ENTERING THE NEW YEAR WITH HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Penang – To promote an active lifestyle among Malaysians, KDU College Penang Campus has launched the Healthy Lifestyle Campaign. This has been organized in conjunction with KDU Orientation programme for the new January 2010 intake in collaboration with Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah Timur Laut and Agensi Dadah Kebangsaan Pulau Pinang.

With the theme, “Stay Healthy, Live Longer”, this campaign was held for two days on 6th and 7th January providing information to students and staff of KDU College. The objective of the campaign is basically to increase the awareness and knowledge of the public about diseases that arise as a result of unhealthy lifestyles as well as to motivate the Malaysian public to adopt health-promoting practices and lifestyle.

On 6th January, the programme focused on anti-smoking exhibition, drug abused exhibition, healthy eating information, BMI checking, blood pressure and free consultation on health check-ups. In addition, on 7th January, there was a blood donation programme held from 9.00am to 4.00pm for the public and other programmes continued as usual. This blood donation programme was organised by the KDU Health Club especially for this Healthy Lifestyle Campaign. The response from the students and staff was fantastic.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a healthy environment is a place where everyone lives to achieve an agreed vision on health and well-being of the community. It provides the community with physical, psychological, social and organisational conditions that protect and promote health and safety.A healthy environment focuses on the protection of the health of the individual from harm due to potentially hazardous, stressful or degraded environment.

A healthy diet and lifestyle are your best weapons to fight cardiovascular disease. Nutritional food is essential for human in order to stay healthy. Therefore, there was a talk on “How to eat well, to live well” from the KDU Nursing lecturer regarding nutritional food consumption. The talk has imparted new knowledge to the audiences on ways of eating a balanced diet to prevent any unwanted diseases.

In addition, community action and participation is essential for promoting a healthy environment. Community-based activities and projects relating to a healthy environment carried out nation-wide both in the urban and rural areas need to be intensified.
We urge the public to show their support to this campaign on bringing the awareness to more people in Penang. This campaign will be a whole year event in 2010 and there will be more upcoming activities organized by KDU College. Our next healthy lifestyle activities would be on 24th March 2010 with more talks, activities and exhibitions.

Brand New KDU College Section 13 Campus

KDU College is proud to announce that the new Section 13 Campus is now open for business. Classes at this campus will commence on the 4th January (Monday). The new campus will be the new home to programmes such as Business, Law and American Degree Programme (ADP). Please click image to enlarge or contact 03-7728 8123 for more information.

CHARIS HOSPICE CHRISTMAS TEA 2009

This annual event was organized by Charis Hospice to bring some Christmas cheer to the patients and the families of Charis Hospice. Charis Hospice was grateful to various companies that have sponsored the event in the past. This year, Christmas Tea was hosted by KDU College Penang Campus.

There were about 140 people including patients, families, staff and volunteers. The highlight of the event was sharing from four of Charis Hospice patients about their cancer journey. We were also thankful to the young people from Penang First Assembly of God and Penang Christian Centre who presented the lively Christmas Story and Carol Singing. In addition, JDC Dancehouse performed two attention-grabbing dances.

Charis Hospice is a non-profit organization offering free palliative home care services to patients with cancer and other advanced illnesses in Penang Island, irrespective of race and religion. It also provides counseling and support group services to newly diagnosed cancer patients and survivors. Services are provided by trained medical and non-medical staff and volunteers.

KDU College Penang has been supporting Charis Hospice first through the Christian Fellowship and now as Community Outreach for the School of Nursing and Allied Health. Our Nursing students have been attached to Charis Hospice to provide home-based nursing care, health education and support to care givers and family members.

Ms. Chan Nee Nee, the Director of Studies, KDU College Penang mentioned in her speech, “The School of Nursing aims to develop caring nurses who are able not only to apply their technical knowledge and skills but also to demonstrate compassion and concern to their patients. We want to instill in our students the spirit of volunteerism so that they can contribute to society as well.”

Last week, the School of Nursing and Allied Health celebrated their Annual Dinner and Farewell to their First Batch of Graduate Nurses. All the graduates have already had job offers: some were on scholarships and others not on scholarships have been offered several job offers and are considering their choices. Our Nursing students will not only be technically competent, they will be distinguished by their compassion and concern to their patients and community.

