Press Conference for a Chef

By the students of social communication section

Sihanoukville. Studies in Don Bosco means practice and interchange with professionals. In this opportunity two of our sections come together for the first Press Conference of the students of social communication. According with the dictionary, a Press Conference is a gathering of journalists to make questions to an important or famous person. No other person so important as the new professor of cooking of the Don Bosco Hotel School, Mr Alessandro Colombi.

Alessandro Colombis was born in Cuneo, north of Italy, 46 years ago. He did studies in professional cooking for six years in his country and has been working since then in restaurantes and hotels. The following are some of the questions of the students of social communication to chef Colombi.

What do you think about Cambodia?

Colombis, the first from the right, with companions in a restaurant in China.

Well, I´ve seen not much so far. But my first impression is that it is a nice country, people are interesting and interested in you, very friendly and I think the young people is interested in success.

Why you came here?

I want to help people from my own professional skill here in Don Bosco Hotel School. I have lived in France, Thailand, USA, Australia, China and now in Cambodia. I was before in China working in a restaurant chain based in Hong Kong, but I was in Shangai.

How is it that you became a chef?

Colombis in the publication of VaBene Group from China.

It is passion first. You have to like it. To like cooking. Not all professional cooks are good in theory, so you have to learn all kind of cooking. A chef is someone who not only cooks, but also lead a team of cooks, so you have to manage people too, resources, ideas. A chef in our days is not that man inside the kitchen all the time and never shows himself, but that chef who makes also entretainement for the guests. You have to talk to the guests. They want to talk to you.

Did you study in the university?

Many chefs did not go to university, but they are good. However, education is very important. I did studies in a school of cooking in Italy, but it was not properly a university.

Do you think this profession is difficult?

Colombis in the Press Conference with the young journalists.

Well, this is difficult as everything. But when you have knowledge, nothing become difficult and so big. Difficulties come when you do not know how to work. It is a demanding work and some chefs find difficult to stay with their families. That would be the most difficult part I think, but every job has its difficulties.

How to become a professional chef?

Experience. It must be especially when you are young. It is very good to move very often, not to stay in the same restaurant or hotel for long, so you can get a lot experience. When you become a manager it is because you have already a lot experience. You start to have a reputation, responsabilities and to be strong in knowledge. To be a professional cook is to become also a manager.

In how many restaurantes have you been so far?

I don´t know. In many.

Do you think a woman can be a good chef?

That is a very interesting question. Traditionally women cook at home, but professional cooking is for men. But today there are many women working as chefs too and they are very good.

How many years you have already as a chef?

25 years.

What do you think about the hotels in Cambodia?

Still I don´t know very much about the Cambodian hotels, but I have been in a hotel in Siem Riep, in the Angkor Hotel. It was very nice and I was impressed about its breakfast. For example, they make their own jam, not just buying from the market and that is interesting.

How many types of food can you do and which one is the most popular?

I can do many Asian dishes, like Indian, Malaysian, Thai, etc. I can do Western food of USA, South American not much so far. The most popular food in the world now is the Italian one and that is good for me because that is my nationality. Many years ago it was the French, but for some reasons it became the Italian the most popular.

How many kinds of food will you teach in the Hotel School?

I am not sure yet, because I just came. Probably I can say that I will teach the bases of kitchen, what we can call the ABC of cooking, Western food, some Asian food. Khmer food not much, because you know it already. Thai food is very popular in Cambodia. I will teach by sure Italian food.

Why you came to teach in Don Bosco?

I belong to a fellowship of chefs. Our organization was helping already Don Bosco in Thailand and for this reason I can in touch with Don Bosco and I offered myself as a volunteer for a time here.

What do you think about the Cambodian food?

Still I do not know, but I think is good what I tested. It is not much spicy, good combinations, not too much oil.

What is the most difficult food to make?

I never have thought that... maybe bread... Sometimes the most simple becomes the most complicated to do. But it is good not to complicate the things. When I design a menu, I think it must have variaty and reflects my own style.