KDU Cafeteria used for training

KDU College students are now spoilt for choice when they walk into its cafétaria, which has just undergone a RM2.5mil renovation.

The wide variety of items on offer ranges from pasta and salad to chicken rice.

Besides, the cafeteria – called KDU Square – is also a training ground for the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts, where its final-year students gain some real hands-on experience in menu planning, marketing and pricing.

Abdul Rahim (left) doing his training at the college's newly launched cafeteria.

Diploma in professional chef training student Abdul Rahim Abdullah, 26, said it was a challenging task to run the cafeteria.

“We have to do everything on our own. It’s like running our own business.

“It actually gives us a wider exposure compared with our industrial placement because I didn’t have a chance to go as far as planning the menu during my training at a hotel,” he said.

KDU College academic department head of culinary arts Suresh Issac Oliver said the cafeteria was a good training ground for the students.

“The student enrolment was getting higher and the kitchen for training was not enough, so we have to use the cafeteria as well,” he said.

Suresh added that the cafeteria would be fully run by students by end of March.

KDU Square head of department Fami Taufeq Fakarudin said he had also formed a team to manage the cafeteria.

“The team will go in and take over when the students have classes. We also have former students who have joined the team to gain working experience before entering the workforce,” he said.

Mass Communication student Neal Jansen said the cafeteria looked brighter and cleaner now.

Neal’s course mate Natalia Inani Norsalehe said the prices of the food and beverages at the five stalls were reasonable.

The college's principal officer and chief executive officer, Dr Chia Chee Fen, said the cafeteria was upgraded to attract more students.

“We have also built a stage where students can have dance and music performances,” she said.

Dr Chia added that she encouraged students to use the Touch ‘n’ Pay system, which was also launched on the same day of the opening of the cafeteria.

“When a student uses Touch ‘n’ Pay to buy food, the system will inform the kitchen staff on the amount of fresh stock required,” she said.

Source : STAR
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