In addition, next year 2010, Oral Presentation and Group Work will be introduced into every subject. The aims are to make our Nursing students more articulate, to express their views and concerns and to be able to communicate well to different members of the community.

Palliative care emphasizes quality of life – “We cannot add days to life but we may be able to add life to days”. The following are some comments of Charis Hospices’ patients (have since passed away) and family members:-

1: “I have been given 6 months to live but I have surpassed that. I want to thank God for sending people to help me cope during this time. I also want to thank Charis Hospice for all their help and prayers”.

2: “With the help of Charis Hospice professional medical team I need not go to hospital for treatment. I am more relaxed now. I have surrendered everything to God and put my trust in Him. I am really appreciative of my wife now because she has taken over many responsibilities from me”.

3: “We thank Charis Hospice for taking such good care of my father from the time he was discharged from the hospital until his death. We were advised on how to take care of his personal needs and medication to relieve his pain. This helped us tremendously. We did not have to carry the heavy burden alone”.

4: “Father’s last moments were peaceful, happy and free from suffering. You helped him understand and accept his situation, alleviated his discomfort and touched his heart and the hearts of all his living relatives”.

5: “Though we knew you for a brief time only, the service, care and dedication shown by the staff of Charis Hospice gives us hope in humanity … to serve with honor and privilege”.

KDU students produce cinema ad

KDU College Diploma in Mass Communication students, Brandon Liu Jia Tar, Lim Charlson, Boo Sha Lyn, Lu Heng Shun and Amanda Khoo, had a lot to be happy about recently as the fruits of their labour were shown in reel life.

The students had directed and produced the college’s first ever cinema advertisement shown across Golden Screen Cinemas in One Utama (PJ), Midvalley Megamall (KL), Pavillion (KL) and One Borneo in Kota Kinabalu.

Students in colleges and universities are often tasked with case studies or projects based on real circumstances, and asked to present it to a panel of judges, be it their lecturers or other corporate figures, for marks.

With the belief that challenges facilitate learning experience, the college decided to take it one step further and asked its Diploma in Mass Communication March 2008 intake students to pitch for the job of producing the college’s cinema advertisement.

In a Film Studies workshop conducted by Mass Communication lecturers, Maha Abubakr and Gary La Faber, the students were given a brief on the project and had to brainstorm for ideas, which was then presented to the Head of Mass Communication, Sharon Ng and the college’s Advertising & Promotions Executive Jocelyn Loke.

Ideas from 12 groups were presented, and from there, three were shortlisted. The final three then had to come up with a storyboard to present to the management.

"Besides coming up with the storyboard, we also had to think long and hard about the logistics and resources. Finally, our ad ‘KDU Chase’ was then pitched to the management team and then we heard it – ‘Your idea is selected!’ It was then that it hit us – our idea could actually promote KDU College, and producing our own commercial would be an unforgettable experience!" said Amanda Khoo, one of the members from the winning team.

However, pitching for the job was just the beginning. The team had a long way to go. The pre-production process was not as smooth sailing as the team had imagined it to be, as they did not have the experience to produce such a large project.

The team took two days to film the entire advertisement. If things were a little chaotic on the first day, by the second day, they were deft hands. At the end of the second day, the team breathed with great relief as they shouted, "It’s a wrap!"

Amanda said, "We would be lying if we said that we did not have fun. It was great to sit in the "Director’s seat" and order people around, to be able to handle professional lightings and cameras, and to be able to go around saying, ‘I was part of this production.’ What we learn in class cannot top the actual experience of being a part of a real-life production team."

For KDU College PJ, call 03-77288123/ email best@kdu.edu.my, or log on to www.kdu.edu.my. For KDU College Penang, Call 04-2266368/ email best@kdupg.edu.my or log on to www.kdupg.edu.my

INAUGURAL FONTERRA FOODSERVICES PASTRY CHALLENGE SHOWCASES THE ‘FLAVOURS OF PENANG'

Local chefs beat 14 contenders to win top award

On 23rd October 2009, Fonterra Foodservices Malaysia held the inaugural Fonterra Foodservices Pastry Challenge 2009 at KDU College, Penang Campus, attracting 15 talented local chefs who competed in pairs for the top awards. The participants were required to present two cakes with the theme ‘Flavours of Penang’, to be designed, plated and served, all within three hours.

