talent-exchange

City-born chef cooking up a storm in Scotland kitchens

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 08:24:41 GMT

At just 29 years old, chef Charmaine Lehabe is already taken the culinary world by storm.

Born and raised in Pretoria, Lehabe’s love affair with food began in her grandmother’s kitchen, where she learnt the art of traditional cooking. "My interest in food was passed down to me from my grandmother from when I was a child. Growing up wherever we were or whatever we were doing there was always food everywhere,” she said.

She said she has always enjoyed those times in the kitchen with her grandmother.

“I only started realising I was good at cooking and baking when I was 19 years and my friends at varsity would tell me I should be a chef,” she added.

Lehabe’s formal culinary journey started with a Diploma in Food Preparation and Cooking from Capsicum Culinary Studio in 2019.

After graduating in 2019, she was offered a 6-month placement at a 4-star hotel in Massachusetts in the US, followed by five months at a 5-Star Marriott hotel in Arizona.

Driven by her ambition, she embarked on an international career, working in renowned restaurants and hotels across the US and UK.

She said during the Covid-19 pandemic she returned to South Africa and started a private fine dining service called The Squared Experience with a fellow Capsicium alumnus Thandeka Nhlapho.

“It lasted for three years, and during that time I also worked as a food consultant and a chef at Adega in Bedfordview and as a full-time private chef to several upmarket clients,” she added.

Today, she serves as Senior Chef de Partie at Angus Hotel in Blairgowrie, Scotland, where she manages kitchen operations, oversees menu development, and ensures top-quality service.

"I'm living my dream," Lehabe shared from Scotland.

She added that she aims to bring South African cuisine to the forefront, making it as celebrated as French and Italian cuisines.

“I want to highlight our unique flavours and ingredients on the global stage," she said.

Lehabe has built a reputation for her culinary innovation and versatility, excelling in both fine dining and sushi.

She said her long term goals include building her own wine brand and opening a 20-seater intimate restaurant.

“I also hope to travel and settle down with a family,” she said.

Lehabe added that her success is partly attributed to influential mentors, including her grandmother and Chef Ash Heeger of Riverine Rabbit, who played a pivotal role in her early career.

“They instilled in me a deep love for food and a drive to succeed,” Lehabe said.

She said if she could cook dinner for five famous people, she would choose Cassper Nyovest, SZA, Ash Heeger, Mark Greenaway and Shekhinah.

“I would serve a South African dish with French cooking techniques, such as chicken feet’s dressed in spring onion chilli oil, served with a chakalaka aioli,” she said.

Her advice to future chefs is to "explore, innovate, and never stop learning. Embrace new challenges and experiences; they will help you grow".

As Lehabe continues to make strides in the culinary world, she remains dedicated to sharing the richness of South African cuisine with a global audience.

Her story underscores the value of hard work, dedication, and passion in achieving one's dreams.

South African chefs find their wings with Qatar Airways

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 08:21:53 GMT

CHALLENGING RECRUITMENT PROCESS

The talented young chefs endured a challenging recruitment process. They proved they were better than their competitors – other graduate chefs from Capsicum Culinary Studio campuses across South Africa.

The new recruits are the first of nearly 50 trained chefs that will be placed with Qatar Aircraft Catering Company (QACC) and Qatar Duty Free (QDF). Both operate from the state-of-the-art facilities at the world’s best airport, Hamad International Airport in Doha .

SOUTH AFRICAN CHEFS RISE THROUGH THE RANKS

Two young South African chefs, Ayanda Khumalo and Lesedi Mokoena made it through the tough recruitment process.

According to Sustainability in the Sky , both chefs originate from Gauteng in South Africa. Kumalo, aged 23, hails from Amandasig and Mokoena, aged 21, is from Pretorius Park.

FLYING THE SOUTH AFRICAN FLAG IN QATAR

Khumalo is grateful for the opportunity to experiment with an array of cuisines and dishes.

“This is an amazing opportunity to be exposed to diverse cultures and cuisines. For instance, in the area where I’ve been placed, there are dozens of outlets that serve a variety of national and regional dishes.”

Khumalo developed a love for cooking as a child, being inspired by her grandmother who nurtured her interest in food.

“My grandmother was my biggest role-model from a young age. Seeing her make roasts, casseroles and cake nurtured my interest in cooking for a living. I want to make her proud.” Khumalo said.

