The local cook book Kana Vinaka is all about Fijian food that is made using local products that are healthy and nutritious.
Author Colin Chung says the recipes and philosophies stressed in the book can help change the way Fiji eats, in a more healthy and more localized way using contemporary cuisine.
Chung says it is not just about eating more local food in the traditional way but in different ways so that tastes and styles of cooking are borrowed from the different cultures, done in a way that is simple and utilises the things that are in season.
He says all ingredients in the recipes in the book are from the markets and people’s gardens. He says this helps to promote local Fijian foods to tourists.
Chung says the hospitality industry imports about 80 percent food and ingredients to feed tourists and even locals buy imported food and ingredients.
Chung and his business partner Greg Cornwall have trained 30 Home Economics teachers, technical school instructors and boarding school cooks on how to cook food featured in the book.
These institutions will use Kana Vinaka as text and reference book next year.
