 Welcome to Y254TV. This is a news station we are coming to you live from the broadcasting house here in Nairobi, Kenya. We are also streaming live through our website and that's www.kabc.co.ke. We value your feedback. Let us know where you are watching us from. The hashtag, as always, is why in the morning, at Ram Aguco East, my handle, and at Y254 Channel, which is the official station handle. And of course, let us know where you are watching us from. Tell us what you think about these conversations that we are about to have on this fine Tuesday morning. Now, it's all about matters concerning skills. And today we want to talk about skills training and entrepreneurship. How best can you use your skill to better yourself? And are you aware that you've got skills? Today we want to talk about this particular issue here as we touch on TVET institutions. And just as a reminder to all of us, as I mentioned earlier on, we have the Wild Skills Kenya, which participated in the Wild Skills International and African Union, which is the competition or an event, which took place in on the 28th of March this year, all the way through to the 2nd of April. And of course, it took place in Namibia. We shall be talking about that particular event because Kenya participated in three skill areas. And these skills are where we managed to actually win different medals. And the skills that we've got here, we have restaurant service, cooking and mechatronics. We shall be taking a look at just to the restaurant service and cooking specifically because these are the people that are joining me today in studio. We want to talk about how best we can be able to use our skills to better ourselves. And of course these people have managed, these wonderful guys have managed to represent the country and they have come back with medals. Ladies and gentlemen, to my far right, I am with Shradha Shah. She is the gold medalist in restaurant services that is under hospitality. And of course next to me, Joseph Kiaria, who is the bronze medalist in cooking and culinary arts. Karibu desana. Thank you. You guys are well? You're well. First of all, congratulations. Thank you. How does it feel, Joseph? How does it feel coming up with bronze? I know it feels nice being privileged and more so honored to represent Kenya as well as my institution, myself. What was the name of the institution that you were under? I am from Boma International Hospitality College based in South Sea. Shah, how are you doing? How are you feeling? I am excited. Congratulations on becoming the gold medalist at the restaurant service. How did it feel coming up with going there, they mentioned the name as the winner? It was a very exciting feeling. You feel very proud of what you've achieved after all the hard work you put in. It feels like a great achievement. Congratulations to the both of you. And of course we still have others that are still in studio. We shall be taking a look at them also. We shall be having a conversation with them in a bit. But now let's talk about this particular event. How did the both of you end up competing in Nabibi? Let's start with how the journey started. How did this journey start from the beginning, Joseph? First of all before it reached us, this is under Tiwet, Tiweta Kenya. Tiwet joined in with the schools holding competitions. That's why they see and get the person, the right person who is going to represent Kenya. So we were privileged to be chosen to be the ones to represent Kenya. So you had a competition so that you can be selected to go to represent Kenya? Yes, yes, yes. Of course we had to take the best, you know, what Kenya is. We are winners. You are the best. I love that confidence. So that competition that you guys had, how did that competition go, Asha? So we had like a competition within the school. Out of that we were able to portray what we've been taught throughout our years in what we are learning. And through that the winners we got to represent Kenya. Alright. Let me get to know a bit about these categories that you're talking about here. What is it when you say culinary arts? What are you talking about? And what exactly are you talking about when you say restaurant service which is under hospitality? Let me start with you Asha. This restaurant service, what is it all about? Because there's so many things that are coming in my head. I'm trying to guess what it could be. And I'm wondering is that different from just saying hospitality? Yes. So restaurant service is a wide area. It's obviously in the restaurant. But within this category there's different departments. There's like casual dining, fine dining, banqueting, there's cocktail making, barista skills. So all this comes under restaurant service. All these different skills come make restaurant service a whole. And is that under culinary arts or is culinary arts under hospitality? Let's define that also. They all under hospitality. It's the hospitality industry. So for me we are the people behind the whole scene. I'm cooking and then something will be presented to you. So if I may say for culinary arts it's not just cooking. It's how you're cooking, the methods you're using to prepare. How you're going to even plate the food and design the plates. That's why you will first satisfy your eyes before you satisfy your stomach. Wow, these are skills people need to talk about. And I love the fact that we have a gentleman who is doing culinary arts. In Africa where some people say men should not be in the kitchen. No, of course that's a lie. If you look at the industry right now, most of the chefs are men. So the both of you, you both work in the hospitality industry. And is what you do still having cooking in it? Because yours has cooking. Yes. In your category does it have cooking also? It's not really like the cooking like in the kitchen. These things we do as live presentations to guests, let's say salad making. But that's like the basic of the cooking. It's just presentation skills to the guests. You mentioned a few things. You mentioned I had fine dining and other terminologies. Let's define each one of them. When you said fine dining, what skills are you talking about here? And which other did you mention? Casual dining. Casual dining and fine dining. Ladies and gentlemen, Mimi, I just believe that dining is dining. So casual dining