The Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC) in Nadi received books from the late Susan Parkinson’s treasured collection of cooking books and its variety of cooking recipes.

Donating the books on behalf of the family, daughter-in-law Sufu Parkinson said, her passion was food and she spent the better part of her life travelling the region studying and researching about the nutritional value of locally available food in the Pacific.   Her work as a nutritionist in the region has helped in many areas of societies, promoting healthy living and eating locally made cooking dishes.

The late Mrs Parkinson was known as the regional authority on food and nutrition where her work included advocating and lecturing on various issues and aspects of health, food and nutrition in the Pacific.

APTC’s School of Hospitality and Community Services Director, Anthony Bailey said the school in partnership with the Fiji National University (FNU) was glad to have the late Mrs Parkinson’s collection in its library to especially help students pursuing further knowledge and skills in the Tourism and Hospitality programs.

“While sorting through the books we found a recipe book written by Susan and it has all the different recipes for local dishes using locally home grown produce and foods that are available here and this is an important area that we are committee in instilling and promoting in our students, to cook with what is available at home and not to depend on overseas products,” said Mr Bailey

The qualifications, skills and knowledge students gain after they graduate help them to make better career and employment opportunities locally and regionally.

Having travelled the Pacific region and seeing the changing lifestyle and eating habits of people in the Pacific, the late Mrs Parkinson’s had warned of increasing lifestyle diseases due mainly to the growth of consumerism.

Anthony said in housing some of her work the students would do well to gain more from her work.

Her cookery book series, A Taste of the Tropics (later Taste of the Pacific), is widely acclaimed.

The Australian Government funded institute takes pride in offering programs that are directly related to the economic and social development of developing countries in the Pacific region.