Mokoena, who credits her grandfather (also a chef) for sparking her interest in food, said, “It is tremendously exciting to be part of a world-class brand with excellence as a benchmark, and being mentored under the leadership of Chef David Sosson.”

SHOWCASING SOUTH AFRICAN CUISINE

Mokoena added that apart from learning all she can, she hopes to introduce people to African cuisine.

She enjoys infusing the culinary components and flavours making up South African dishes.

QATAR AIRWAYS VALUES DIVERSITY

Qatar Airways’ Chief People Officer, Antonio Schulthess, believes that diversity is in fact key to the airline’s success.

“Diversity and excellence are the hallmarks of the Qatar Airways brand. Recruiting candidates from around the world, as is the case with our partnership with Capsicum Culinary Studio, is part of our ongoing commitment to finding the best talent globally and empowering our personnel to build fulfilling careers with the world’s best airline.” Schulthess said.

Capsicum Culinary Studio’s Customer Experience and Career Centre Manager, Thulisile Mgidi, said that the institution was pleased to see its graduates being offered opportunities in Qatar.

“It is hard to imagine a better opportunity for these young chefs to seize, and you can see how excited they are to make the most of it. There’s an art and science to making sure food meets the highest of standards, so these candidates are learning invaluable skills from the best of the best.” Mgidi said.

CAREER GROWTH IN QATAR

Sadly, with a high unemployment rate in the country, many trained young professionals remain jobless in South Africa.

Therefore, it is a great opportunity for these new chefs to be able to launch careers with Qatar Airways.

Chefs employed by Qatar Aircraft Catering Company (QACC) will certainly have an opportunity to learn and develop their skills and talents.

Victor Cheng, Vice President at Qatar Aircraft Catering Company said, “Our state-of-the-art facility is designed to inspire innovation in culinary excellence. Equipped with the latest technology and resources, it will empower the new talented chefs’ creativity and skills. This is really a good career growth where young employees get exposure to large scale operations and expand their culinary knowledge.”

QATAR AIRCRAFT CATERING COMPANY

QACC, with an industry-leading facility spanning 69,000 m², is the world’s largest single-building airline catering provider.

It has expanded all possible capabilities and thus set a new industry benchmark of excellence in the onboard dining experience .

With over 20 years of culinary innovation and operations excellence, QACC indeed delivers 200,000 meals across 300 flights daily.

Ammaara Sulaiman is making her culinary dreams come true!

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 07:45:11 GMT

On completion of her first year, Sulaiman was offered a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunity at the Oyster Box Hotel where, she says, she had the best experience and was able to apply and improve on, what she had learnt in her freshman year at Capsicum.

If you’re in KwaZulu-Natal and find yourself at The Grill Room, located in the renowned five-star Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga, look out for 21-year old Ammaara Sulaiman, who happens to work at this fine dining restaurant.

To say it’s a dream start to her culinary career would be an understatement as it was only four years ago that Sulaiman, a Greenwood Park resident, found herself stuck at home reflecting on what she wanted to do with her life once the COVID lockdown came to an end. She takes up the story.

“I have always had an interest in cooking. From a young age, I’ve been inspired by the delicious homemade meals that my mother and aunt used to prepare and by the cooking shows I watched on TV, intrigued by some of the exotic ingredients and the different styles and techniques used by the chefs to create outstanding-looking dishes. So when the lockdown restrictions were lifted, I decided to follow my dreams and passions and in July 2021, I enrolled for a three-year advanced professional chef programme at Capsicum Culinary Studio’s Durban campus. My first year was filled with so many new experiences which really helped build my motivation and helped me face my biggest fears in the kitchen. My chef lecturers guided me and showed me the ropes- in such an understanding manner- on how to survive kitchen life. They motivated me and showed me new styles and new ways of doing things and allowed me to make mistakes in a safe environment,” she said.

On completion of her first year, Sulaiman was offered a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunity at the Oyster Box Hotel where, she says, she had the best experience and was able to apply and improve on, what she had learnt in her freshman year at Capsicum.

She continued, “In July 2022, I started my second-year patisserie course, where I got to make different types of bread as well as cakes and pastries and when that year was up I found myself back at the Oyster Box, but in a department where I was exposed to new chefs who taught me how to slow down and they have a more refined touch when it came to pastry. At the end of my second year a fellow student, Lalana Pillay and I entered the RCL Young Chefs and Bakers Challenge and were lucky enough to win a spot to represent KZN and our campus. I began the final year of my learning about international cuisines and, with the knowledge that I had gained at the school and the Oyster Box, Lalana and I worked our way to the finals of the RCL Young Chefs and Bakers Challenge, where we competed and came second.”

