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www.thepeninsulaqatar.com COMMUNITY | 6 MARKETPLACE | 7 ENTERTAINMENT | 12 KPMG holds Katara Hospitality Abhishek thinks ‘Happy Hour’ for introduces advanced he wasn’t the ‘hero’ kids in office food safety training in ‘Guru’ & ‘Bluffmaster’ TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 Email: [email protected] thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar P | 4-5 WOMEN IN MILITARY KITCHENS In an industry and military that are both male-dominated — surveys indicate that about 14 percent of executive chefs are women, roughly the same percentage of active duty military who are women — female chefs are beginning to make their mark. 02 | THURSDAY 7 JANUARY 2016 COVERSTORY TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 | 03 CAMPUS ISL Qatar celebrates graduation of 60 students he International School of Lon- and the ability to make good choices the highest IB criteria and demonstrat- ability to inspire others . don Qatar (ISL) recently cel- for their, and others’, future. The meas- ed intellectual challenge and achieve- The graduation ceremony marked ebrated their fourth annual ure of success of a school is the quality ment. Angelo Scalzone received the the end of one part of the graduates’ TGrade 12 graduation. The Grad- of its graduates. Learner Award as the student who stories and all are looking forward to uation of the Class of 2016 proved to This graduating class exemplify the had shown outstanding education- the next exciting chapter. Many stu- be an emotional, colourful and mem- values of camaraderie, warmth, in- al growth, improvement, commitment dents now await their IB results with orable event as the 60 graduates, re- telligence and compassion.” During and intellectual development in hisac- anticipation which will be issued on splendent in their gowns, hats and the ceremony, Charleson awarded a ademic studies. July 6. Students are looking forward sashes, were recognised for their number of special awards for gradu- The ISL Qatar Understanding award to taking up places at top universities achievements. ates who had excelled in certain areas was granted to Katrina Gomez who worldwide. “The Class of 2016 is quite unique in of their studies. showed apositive attitude toward the An audience of over 800 family its diversity. A truly multicultural group, Dana Al Rumaihi and Boris van Hel- life and culture of others, is a contrib- members, fellow students and friends with 26 different nationalities from lemondt were honoured with Valedic- uting force in the life of the school, and were present in the school to share the across the globe, speaking 15 different torian awards in recognition of attain- has the ability to bring differing people celebration. An impressive 2000 peo- languages, and they have all come to- ing the highest academic standards, together in a sense of community and ple watched the live Graduation feed gether in a special way to create the making outstanding contributions to international understanding. all around the world via the school’s story of the Class of 2016. They truly the school and for being exemplary The ECIS adult award for the Pro- website. reflect unity through diversity.” said the representatives of the Class of 2016. motion of International Education was The International School of London Head of School, Christopher Charleson. Michael Peter received the Global Cit- awarded to Nerine Chalmers in recog- Qatar has set new standards of aca- Charleson closed his remarks with, izenship and Community Action award nition of her exemplary contributions demic excellence and isa leading Inter- “The Class of 2016 have contributed as the student who demonstrated to the promotion of international ed- national Baccalaureate World School much to ISL Qatar: they have played a leadership and responsibility, and took ucation and to the understanding of in Doha. The school is authorised to leading role in the story of our school action in a range of humanitarian and world cultures. offer the Primary Years, Middle Years they have created aspirations for those environmental matters, both locally Chalmers exhibits a positive atti- and Diploma Programmes and is ac- that will follow and hopefully as they and internationally. tude towards others seeks to promote credited by the Council ofInternational move on, they will write their own sto- Shezin Rahman received the award an understanding and appreciation of Schools and the New England Associa- ry based on strong values, on wisdom for the best Extended Essay that met other cultures and demonstrates the tion of Schools and Colleges. 