is basically a more relaxed kind of setting. It's maybe like a fast food restaurant or something where you're going to eat really quickly. You don't really interact much with the guests and casual dining. In Banqueting, it's more a group event where you're serving a group of guests maybe for like a wedding function or something like that. And then the fine dining is more personalized service. You interact more with the guests. It's more a relaxed setting as well but more to the point. Like it's fine dining. You dress up like you dress well for a fine dining event. Barista skills is just coffee like a coffee shop kind of setting and the cocktail making. So here for example, how do you classify this? Two people going out on a date. Where does it get it? Is that fine dining? Probably fine dining I guess. It depends on this kind of setting that they go to. If it's a more relaxed kind of restaurant, it's probably casual dining. But it can be fine dining. And there are skills that you get taught that you are taught in regards to this different? Yes, there are these all different skills involved in each different area. And in Kalinari? No, you'll realize that what you're saying about for example you're going for a date before the food goes because you're taking your dates to have some grubs and eat. And you need something good. So you realize that all that works hand in hand? Yes. There's no way that fine dining can be a fine dining without even the food that will be eaten. Without Kalinari? Yes, now without Kalinari. So that's where Kalinari comes in. So the industry, the two of us in the industry, yes you cannot separate us. Because there's no way you'll see me coming to serve you food as a chef. But unless it's a, I don't know, to make it so special. Because we have chefs who cook in front of the guests? No, that is more like a show. You want to showcase your skills here. So it works hand in hand. And for that to work, you have to be familiar with everything. So in the process of learning, she'll get some skills in cooking. I'll get some skills in also what she's doing. So at times she'll find me in my chef's uniform. At times she'll find me very well dressed, ready to serve you. So you have to be familiar with everything. But both of you are separate in terms of the skills that you are harnessing. Even the uniforms you'll be putting on. But you work hand in hand because one complements the other. Is that true? Yes, we can't work without each other. The restaurant service and the Kalinari is like a pair. So who does these things with the knife? Is it one of the people they play and then the fire comes up? That's just the chef. So you have to have the skills to do that. Can you? Yes, of course. You can do that? Yes, you can do that. Wow, I'd like to see that. So what do you think about the perception that Kenyan serving comes to these kinds of skills? The people who do not see such skills as things that people need to harness. And some don't even know that they've got such skills. Have you come across people who just have this mindset against this hospitality industry? Yes, true. You'll find that most of the people will be either telling you that your work is so obvious. It's obvious. I mean, I can serve you. I can just put food on a plate. I can serve you. I can cook. It's just boiling and doing this. But that's why we say now things are different when you get to that place and when you're learning. It's different. No one never knew that you could get to class to cook. You've been taught how to cook. We knew that this was from your mum and that's it. If your mum doesn't teach you how to cook, you're done. So now the world is changing. And you'll find that what you're doing is familiar internationally, everywhere in the world. And that's how even world skills came in. And it can bring money? Of course, it is bringing money. You see what salt bed does. In the case of a chef coming in front of you to show you the skills, I don't think he'll be so polite on your pocket. For sure. Yeah. Because he must put up a show. Sure. That's a show. So it's like you visited a show to go and maybe see some artist or something. Now you've made the chef to become an artist. We're showcasing his skills to you. You're talking about this predominating mindset that people have against hospitality, that I don't need to go to school to learn such kind of skills. Yeah, I think that is the general mindset people usually have. But I think once you look more deep into what really is in the hospitality industry, you can understand that there is a wider range of what is happening in it and what it requires to actually give a quality kind of service to the guests that come to your hotel or to your restaurant to give them a good experience and actually expect what they receive. And this perception in terms of gender, do you think we are coming out of it that general roles being applied in hospitality are now being taken away or how predominant is it? Silo Nisha. I feel like currently it's more, I think it's a gender, everyone is okay with, I think it's a personal choice. If someone is interested in it, people are trying to pursue it, but we'd still encourage everyone, both the male and the female, that it's not, I don't think anything is specifically for a specific kind of gender. I feel like if you have the calling or the desire to pursue something, then go ahead with that. You thought on gender? Let me say past those times when you would say we live for cooking for the ladies and then serving for the ladies maybe now. Right now everyone has the care, if you have the chance to do it, do it. It's not for the ladies, it's not for the gentlemen. You can do it regardless of the gender. And I love the fact that we are saying it is possible, you can do it and we are seeing people in the industry that are actually making it. So some of those people that have mentored you and brought up your skills up, trained you, that you remember that you think of and you say if it's enough for this person, I would not be who I am and who I am today. Those people that have mentored you and brought you up and encouraged you to get to the point where now you have won these different medals. For me I would say from the start of where I come from, my parents giving you the courage to show you that you can do it. Then you take