Their winning three-course meal was a vegetarian sausage croquette with pickled radish, crispy fried onions and a herb mayo starter, a beef en croûte with a roasted red pepper puree and a red wine and rosemary jus with grilled zucchini for mains and a innovative and show-stopping ‘pot plant’ dessert, which was made with a white chocolate basket with inside layers of vanilla sponge, lemon curd, passionfruit gel and avocado mousse and topped with a dark chocolate tree branch. The pair also picked up a R20, 000 cash prize!

“The competition was a great experience, a wonderful learning opportunity and a memorable achievement in my life,” she added.

Sulaiman completed her third-year WIL again at the Oyster Box and, upon completion, was offered a job at this iconic South African establishment working as a Commis Chef in The Grill Room.

She said, “A typical day for me usually starts at 8am. Coffee is my best friend for breakfast, it gets me through my day and gives me the start that I need. My days are set out for me, because of the hours that I work. I look after my family in the morning, trying to make the best meals that I can for them, and then by around noon, I’m ready for work. By 2pm, I’m ready for action in the kitchen and I clock off at 11pm. Lunch is usually another coffee and a baked goodie or the occasional run to McDonalds. Once I get home, I have a bowl of noodles and I’m usually in bed by 1:30am, ready to face the next day.”

Sulaiman says that right now she is uncertain what the future holds but in five years’ time wants to be working overseas in a hotel or restaurant, gaining as much experience as possible and saving up to have (her) own place.

“It’s every girl’s dream to own a little café that’s also a flower shop. It will be a place of comfort for my customers to enjoy and be at peace,” she concluded.

The young chef inspired to bring families together through food

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 06:05:26 GMT

Mduduzi Ngwenya’s culinary journey from Brakpan to Doha

A heightened interest in food for Mduduzi Ngwenya began when he was still at school and his sisters would return for the holidays from their tertiary education institutions and cook meals outside of the traditional basic, staple traditional ones their mother had always made for them.

“Suddenly I was no longer eating sorghum with beans, samp and stews or maize meal and instead I found myself devouring and relishing pastas with different types of sauces, cottage pies and even soufflés. Meals that I had always thought were meant only for special occasions were now being dished up almost every day by my sisters,” explains Ngwenya.

“I also realised then that if meals are that good and tasty, they bring the whole family together, and that’s been my inspiration ever since.”

After leaving school, Ngwenya – who hails from Brakpan in Gauteng’s Ekurhuleni district – enrolled at Capsicum Culinary Studio’s Boksburg campus to study for a three-year year Advanced Culinary Chef Programme. Two years later, after completing the practical component of the course, he left to take up a full time job to work in the kitchen of a Bedfordview-based insurance company canteen.

But then along came the dreaded Covid pandemic and lockdown and Ngwenya found himself retrenched and back home with time on his hands to think about his future.

“I decided that once the restrictions were lifted I would go back to my studies, so when it was all over I returned to Capsicum and completed my diploma,” he says.

Following his graduation in 2022, Ngwenya was offered a position with Food by Andrew Draper, a catering company based in Muldersdrift that he had always longed to work for, and it was while there that he was contacted by Capsicum, earlier this year, and offered the opportunity to interview with Qatar Airways for a position with their subsidiary company, Qatar Duty Free.

He got the job and now finds himself based in Doha, working as a Commis Chef in five outlet restaurants operating in the city’s Hamad International Airport.

“I work the preparation areas for five eateries – Usta Doner, Wok to Walk, Jwala, Remman Café and Baldna Express – sending out orders on the al-a-carte menu, ensuring stock levels meet daily production requirements, maintaining the rigorous food safety protocols that have been put in place and overseeing the quality of all the dishes sent out.

“My days are long, and I work full 12 hour shifts for five days a week. But I am really enjoying it, working hard and learning a lot.”

On his days off, Ngwenya goes sightseeing and almost always finds a new restaurant to try out, savouring the mix of Arabic and Asian cuisines, many of them with strong Indian influences and flavours. There is also a vast number of foreign nationals he has connected with and he enjoys meeting up with them and sharing experiences about their time in Qatar and finding out about the culture and culinary delights of their home countries.

