Whether it be chefs, pastry chefs, bakers, baristas or beverage students across the board these young people represent the future of the vital Food & Beverage Industry in South Africa. This year, 35 highly motivated students representing seven of the Western Cape’s top culinary and hospitality academies competed in the 11th annual Cook-Off on Saturday 21st August, generously hosted by the International Hotel School. A culmination of weeks of practicing and perfecting their entries during lockdown.
One&Only Reaching for Young Stars has proved to be an important platform offering good opportunities in the hospitality field, to broaden minds and extend horizons allowing creative students to prove their worth and over the years rewarding to see what the graduates have achieved nationally and internationally.
Anne Scott, GM of One&Only Cape Town explains, “Sometimes in the hotel and restaurant operation we’re driven by the menu, by costings, or by operational protocols and processes. What competitions do is they say – never mind what our menu says, knock yourself out, here’s an opportunity to flex those muscles and be creative. It gives everybody an opportunity to win, whether it’s an award or because they discover something that is a new passion.”
“In life it is vital to recognise when opportunities are being offered. It could change the direction in which you are going,” says Waseem Carrim, Chief Executive Officer at the National Youth Development Agency. “We are well aware that South Africa’s goal in tourism is to offer excellent hospitality. We view these initiatives to be critical pathways to equip young people with the wherewithal, skills, confidence and enthusiasm that is required to succeed today.”
The knowledge of wine and understanding the wine culture of South Africa is becoming increasingly important. Students had the opportunity to learn and take away some first impressions of a wine industry that has thrived for centuries.
Heidi Duminy, Principal of the Cape Wine Academy, invited the beverage students to a superb South African Wine Course in Stellenbosch. CWM Wanda Cronjé took the students on a virtual wine journey around South Africa, the great wine growing regions of the Cape, the wine styles and the effect of wine on the taste of food.
The culinary teams partnered with various wine estates;
Capsicum Culinary Studio & Anthonij Rupert Wyne
The Hurst Campus & Ernie Els Wines
Chefs Training and Innovation Academy (CTIA) & Kleine Zalze, International Hotel School & Krone
IHT Hotel School & Lanzerac Wines
The Cape Town Hotel School (Part of the Faculty of Business Management Sciences of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology) & Neethlingshof
Eziko Cooking and Catering Training Centre (Langa) & Simonsig
A special privilege was meeting the winemakers, seeing how the process of wine is made, tasting and then selecting the wines to inspire their team’s three-course menu. The food and wine pairing Judges Guy Webber and Marlvin Gwese brought a wealth of experience to their judging.
The students then went on to present those wines to Judge Luvo Ntezo and Penelope Horwood confidently and with great elan!
In addition, creating memorable cocktails using KWV Brandy and Cruxland Gin with Sanpellegrino Italian Sparkling Drinks and showing their understanding of S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna mineral waters.
Judges Jac Kolver and Craig Hibbert, masters of their craft presided over the bakers and pastry chef entries. Using Bio-Wheat the bakers presented their Italian style ciabatta, French baguette and traditional South African whole-wheat loaf.
The pastry chefs presented their choice butter cakes using:
BioWheat Lancewood, Lurpak & ClemenGold® and dessert with Lancewood and LemonGold® seedless lemons.
Alison Douglas, Tarryn van der Toorn and Wayne Abrahams Avanti Coffee Company were meticulous in their judging the barista entries of cappuccino, latte and dirty chai accompanied by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna mineral waters.
See more… https://showcook.com/blog
/2021/07/12/full-spectrum/
Two of South Africa’s top culinary stars; Rudi Liebenberg and Farrel Hirsch judged the hot chefs who prepared a pasta starter dish using Bio-Wheat while their vegetarian main course featured Denny Mushrooms using Rio Largo Olive Oil. Their vital kitchen practice was judged by Carl van Rooyen.
See Facebook links below for their entries!
THE WINNERS were announced at the prestigious annual awards hosted by GM Anne Scott at One&Only Cape Town on Thursday 2nd September 2021 – See the Results here…
See more… https://showcook.com/blog
/2021/06/22/ooyoungstars2021
-warm-welcome-to-the-cape-winelands/
EXCEPTIONAL PRIZES ANNOUNCED
The ‘One&Only Reaching for Young Stars Chef of the Year’ ~ Jadon Lee Harilall (Cape Town Hotel School Part of the Faculty of Business Management Sciences of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology) is invited to Rwanda to take up a three-week intense mentorship experience at One&Only Nyungwe House and One&Only Gorilla’s Nest with flexibility in time and dates depending on circumstance. See One&Only Resorts
Flights courtesy of Denny.