Following the regional success of the Fonterra Foodservices Pastry Challenge in countries such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia, Fonterra Foodservices, in collaboration with the Chef Association Malaysia, Penang Chapter, lead this prestigious competition to the shores of Malaysia for the very first time this year. The maiden Pastry Challenge was officiated by Dato’ Kee Phaik Cheen, Chairman of the Penang Tourism Action Council (PTAC), who was represented by Cik Sharifah Loon, the Director of Tourism Malaysia, Penang Office.

In her speech read by Cik Sharifah Loon, Dato’ Kee said, “On behalf of the Penang State Tourism Action Council, I must commend the efforts of the organizers in initiating an event of this nature as I believe it will help raise the benchmarks of Malaysian chefs and food operators including those in Penang.”

“I am extremely pleased that Fonterra Foodservices has decided to bring this inaugural event to Penang and I congratulate them for having the foresight to support the local baking and pastry industry as part of their efforts to partner with the industry. The synergy between the professionals and Fonterra Foodservices will certainly raise the standards of our Malaysian hotels, restaurants and cafes, a key driver of our hospitality sector,” she added.

The Best Award Gold winners, Chef Eric Cheam, received prize money of RM 5,000 and get to attend a Pastry Training Course conducted by Jean-Francois Arnaud, the acclaimed Master Pastry Chef who has been conferred numerous awards, including the prestigious Best Pastry Chef of France. The pastry course is sponsored by Fonterra Foodservices as part of its effort to raise the standards of the local foodservices industry.

Meanwhile, the Best Award Silver and Bronze winners received prize money of RM 3,000 and RM 2,000 respectively, while the Best Taste and Best Decorations winners took home RM 1,000 each. The media were also invited to judge the creations to choose the winner for the Media Awards of RM 500.

The entries were judged based on creativity, choice of ingredients, recipe description, presentation and taste, by a panel comprising three reputable chefs from around the region : Eric Anton Roos, Executive Pastry Chef at Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok, Bruno Cassasus, the R&D Director of HTC in Asia Sdn Bhd and Manfred Kohlen, the Technical Manager & Pastry Chef at Fonterra Foodservices AME (Asia & Middle East).

Tan Chian Pang, Marketing & Channel Development Manager, Fonterra Foodservices Malaysia said, “Fonterra Foodservices is pleased to organise this exciting event here at the Pearl of the Orient. We are honoured to organize the inaugural Fonterra Foodservices Pastry Challenge successfully here with the support of our partners, KDU College Penang Campus, Chef Association Malaysia, Penang Chapter and our distributor BGS Trading Sdn Bhd.”

“Fonterra Foodservices is committed to do its part to foster the development of the local foodservices industry and we strongly believe this Pastry Challenge will serve as a platform for Malaysian pastry chefs especially those in Penang, to share their experience and further improve the professional standards of the local foodservices industry,” he added.

Over the years, Fonterra Foodservices has built a solid track record of successfully catering to the specific needs of foodservice professionals in Malaysia and around the world. Fonterra Foodservices, via its flagship brand, Anchor is currently a leading player in the foodservices market with its finest quality dairy cream, cheese, butter and milk. Anchor has also been the preferred choice of bakers, caterers, commercial kitchens, hotels, restaurants, chefs, quick-service restaurants and cafes in Malaysia.

Tan explained that given the positive response for the inaugural Fonterra Foodservices Pastry Challenge, the Company is keen to organise this contest annually so as to encourage greater participation and contribute further to the development of the foodservices industry in the country.

Alongside the Pastry Challenge was the Penang Delights Exhibition, wherein local delights such as Ban Chien Koay, Oyster Omelette and Bubur Cha-Cha were prepared by creatively incorporating Anchor products into these dishes. Close to 10 hawkers in pairs set up their stalls and served culinary specialities for the over 300 visitors.

Commenting on the good turnout, Tan said: “We are pleased that the public enjoyed the traditional favourite dishes made from Fonterra Foodservices ingredients. The taste of these dishes remains delicious while using Anchor products as a healthier and convenient alternative.”

The participating hawkers used Anchor products such as the Whipping Cream and Butter to substitute some of the ingredients including coconut milk as well as to enhance the flavour of the food. The resulting dishes were not only scrumptious but also wholesome given their dairy nutrition content.