Apart from his Qatar Airways role, Ngwenya also owns a catering company called Grills Catering which he says will be fully operational, at its peak and staffed by at least eight full time employees within the next five years.

“Grills was born from an idea I had while studying at Capsicum after we were tasked with setting up a market day for an open day on campus. The success of the event brought Grills to life and after my lectures I’d take it to the night markets in and around the East Rand.

Currently Grills is on hold until I return which will hopefully be sometime in 2028.”

So, is there anything else the “guy from Brakpan” misses apart from Grills?

“I miss my family,” he says. “My mother and father still live in the same house and, of my sisters who inspired me to get into cooking, the eldest, Zandile, has started her own beauty boutique while my other sister, Nomaswasi, is working as an HR manager at a bank in Pretoria. I can’t wait to see them all again and have the whole family sit down over a shared meal that I’ve created and prepared for them,” he says.

Chef Lakie’s love at first bite!

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 06:01:31 GMT

Laken Charmaine Chinyande’s love for cooking began at a very young age and, as early as she can remember, she has been fascinated and intrigued by the process of creating something delicious from simple ingredients.

“Watching family members cook, experimenting in the kitchen, and the joy of sharing food with loved ones have all fuelled my passion for cooking,” she says.

Now, 27-years-old, and living in Midrand, Chinyande is the proud owner of Lakie’s Bites, a healthy meal prep and private catering company that she started after the lockdown to help people stay on track with their health goals.

Chinyande or, as she prefers to be known, Chef Lakie, graduated from Capsicum Culinary Studio’s Pretoria campus in 2020 with a Professional Chef Qualification. She says she chose to study at Capsicum Culinary Studio because of its reputation as one of the leading culinary schools in the country and because it “offers a dynamic learning environment that combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills, ensuring that students are well-prepared for the demands of the culinary industry.

“Additionally, the school’s emphasis on creativity, innovation, and excellence resonated with my own aspirations as a budding chef,” she says.

So how did Lakie’s Bites come about?

“The idea came to life when I noticed a gap in the market for healthy and convenient meal preps. This realisation hit home when my brother and his colleagues began asking me to prepare healthy lunches they could take to work, avoiding the need to order unhealthy options.”

Since then, Lakie’s Bites has grown into one of Gauteng’s top healthy meal prepping companies, offering customised meal plans to suit any dietary needs.

“We collaborate with dietitians to ensure our clients receive the right nutrition tailored to their specific requirements. Our primary goal is to bring convenience to our clients’ lives with ready-made meals, which has been a lifesaver for busy professionals, gym enthusiasts, moms and families.

In addition to meal prepping, our private catering services are designed to not only be delicious, but to also to add a touch of class and elegance to any event. We take pride in presenting aesthetically pleasing dishes that enhance the overall experience of any occasion.”

Lakie’s Bites also offers cooking classes for individuals, groups, and corporate team-building events, helping participants hone their cooking skills or learn new techniques.

“Our team-building classes are especially popular, as they are not only fun but also promote camaraderie among friends and colleagues,” says this dynamic young woman.

One look at Lakie’s Bites website and it’s staggering to see the range of options on offer. So where does she get her inspiration?

“I draw inspiration for the meals we sell at Lakie’s Bites from a variety of sources. Firstly, my passion for cooking and my desire to create healthy, delicious, and convenient meals drive my creativity. I am constantly exploring new recipes and culinary techniques to ensure our offerings are both nutritious and flavourful. I also keep a close eye on current food trends and innovations in the culinary world. This helps me incorporate modern twists into our meal preps and catering services, keeping them exciting and relevant for our clients.

Feedback from our clients plays a crucial role as well. Understanding their preferences, dietary needs, and favourite flavors allows me to tailor our offerings to meet their expectations and beyond.

Collaborating with dietitians also provides insights into creating balanced and health-focused meals that cater to specific nutritional requirements. This blend of personal passion, client feedback, and collaborating with dietitians ensures that Lakie’s Bites consistently delivers delicious, health-conscious meals that delight and satisfy our clients.”

Chef Lakie says her most popular meals include the Chicken & Beef Taco Bowls from the High Protein menu, which are a hit among those looking to boost their protein intake; the Vegan Curries are also a favourite, offering a flavourful and satisfying option for plant-based clients; and from her regular menu, the hearty and homey stews are a crowd pleaser, as is the spiced cauli-rice, which is particularly popular among clients following no-carb or Keto diets.