04 | TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 COVER STORY In military’s top kitchens, women make their cut By Kristen Hartke In an industry and military that are four-course menu she developed that the military: chef, sous-chef; general, The Washington Post both male-dominated — surveys indi- included seared red snapper and fried colonel.” cate that about 14 percent of executive smoked oysters served with gnocchi Such connections were not even on chefs are women, roughly the same in a clam-tomato broth. “The compe- the radar for the Mississippi-born Me- percentage of active duty military who tition was pretty tough,” acknowledg- deiros 16 years ago, when she joined ome may question why an Air are women — female chefs are begin- es Karani, 35, a classically trained chef the US Air Force at the age of 18, but Force general needs one per- ning to make their mark. As she places who first studied culinary arts in her something else became instantly ap- sonal chef, let alone a staff of seared chicken on a platter of couscous native Kenya. “All the chefs were very parent to her: “I didn’t know how to Sthree, but Tech. Sgt. Jennifer dotted with sugar snap peas, blackber- well trained.” act,” she says. Starting off as a din- Medeiros is quick to defend why her ries and radishes for a spring lunch- Says Medeiros: “I knew she’d kill it.” ing hall cook pushing out mass quan- work, cooking for the second-highest- eon, Medeiros says: “There’s a guy who Intense training both in and out of tities of cafeteria-style food, she found ranking officer in the US military, is im- was up for a job once that I got in- the military has helped these women herself surrounded by people who portant: “Food is a common ground stead. He still gives me hell and says, distinguish themselves. Karani began seemed uninspired by their work, so for anyone in the world,” the chef says. ‘You got that job because you’re a girl.’ by studying cooking at Kenya Utalii Col- she decided to become a dental tech- “You can’t discuss multimillion-dollar af- I got that job because I was qualified. lege and eventually came to the Unit- nician — which unexpectedly led her fairs over Hot Pockets.” There are opportunities; you just have ed States through an exchange pro- back to the kitchen. It’s a tradition dating back centu- to go for it.” gramme that led her to Le Cordon Bleu “The dentists were officers,” Me- ries, that of generals of opposing ar- Frida Karani, a petty officer first in Orlando. Medeiros, 34, a two-time deiros explains as she sears chick- mies sitting down together to break class in the US Navy who is also Me- Enlisted Aide of the Year, has trained en breasts on a professional range at bread and broker agreements. “That deiros’s co-worker, agrees: “Nowadays, with the American Culinary Federation the home of Gen. Paul Selva, the vice meal helps build trust,” says Medeiros. women are giving men a run for their and the Culinary Institute of America. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at “It establishes a relationship, a place to money. Equal opportunity and hard Recently, when Medeiros collabo- Fort Myer, just outside the District. “It share personal stories so they can do work always pay off.” rated on a dish with Washington chef gave me a chance to learn how to con- business later.” She should know. In March, Kara- Robert Wiedmaier for an event in sup- duct myself around officers.” Medeiros has experienced firsthand ni won the Armed Forces Chef of the port of Blue Star Families, an organisa- That experience led her to cater re- the necessity of building trust. When Year competition, becoming only the tion that works to ease the transition tirement receptions; then a friend rec- she was deployed in Afghanistan, she second woman to win in the event’s from military to civilian life, Wiedmaier ommended that she apply for a po- had to navigate the local customs of 41-year history. (Army Sgt. Sarah Deck- noted that kitchens, whether civilian or sition as an enlisted aide, a job that a patriarchal society while scrambling ert was the first, in 2014.) Working military, share a common ground: “It’s entails managing the general’s house- to find canape ingredients in unfamil- with a basket of mystery ingredients, called the brigade system,” he says. hold, particularly planning and cooking iar terrain. Karani wowed the judges with the “There’s a ranking structure, just like in for events. TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 | 05 COVER STORY “I had never even seen, let alone spoken to, a four-star general before,” she says. “It was intimidating, but I was now dealing with professionals, who were also professional with me.” For Karani, who worked in sever- al Kenyan restaurants and as a sauci- er at the Hyatt Regency in Dubai before coming to the United States, it’s familiar territory. But it was a revela- tion for Medeiros, who has worked her entire adult life in military kitchens and is preparing for a move into the civilian sector in a few years. Walking in- to Wiedmaier’s fine-dining restaurant Marcel’s was scary, she says: “I had no idea what to expect.

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