Sister Inspires Pastry Chef Sairusi Turuva
“I used to see my elder sister, who is a pastry chef, so I decided to follow that as my career pathway,” said the former Ratu Navula College student said.
Friday 14 July 2023 | 19:30
Sairusi Turuva, 18, gained inspiration from his elder sister, Susana Koroi, to pursue a career as a pastry chef.
He was among 60 associates who graduated from the Fiji Marriott Training Academy at the Sheraton Fiji Golf Resort and Spa, on Wednesday.
It was an eight-week basic culinary programme.
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“I used to see my elder sister, who is a pastry chef, so I decided to follow that as my career pathway,” said the former Ratu Navula College student said.
“I have been in the kitchen for a week now and I just love the workflow. It is something new for me and I thank the academy for making it happen for me.”
Mr Turuva dropped out at Year 11, opting for vocational studies in hospitality.
Adi Bau Vakatale, 24, was grateful to land herself a fulltime job through this programme.
“I was doing Bachelor of Hospitality and Tourism Management course, but stopped due to financial constraints,” she said.
“Now, I can continue my career with the hope to assist my siblings,” said the former Suva Grammar School student.
Marriott International Multi property vice-president Pacific Islands Neeraj Chadha said this programme gave them confidence.
“Seeing people, who are willing to spend time to learn about the industry, grow their careers come out and really contribute to the community and society gives us that confidence,” he said.
This way, he said they could mitigate the fiercest poaching of their associates from overseas industries.
“We didn’t have enough resources to manage the business and that kind of became a strategic initiative for Marriott International.
“Personnel have graduated and almost all of them build interest in this industry with careers providing financial support to respective families.”
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