2018 demo will be done by several chefs at once, hence the material can be learned more efficient.
“For the next year we will definitely make a better improvement. We will visit TAFE Queensland, Australia, and will certainly adopt lecture methods that we find useful and suitable to be implemented at Ottimmo, “continued Chef Zaldy.
Other changes may be more complementary for lecture material. For example, increasing the range of molecular gastronomy materials, students are emphasized to practice plate presentation frequently, as well as other changes. *