Master Chef vs Chef Trainee In Hong Kong, most people still prefer Chinese cuisine whether they cook at home or eat out. In this article, we invited Master Chef Peter LO, Manager (Culinary Training) from the Vocational Training Council's Hospitality Industry Training & Development Centre (HITDC) and the Chinese Cuisine Training Institute (CCTI), and Mr LEUNG Yat-man, CCTI trainee, to share their views. Master Chef Peter LO entered the industry in the 50s as an apprentice. He followed master chefs and learned from them. On the other hand, Mr LEUNG Yat-man enrolled in the two-year course of Chinese cooking at the CCTI in 2006. On-the-job training vs Institutional training LO: On-the-job training by masters was common in the old days. We learned as we worked. Practising was the key. LEUNG: Our Institute provides excellent pre-employment training on the knowledge of Ingredients and food science. Job-related English and Putonghua courses are also offered. In addition, trainees are required to take courses in nutrition and food safety. The changing face of cooking LO: Chef has become a profession and we now place great emphasis on developing the ethics, skills and administrative abilities of chefs. LEUNG: Customers come first, and we must cater for their needs. New cooking trends LO: Nowadays, customers expect food to have less fat or salt and a fresh taste. Steaming and boiling are now more popular than frying and deep frying. LEUNG: Healthy food also needs to look appealing. Creativity and health LO: Colour, aroma, taste, nutrition, quality and utensils are all key indicators. It's important for us to understand the needs of our customers and how much of each of the Ingredients should be used. LEUNG: I believe that multi-dimensional flavours attract customers and meet today's expectations for creative yet healthy food. Expectations and aspirations LO: Young people should practise the 'Three-More-One-fewer' motto, which is "More effort, More thinking, More attempts and analyzing, and fewer bad habits such as gambling!" LEUNG: I would like to develop a career in Chinese cuisine and hope to lay a good foundation for this through my studies at the Institute.