Costa Cruises has announced the launch of a “Scuole di Mestiere,” or Schools of Trades, project, which is aimed at providing more training for its shipboard staff.
The project consists of a series of workshops and master’s courses, designed in collaboration with Costa’s partners, including the Università del Caffè illy, Cantine Ferrari, Academia Barilla, CAST Alimenti - the school of trades of taste and the Università degli Studi di Scienze Gastronomiche (UNISG Pollenzo).
By the end of 2016 Costa Cruises will have trained more than 90 shipboard managers, the line said.
The initiative is also meant to strengthen the alliance between Costa and its partners, the line said, which has resulted in onboard bubbly Ferrari Trentodoc, Barilla pasta dishes, illy blend coffee and pizza made with yeast base, the result of Costa's collaboration with the Università degli Studi di Scienze Gastronomiche (UNISG Pollenzo). In addition, this year Costa has begun making use of CAST Alimenti, the school of trades of taste for the training and selection of its pastry chefs on board.
The trained managers will become custodians of secrets of the trade and will, in turn, act as trainers, passing this teaching on to their teams onboard and turning the Costa ships into continuing education centers, Costa said.
At the Università del caffè illy in Trieste, a center of excellence set up with a brief to foster coffee culture and knowledge worldwide by means of education, course participants learn the techniques required to make the "perfect" espresso and cappuccino.
Cantine Ferrari will offer insights into history, values, local roots and food and wine pairings, and giving participants the tools they need to tell all Costa's cruise guests about the characteristics of Ferrari Trentodoc spumante.
At Academia Barilla, Costa Chefs are certified as ambassadors of authentic Italian cuisine. After taking part in training that alternates visits to Barilla's laboratories with practical lessons, the cruise line's chefs can stage cooking demonstrations and present as effectively as possible Italy's most famous staple food and internationally recognized export – pasta.
At CAST Alimenti, the school of trades of taste, under the watchful eye of Master Chef Massari, Costa's Pastry Chefs have the chance to do a refresher course, hone their skills and master patisserie techniques.
Finally, at UNISG, the Università degli Studi di Scienze Gastronomiche di Pollenzo, Costa's pizza chefs and bakers learn all about products like flour, yeast base and mixes for bread and pizza with special attention to the environmental implications and to sustainability.
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