the next step and I give it to the school where the school shows you this is easy, you can do it. It's not just seeing it on social medias and everything, you can do it. So after you've taken the courage of going to school, now you're taught. When you're taught something, of course you're sure of what you're doing. So the courage, you even gain the courage. So as time passes, each and every day you're gaining courage, you're learning new things and you're even having the courage to be in front of people. And you mentioned parents and I'm looking at the African parent who tells you, who has told actually many kids you want to go to do this? No, you must be this kind of a person. They choose your career for you. For you it was different. Yeah, for me, my parent is always willing to listen to me and see what I can do because now it's my life. And for sure parents have to do this and trust their children. You know, they think we are not the same age as our parents so you find that what your parent was doing in those days it wasn't, it didn't have the prices then. So you find that your parent would be telling you know, cooking is just so lame and everything. So parents just have to let their kids do what they are seeing because it's the trends, modernization is coming in each and every day. And they have a role to play when it comes to building up skills of their own kids. Sure, because for example now here is where a passion comes in before even the skill comes in. So you have to start with a passion. So a parent trying to kill the passion I think even the skill won't come out as it is expected. Shirata? For me, like you said, my parents as well for them to have the faith in me that I want to pursue this and them letting me to come to the college and actually study this and pursue the career that I want was a big step and then to my lecturers without them I don't think I'd be able to accomplish what I accomplished. I felt like the faith that they had in me and the skills that they put into me was a big step in this journey that made me get to where I am at. All right. Let's talk about the competition or the day of the competition. How was it? Now you've been told that you're going to Namibia. How was it for you, Shatran? It was exciting but very nervous at the same time. You're scared. It's the first time you're competing in something like this. It was like a four-day competition so every day had its different things to it. But from the beginning to the end it was an exciting time, got to learn so much but at the same time it's like you're really nervous wondering what's going to happen next. You know, the nervousness even takes even as it starts from the time you're leaving the airports and you're not playing, it cools down and then you land and then it comes back again. Not again, yeah. But yeah, it was an exciting time, made so many friends and it was a good learning experience. How was it for you? Now on the day of the day, now you've gone to Namibia. For me, allow me to say the competition did not start on the 20th of March for me because you had to start with the practice, what you're doing. Remember most of the things we were doing was a mystery. You don't know what you're going to cook. You'll go find ingredients and then you'll have to prepare. They don't tell you that you'll... Not everything, not everything that you knew. Just a few things, so the rest you just have to practice. How long do you take to cook? How long? How long I give... For the competition we were given 3 hours to cook. That is for you to prepare everything and to even plate and then you're given a number of plates that you're supposed to be plating. So the max comes into... How you started preparing? Preparations started on the first day. It's not only cooking because you had to choose your ingredients and then you're choosing your ingredients for the next days coming. So if it was starting on a Monday, you had to choose ingredients coming to Friday. So you had to plan yourself. It starts with plan in yourselves. So it was that stuff plus the timings and everything. There was a time you were told to plate 8 plates that is four different and the other four also different. Wow. And were you... Were all these ingredients provided for in the same location, the same place, same venue, same building? Yes, the ingredients are there. We didn't have to go to the market. But you see the challenge comes in whereby yourself you don't know how to choose your ingredients. So that was also part of the competition. So you must have that knowledge? You must have that knowledge. That's why I first told you the competition did not start on 28th. It started way even before you were told because for us you're privileged. This is what you're learning. So you're taught like for example let me give you just a basic. You're going to the market to take a tomato and you know you're going to be using it on a Friday. Of course you're not going to take the ripe one because it will come and mess you up even before Friday comes in. So the skills start from there. So it's from how you train and how you bring this up. And then at the end the product is fine. What are those challenges that you faced during this competition? Just to mention a few. Maybe some of the challenges were just putting into I think the different things that were there maybe from the equipment that we used back home. So just like learning how those equipment are for or what they are for and how they're used. Those are some of the small challenges that we faced. And you managed to go through? Yes. Because with the lectures that we went with Mr. Simon, the lecture I went with just like asking him what is this and him explaining this is how this works. We got to overcome that. What point did you doubt yourself? Did you at some point say can I do it? I mean there are small phases where you do that yourself because during the competition you're also looking at your other participants so when you see someone doing something different than you are you get the small doubts. Am I doing the right thing? Maybe I should do what they're doing but at the same time I was taught this and believed that this is the right thing but at the same time is that doubt like am I really doing the right thing but at the end of it since we won we were like we did what we knew