From family kitchens to a national platform, Guyana’s culinary heritage now has a home built to turn recipes into livelihoods.
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has officially opened the Roots and Flavours Culinary Arts Centre at the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI), Cove and John, East Coast Demerara, creating a new platform for culinary training, entrepreneurship, employment and financial independence.
Commissioned on Friday, the centre is the vision of Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud, and is expected to give participants practical culinary skills while placing Guyana’s diverse food heritage at the heart of its training.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Minister Persaud described the facility as far more than another training centre.
“The Roots and Flavour Culinary Arts Centre is not just another centre. We have excellent centres across Guyana; it’s the newest kid on the block, but it’s the newest kid on the block with a purpose,” she said.
The facility was constructed by the Ministry with support from several partners, including the Chinese Embassy in Guyana, the United Nations and the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Caribbean.
Central to the vision for Roots and Flavours is the preservation and evolution of authentic Guyanese cuisine, alongside creating opportunities for participants to transform their culinary skills into sustainable livelihoods, enabling them to establish their own businesses and become financially independent.
Explaining the inspiration behind the centre’s name, Minister Persaud said: “Roots speak to the rich heritage of Guyana, bringing together cultures that span continents, and with those cultures, we would have become the melting pot for some of the best food in this part of the world.”
She noted that Guyanese cuisine has tremendous potential to become an even greater part of the country’s tourism product, particularly as Guyana’s tourism and hospitality sectors continue to expand.
“Guyanese food is known everywhere. Once people have a taste of our food, they come back for it, and they take it with them overseas. So, the vision behind this is to take the flavours of our heritage and our culture…and to make sure that we not only put them on every table and take them beyond the borders of this country, but to also develop a thriving street food industry,” the Minister said.
The centre will work with some of Guyana’s leading chefs and cooks, while ensuring the authentic flavours traditionally found in Guyanese homes are preserved and incorporated into its training. Training will not be limited to food preparation — plans also include beverage preparation and partnerships to expose participants to international cuisine.
Minister Persaud described the opening as the beginning of something she believes can grow into a lasting industry for Guyana.
The Roots and Flavours Culinary Arts Centre forms part of the Ministry’s continued investment in skills development and economic empowerment, particularly for women, through the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) programme.
