Students and members of the hospitality industry could join in an informative two days presented by the South African Chefs Regional Committee and the Hotel School at the Central University of Technology (CUT).
The Chef Exhibition Open Day on 22 August and the Conference on 23 August aimed to create awareness of the unique hospitality industry, showcase key stakeholders, ignite a passion for the industry in the next generation, and promote and grow the specialized trade of cheffing.
All this while providing a networking platform for various tourism and hospitality enthusiasts to interact with industry titans through live demonstrations, discussions, and the sharing of the latest trends.
The day was filled with excitement and featured various exhibitions from industry suppliers and partners, food demonstrations, cook-offs, and lucky draws.
According to the SA Chefs Free State Chairman, Deon Pastor, the success of the previous conference in 2023 presented an opportunity to improve the event this year. “This event is about having fun and enjoying what we do best, introducing young talent into the space, sharing ideas, and celebrating the art of cooking. We are here to inspire, educate, and connect with each other.”
The Free State chefs participated in a head-to-head 60-minute cooking demo competition sponsored by Econofoods, where teams had to prepare two dishes.
Gustav Pieterse, General Manager of the Saxon Hotel, Villas, and Spa, advised future hoteliers to be passionate, enthusiastic, and disciplined to succeed in the hospitality industry.
The day ended with a Board Members’ cook-off competition, where three teams comprising professional chefs had to swap their kitchens and continue with the dish that had already been prepared by the other chefs. Their dishes were presented and judged by international chefs, and Chef Patso Nikolov’s team won the challenge.