and what we were taught was the right. Would you like pick up notes from other people you doubt yourself and you're like oh that guy has added this spice should I also add mine? No for cooking that might mess you up yeah for sure because you'll see somebody else you have different cooking methods and again according to how we chose the ingredients you'll find that these are wanted to boil the carrot these are wanted to roast the carrot so there's no way you'll so first of all you have to be sure about yourself so it first took me to trust what I was taught and put that to practice but of course it's a challenge because you're thinking is it the right thing to be the best thing out of between all these people and for me the challenges were we had live audience and cameras staring at you so live audience they're like wow what is that wow and you're not talking to them so first of all you're wondering are these guys seeing maybe something is burning and they're still doing another thing remember you were working under time so something is burning and the audience is already laughing Did something burn on your hand? No nothing burned I remember I had South Africans those guys are psyched up in singing so I remember those guys came to sing in front of me they were like around 20 people singing as you cook? Yes as I cook distractions and their South African partner was also next so she's enjoying the music I can't even understand they even trying to put in jumbo Kenya so they can catch your attention but this was just to distract me but I think I was well prepared Do you feel like that was intentionally done? Of course it was intentionally done but they didn't make it I had to enjoy I had to twist my mind to enjoy of course Kenyans we listen into everything we are not even understanding what it is saying so I started maybe into the music Speaking of which Kenyans like listening to anything we just enjoy Did you have any distractions that were coming your way? Not really We didn't have people watching around but because it's more personalized but the guests that were already there we had guests coming in so that we could serve them as we were being assessed How did you manage stage fright or fear of crowds do you have such kind of fear that gets to you? Yes there is that fear that there is a lot of people watching what I am doing and I think that fear would come in more when we are showcasing some of the skills like maybe the napkin folding or the food carving when you are actually doing something and people are really interested in seeing what you are doing that's where the fear would come a little bit more because there is a lot of people watching but when the guests when you are serving the guests the focus is the guests so that was much easier than the other part I want to talk about now when the event ended how did it how did you guys wrap the whole event up and now coming back to the country the reception you received back here now that you won Of course it was the first time for everything first time for participating internationally again first time winning so you are taking your flight back you don't know what you are going to meet we have family we have friends and of course the family is large start with the school then your family back home so everyone is proud thank God you have the internet already you could see the happiness you post the status holding the medal so you won others did not know what you are doing until they saw the medal they brought attention to some of the people of course because now they are like ok so this is possible this is possible I think it has changed a lot even if we didn't see even if no one talks to me but I am pretty sure it has changed minds of many especially the youth of my age and there are those who never knew that you are actually taking this cause or that you went to this event so what do you do that's when they become new friends how was it for you it was a really exciting feeling because you felt like you've done the people at home proud people who have put in a lot of their time and effort in what you have done so I think it was a great feeling coming back to actually tell them about the experience and what we've achieved how grateful we are so it was a good, exciting, thankful feeling while coming back knowing that we did accomplish what we went for I don't know if you have the photos right now this is this is Yusha me and Joseph that's the two of us and our experts so I can't see from where but you can just say there's the two of you where was it what is the closing ceremony after we've just been awarded our medals ah and that this one this is during the what restaurant service when we were given the medals I'm seeing a Kenyan flag and a Ugandan flag so Uganda was third second was Madagascar and Kenya came first so this is for your category yes restaurant service do you have another photo can take a look at this congratulations this is very nice and remember it's the first time Kenya was participating so can imagine the joy we even did not have the crowd to cheer us up remember when she's holding a flag the one with the observers we went with and the competitors and then we had a whole bus of South Africans just watching until theirs comes third you would think they are the first ones because of the the shout and the screams so even that for the next competitions and preparations we should also carry Kenyans you think Kenyans need to go there also yes sure so this was a recognition and award certificate as well we were all recognized by UNESCO so that was yesterday oh yesterday was it a breakfast meeting that you had? yes it was a breakfast meeting we had just to say thank you Tiveta and UNESCO Tiveta and UNESCO we had a meeting with them yesterday you'll find that Tiveta works hand in hand with very many people including UNESCO so that was UNESCO giving us the awards yesterday and that's you yes this must have been exciting you have created a good foundation for yourselves do you have any plans moving forward now that you've managed to get where you are some of those expectations that you've got and those ambitions and the goals you've set for yourself I think it was a good stepping stone to go into the career that we want to because coming into the college no one would have thought we'd get such an experience or