A Healthy Body means a Healthy Mind

March 16, 2022

MCTC is delighted to announce it has introduced a new initiative to encourage mental and physical wellbeing onboard ship. We’re introducing a ‘Fitness Challenge’ onboard to encourage crew to engage in physical activity. Our team will be showcasing the exercises to reflect the fact that it’s possible to find an exercise to suit every seafarer, regardless of age, weight, gender and physical strength.

Research shows regular exercise decreases your chance of developing several diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Physical exercise can have long-term health benefits. It also improves your self-esteem, sleep, energy and wellbeing overall.

Nichole Stylianou, MCTC’s Dietician and Nutritionist, said: “Eating wholesome nutritious food is part of the battle to be healthy, but ultimately, exercise plays a key role in wellbeing too. MCTC is committed to supporting wellbeing which is why we’ve introduced the initiative: ‘Fitness Challenge’ onboard vessels where our team will present a short video combining 15-minute workout challenges for crew to participate in. We want crew to take up the challenge and stay activ

MCTC puts nutrition and food safety at the top of its onboard list of priorities

MCTC has underlined its commitment to maintaining high standards of food preparation and quality onboard by launching Level 2 of its Safe Food Handling & Nutrition Course.

Run across three modules, the course will introduce the student to ‘knowing your product’; learning all about the important discipline of preparing patisserie, as well as understanding essential elements of Catering Management. It is conducted while the cooks are onboard with MCTC’s own culinary training consultants undertaking the coaching and support.

Onboard galley staff will learn vegetable and fruit preparation as well as understand how to prepare fish, rice and pasta, and dairy products and explore the world of herbs and spices.

Patisserie is an important skill and those attending the course will be exposed to the preparation of a variety of pastries such as short crust; puff and flaky as well as choux, meringue and desserts.

When it comes to catering management, the course will discuss important issues such as planning provisions and requisition; reviewing orders and coordinating deliveries; as well as quality assurance and budgetary control.

Tonia Drousiotou, MCTC’s Culinary Training Consultant, emphasised the importance of safe food handling and nutrition: “Proper nutrition is essential onboard, as is the safe handling and preparation of food which is why this Level 2 course is so important. Moving on from the theoretical work in Level 1, cooks can then do the practical work in Level 2 to develop their skillset. It will help to educate our cooks and galley staff about the standards that need to be reached and the correct ways that good quality food can be prepared safely and in line with budgetary demands.”