A stunning opportunity has been awarded to Jadon Lee Harilall (Cape Town Hotel School Part of the Faculty of Business Management Sciences of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology) – a five-months superb working experience in CAPE COD, Massachusetts at Winslow’s Tavern, a top heritage restaurant in an historic Federalist building in scenic Wellfleet with fellow South Africans, Chef Patron Phillip and Tracey Hunt. This highly esteemed 170 seat restaurant is staffed by an international brigade of skilled chefs who thrive on collaboration, camaraderie, fast pace and high volume, producing an all-American seasonal menu heavily influenced by coastal cuisines. https://youtu.be/5Rud8-wQzTs #OOYoungStars2021 .
The ’Ultimate Lancewood Young Star Pastry Chef of the Year’ – Saudiqah Gelandt (Cape Town Hotel School, Part of the Faculty of Business Management Sciences of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology) is invited to experience a three-months internship in France, the home of fine patisserie at the exquisite Château La Creuzette in Boussac with hosts Louis Jansen van Vuuren and Hardy Olivier. A ravishing prize where the winner will continue to broaden their culinary skills and at the same time absorb incomparable French flair.
Flights courtesy of Lancewood plus a cash prize.
The ‘One&Only Reaching for Young Stars Beverage Student of the Year’ – Chrizaan Myburgh (The Hurst Campus) is invited to experience a three-week internship at One&Only Cape Town.
The ‘One&Only Reaching for Young Stars Baker of the Year’ – Sean Lubbe (Chefs Training & Innovation Academy) is invited to experience a three-weeks internship at One&Only Cape Town.
The ‘One&Only Reaching for Young Stars Barista of the Year’ – Wandile Mpakumpaku (Capsicum Culinary Studio) received prizes from KitchenAid Africa, AL&CD Ashley, a cash prize from Avanti SA and more!
The most impactful Sanpellegrino Instagram was awarded to Chef Joshua Urdang (Chefs Training & Innovation Academy) Chef_Urdang while the essay on the health benefits of drinking bottled mineral water at source, S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna was won by Chrizaan Myburgh (The Hurst Campus)
Fabulous prizes from Italian Deli Online!
Superb prizes for the winners including hugely desirable KitchenAid Artisan Mixers, Gadget & Utensils, Ceramics, Bakeware and more, much more as each of the participants took home treasures from KitchenAid Africa, a company that has reached its centenary with aplomb, enviable products that have stood the test of time worldwide on every cook’s wish list!
Highly desirable prizes from SCANPAN, the finest of Global Knives, Brabantia, Avanti, Bodum, Severin, Joseph Joseph were carefully selected for the winners and for Judge’s gifts from AL&CD Ashley a company of great repute with gold standard kitchen essentials.
Didactix has offered the ‘Scanpan Excellent Kitchen Practice’ duo of chefs Chef Imtiyaaz Hart and Asst. Chef Qira Matthews of Capsicum Culinary Studio a one-day training programme and on-line examination to achieve the international certificate in the Highfield Qualification Level 2 Award in Food Safety & Catering. This qualification is listed and recognised by the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency. The Maritime Labour Convention of 2006 determines that all catering crew must have a recognised Food Safety qualification. UK and EU countries also require this qualification for chefs who wish to work in their country. Besides valuable to have, the Highfield qualification is Ofqual regulated and acknowledged in many countries.
Generous prizes from KWV, S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, Italian Deli Online, ClemenGold®, LemonGold®, Anthonij Rupert Wyne, Ernie Els Wines, Kleine Zalze, Krone, Lanzerac Wines, Neethlingshof and Simonsig.
Cash prizes from Avanti Coffee SA. Gifts from Rio Largo Olive Oil. Books for life from Penguin Random House, and best-selling South African wine advisor, Platter’s South African Wine Guide will be awarded to the top three beverage students. The last word in delectable prizes,Von Geusau Chocolates!