exposure so just grateful to the lecturers who put in what they have put in us or put in me it encourages me that as I go out into starting my career after I graduate sorry it will just motivate me to do better my goal is to open my own hotel someday just to put in these skills that I've learned into practice and if it's the best do that and I hope I'll be there first to eat there your plans for me plans start earlier the networking need to be there even in Namibia so it was quite a chance not only the bronze medal so we had to network with other chefs let me quote Kodon Ramsey who said for you to become a great chef you have to work with great chefs of course I cannot come from school and then start my own restaurant now we have to work hand in hand you have to know what this guy is doing and then you try and do yours bring them together so it's all about teamwork and everything that's what you taught and self employment of course is the dream of everyone she wants a restaurant so who do you think will be the chef I don't know I'm looking forward to comparing not 10 years down the line 10 even seems too much we made call it 7 6 years it's about the passion and the courage you have in yourself for you how many years give or take around 10 years 7 to 10 years giving your thoughts because I'm interested in finding out the perception of the Kenyan youth when it comes to harnessing or building themselves in terms of their skills do you think the Kenyan youth has embraced the fact that there are so many skills that they have that they have not managed to bring out of themselves and how can they do that because there is somebody watching you today who is motivated but you see that's as far as it goes so for me of course if I talk about cooking we have a lot of people who have the skills so for the youth I would ask them how about you put the skill to paper because of course there is no you can be seated there alone you need to know what is happening out there so being in a school it encourages you and it shows you it gives you the networks and everything remember I applied to bomb or to pursue my diploma in culinary arts but I didn't know that I was going to go to Namibia one day so this happened so you'll find that these things happen you're not even planning for them to happen but those are opening day and day and day so there's no you can just be seated there and then you expect something miracle to happen so come out and it would be nice if you come out have the papers on you for some they say starting is always a problem starting is a problem but how about you start with you you start on working with yourself then come out advise to your fellow youths they have skills but it's not coming out they're not building it up to make themselves better I think that mindset needs to change like as the youth I feel like we get a lot of that our skills are small or it's not important or they're not valid like it's only big things like being a doctor or being like all these great things people think of so I didn't encourage them like no matter how small like nothing is ever too small for anyone I feel like whatever their interests are they should like actually go out and pursue it there's always a starting stepping stone it's never easy and it's always like starting small but you can never know how far and big you can go just with one small step into what you really want in life and we just need to embrace the baby steps that you're making humble beginnings don't put so much pressure on yourself give yourself that time to grow and to build your skill step by step I love what you said you also interact with other people as you build yourself step by step that's true I want to give this conversation to a close and I want to give you guys to have a final word what would you say to just wrap it up let me start with you have a final word as you talk to your people I believe you guys are on social media because now you how can we go find if they want to get in touch with you and phone you now you are fans I just like to say I'm really thankful for the opportunity that I even got to go there starting with the college that I study at with Tiveta UNESCO all these people who partnered with this and were actually involved in making Kenya go and for us to be able to portray our skills I'm just grateful for that opportunity and to my parents as well for actually letting me study here and giving me that opportunity and yeah just grateful for all my friends literally everyone who supported me through this journey without them it wouldn't have been possible are you on social media? yes I am you can follow me on instagram my name is Shradha Shah final word for me first of all to thank God because of giving me the chance the strength to thank my parents for believing in me also the school which also is family and it believed in me also it has been naturally my skills to thank Tiveta in partnership with UNESCO who gave me a chance to be there and for the people who are seated back home you thinking that you don't have the skills try I said just let the change start with you so just get up and showcase what you have skills, water, pain the youths outside here as you can see you are very young for anybody who would like to get in touch with me I'm very ready to help I want to work with great chefs and of course you have to get in touch the network you'll find me on my socials that's my instagram I'll carry it all for Tiveta I wish you guys the best keep doing what you're doing keep going looking forward to seeing the next big thing in the country especially in the hospitality industry when those diplomats come they look for you they know who to call thank you so much for coming and of course a big thanks to each and everyone that has been tuned in remember it's all about empowering the youth when it comes to knowing that you've got power in your skills so you've got skills and you have what it takes to make yourself better harness those skills, build your skills I was with Shradha Shah and Joseph Carey in this morning conversation about skills training and entrepreneurship I hope you've learned something from wherever you are we're taking a short break this conversation still continues we still have more coming up your way right here on why in the morning my name is Ram Aguko see you after this break