"10 Fest Azores" projects regional gastronomy to "level of excellence," says Marta Guerreiro
The Regional Secretary for Energy, Environment and Tourism stated in Ponta Delgada that the "10 Fest Azores - 10 days, 10 chefs" projects the Region's gastronomy to a level of excellence, renewed in each edition." According to her, this “increasingly consolidated event brings the taste of contemporary flavours to the archipelago."
"Having as starting the point the 10th anniversary of the Tourism and Hotel School, the '10 Fest' emerged in 2012 and continues to surprise us with the quality, interpretation or re-interpretation, boldness and diversity of the dishes presented. Our products are highlighted by the 10 chefs who come to this School to create unique sensations through the rediscovery of cuisine," stated Marta Guerreiro at the presentation of the event, which runs from June 21 to 30.
Marta Guerreiro pointed out that the event "presents itself as an authentic gastronomic tourism offer," which, together with the heritage, traditions, landscapes and our people, allows the archipelago to become "a differentiating tourist destination: the basis for sustainable development."
The Secretary for Tourism also highlighted the "10 Fest Azores" for being "a real living laboratory of technical learning through the exchange of professionals, trainees and teachers, thus contributing to a joint reflection about Azorean cuisine and the potentialities of its modernisation."
In her speech, Marta Guerreiro pointed out the improvement of the destination's quality as one of the main challenges of the sector, namely with regard to the training of human resources.
In this regard, she added that the Hotel and Tourism School "is about to conclude the creation of seven courses for different areas: basic and advanced cuisine, restaurants, softskills focused on external and internal customers, digital marketing and housekeeping. They were created following a survey on the needs of each island that counted on the collaboration of municipal councils, chambers of commerce and some business associations."
"About training, I have to mention that the role played by the Tourism and Hotel School through its existence." The government official praised the "work of excellence in the qualification of the students trained at this school, where competence, rigour and ambition are the priorities of its guidelines."
"For this reason, we believe in the Azores that we are starting to take actual steps towards the recognition of professions related to the tourism sector, where this institution has played a crucial role," noted the Regional Secretary.
According to Marta Guerreiro, "these cultural changes are being built" and role of "10 Fest Azores" is "an example of this ambition to be always better, whether through people and products or through the combination, as in this case, of these two elements."