Two teams of two each from the Food and Beverage Institute (FBI) in Bloemfontein will take part in the semi-fanals of the RCL Foods Young Chefs and Bakers Challenge taking place in Durban. The competition takes place in partnership with the South African Chefs Association (SA Chefs).
Mariska Blaauw and Michelle Jansen van Vuuren as well as Bokamoso Mothupi and Lesedi Letsatsi are four students of FBI and went through to the next level of this competition.
They will travel to Durban for the regional competition in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday, 14 September.
Thirty teams are now preparing to battle it out in three regional semi-final competitions taking place simultaneously in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.
The teams all comprise of two students in professional culinary training programmes and compete for a place in the national final taking place in October.
The competition next week will take the form of a Mystery Basket-style event, where teams must showcase their culinary artistry by preparing three courses, namely a bread course, restaurant main course and restaurant dessert course. The heat will be on, as the chefs battle the clock to present their three courses to the SA Chefs judges in the allocated time frame.
Chef James Khoza, president of SA Chefs, remarked on the exceptional talent displayed by these semi-finalists, saying, “Amidst a pool of exceptional talent, the journey to culinary excellence has reached an exhilarating point as we proudly announce the selection of our RCL semi-finalists. The calibre of entries we’ve received is a true testament to the passion and dedication that South African chefs pour into their craft.
“The excitement surrounding the upcoming semi-finals is noticeable, as we witness the culmination of hard work, innovation and a shared commitment to pushing culinary boundaries. Each semi-finalist embodies the spirit of creativity and mastery that is at the heart of our culinary community. We are eager to showcase their talents and celebrate their journey towards becoming the next generation of culinary leaders,” Khoza concludes.
