Perceptions of lecturers regarding skills and competencies of culinary arts students in Botswana

Abstract

This study investigates how lecturers in Botswana view the abilities and proficiencies of their students studying culinary arts. The culinary arts sector greatly influences Botswana's economy and cultural fabric, yet little is known about how teachers view students’ readiness for entry into this field. This study clarifies the viewpoints of lecturers teaching culinary arts programs in Botswana with quantitative methodologies, such as closed-ended questionnaires. Using simple random sampling, data were collected from both hospitality and culinary arts lecturers. This study analysed data using the Special Package for Social Sciences (SPSS®). SPSS was used to recognise correlations, trends, and statistical significance. This research identified possible areas for development in culinary arts education by examining their opinions about the strengths and shortcomings of students in terms of practical abilities, theoretical knowledge, creativity, flexibility, and professionalism. The main objective of this study was to investigate gaps in culinary skills training. A secondary objective was to determine training methods that can be employed in culinary arts education. The results of this study will improve knowledge of Botswana’s culinary education system as well as curriculum design and educational policies that aim to enhance the abilities and competencies of the country’s future culinary professionals. The study’s findings demonstrate that culinary arts education equips chefs and kitchen employees with superior cooking skills, awareness of food safety, and the capacity to produce dishes of the highest quality.