Impressing the judges and visitors with their skilful incorporation of Anchor products as well as presentation of the dishes, Siau Yong Kheng and Cheong Chee Wah were chosen for the Judge’s Choice awarded with RM 2,000 trip voucher and People’s Choice award of RM 1,000 prize money, respectively.

For more details on Fonterra Foodservices and the complete results of the Pastry Challenge please visit http://www.fonterrafoodservices.com.my/.

About Fonterra Foodservices Malaysia
An integral component of Fonterra Brands, Fonterra Foodservices is the leading provider of the widest range of dairy products and ingredients that cater to the needs of professional food service operators around the world. Being the expert in dairy, the company offers products such as ready-to-serve creams, ready-to-serve beverages, butter, milk, cheese and bakery goods that are tailored to provide superior taste, nutrition and cost efficiency so as to create the ultimate dining experience.

Complementing its wide product range, Fonterra Foodservices is also recognized for its high quality practices from source of supply to the consumer. The company’s dedication to quality is validated by the comprehensive testing procedures administrated beginning with the raw milk used as the main ingredient in its products.

Throughout Fonterra’s production sites, their standard management system embraces a comprehensive range of monitoring and audit processes, including ISO9000 independent certification, audits by regulatory agencies and major customers as well as its own internal audit procedures. At the final stage of production just before release for sale, all Fonterra Foodservices products are subjected to an extensive review process to ensure all relevant quality and food safety parameters have been signed off.

Among the leading brands under Fonterra Foodservices are Anchor, Mainland and Perfect Italiano. All Fonterra dairy products are certified halal by the New Zealand Islamic Processed Food Management.

Students and Lecturer of KDU College Shine in Asia’s 1st Culinary Cup 2009

KDU College’s students and lecturer participated in the Asia’s 1st Culinary Cup 2009 which happened in Royal Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon, Bangkok recently on 2nd - 5th September. It had coincide with the Food & Hotel Thailand 2009, one of the kingdom’s biggest hospitality trade exhibitions featuring food and drink, hotels, catering, bakery, restaurants and kitchen equipment, retail supplies and services.

Asia’s 1st Culinary Cup will be the first international culinary art contest and convention, and a platform where professionals from all over the world can showcase their talents. The event was organized by the Thai-Swiss Culinary Consultants in association with the Thai Chef’s Association, the Thai Hotels Association and the Thai Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), with experts from World Association of Chef’s Societies (WACS) as consultants.

There were more than 200 award-winning chefs from around the world have confirmed their attendance and the competition will follow the rules of similar projects in Germany, Singapore and France. The judges were well-known culinary experts; most of them were WACS approved international judges.

The participants who took part in the competition will be teams from national and regional culinary associations as well as individual professionals from around the world. Countries such as Australia, Austria, China, Middle East, Holland, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Slovakia, Taiwan and Thailand.

The four-day Culinary Cup will see competitions in various fields including fruit and vegetable-carving, ice-carving, Thai cooking, Asian cooking, Western cooking, US Turkey-cooking, modern sandwich-making, breakfast-cooking, cake-dressing, meat and poultry-cooking, Italian pasta dishes, petits fours/pralines/tea pastries, dessert-making, East meets West cooking, a Gourmet Team Challenge and the Hans Bueschkens Junior Chefs Challenge.

It was a proud moment for KDU College’s student named Cheah Chew Fong has won the Silver Breakfast Competition and awarded for the Overall Breakfast Champion title. He is currently studying in Semester 6 of the Diploma in Professional Chef Training. Another student who was also in Semester 6, Tan Hun Chuan has won the Silver Breakfast Competition as well. Not forgetting KDU College’s lecturer, Chef Chuah Lay Yen won the Silver Italian Hot Pasta Dish Competition and the Bronze US Turkey Hot Cooking Contest. One of KDU College’s ex-student, Cheng Gaik Chen has grabbed two titles, which are the Bronze Italian Hot Pasta Dish Competition and a Diploma in US Turkey Hot Cooking Contest.

Chef Chuah Lay Yen added, “We encouraged our students to participate in international competitions as they will learn to be more hands-on and it will build up their confidence level. It will definitely prepare them to the working world.” The students and Chef Chuah have brought back medals and certificates with them.