So where does she see Lakie’s Bites in five years’ time?

“I envision Lakie’s Bites expanding its reach internationally, beyond the borders of South Africa and Zimbabwe. My goal is to offer our healthy meal preps, private catering services, and cooking classes to a global audience, providing healthy convenience to even more people. Additionally, I’d like to establish a cooking academy dedicated to enriching others with cooking skills and knowledge, highlighting the importance and value of the culinary profession, which I believe is often overlooked. By creating a space for learning and growth, I hope to inspire and equip the next generation of chefs and culinary enthusiasts.”

We asked Chef Lakie to answer a few quick fire questions and requested a favourite recipe.

What is your favourite snack when you are feeling peckish?

Butter-flavoured microwave popcorn (convenience is key!)

What five items are always in your fridge?

Crushed garlic & ginger, unsalted butter, fresh milk, sauces (usually soy and sweet chilli sauce), and water.

What would you make to impress someone?

I’m big on hearty meals, so it would probably be red wine braised lamb shank on creamy mash and sautéed garlicy broccolini.

Do you have a simple recipe that you can share?

Here’s my recipe for a delicious healthy Mexican Pulled Chicken Bowl

Ingredients

For the pulled chicken:

3 skinned chicken breasts
¼ cup oil
3 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt chicken spice (optional)
black pepper
zest of 1 lime
1 cup chicken stock
oil for frying
lime zest for garnish
coriander for garnish

Method:

In a bowl, mix oil, spices and lime zest. Add the chicken breasts and coat fully. Cover the chicken and refrigerate for 20-30mins. Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Fry the chicken breasts on low heat for 3-5 mins on both sides. Add the chicken stock, then cover and cook for 10-12 mins till the stock is reduced and the chicken is fully cooked. Avoid overcooking the chicken as it will get tough. Once cooked, transfer the chicken breasts to a bowl and let them rest for 5-8mins. Get two forks and shred the chicken breasts then add lime zest and chopped coriander.

For the Mexican Rice:

1 cup cooked rice
1 cup canned kidney beans or black beans
½ red pepper, chopped
½ red onion, chopped
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
chilli (optional)
1 tsp lime zest
handful coriander
salt and pepper
oil for cooking
½ cup cooked sweetcorn
6 rosa tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, chopped into bite-size pieces
½ cucumber, diced
rocket leaves

Method

Fry onion, red pepper, paprika, cumin and chilli if using. Add the beans. Add rice, coriander, lime zest and season well. Cook for 3-5 mins. To assemble, lay the rocket leaves in a bowl. Add the rice then add sweet corn, halved rosa tomatoes, avocado, and cucumber. Top with the pulled chicken. Serve and enjoy!

Meet Muse Restaurant’s Allan & Simoné Bezuidenhout: A passion for cuisine and love

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 05:51:09 GMT

Gqeberha circa 2011. Two young students, Allan Bezuidenhout and Simoné Vosloo independently enrol at Capsicum Culinary Studio’s Nelson Mandela Bay campus. A few days later they find themselves in the same practical class and, while the mutual attraction is almost instant, it takes Bezuidenhout a few months to build up enough courage to ask Vosloo out on a date.

The couple graduate in 2012; Bezuidenhout takes Vosloo surfing, pulls an engagement ring from out of his wetsuit, and proposes. A year later they get married. Flash forward two years and after working in the corporate world and saving up their earnings, the Bezuidenhouts open their own restaurant which they name Muse, deriving as it does from another restaurant where they’d had their first date.

Says Allan: “The restaurant’s name was Amaze. Simoné and I liked the short and impactful name and agreed that we wanted something similar. We chose Muse because it means inspiration to an artist. As chefs, we are also artists with the plates as our canvas and the food as our paint. Food is our inspiration.”

In an interview in 2018, the Bezuidenhouts were asked where they saw themselves in five years’ time and their answer was: “We’d love to have a bigger restaurant with an open kitchen.”

That goal is now a reality and Muse, having recently moved from its previous location on Richmond Hill to Main Road, Walmer, has now almost doubled its seating capacity and features a redesigned kitchen for easy flow.

Despite being as manic as ever, with various projects on the go, Allan found some time to answer a few questions:

Next year will be Muse’s 10-year anniversary. That’s an amazing run. How have you kept the momentum going?

Yes, next year Muse will be celebrating 10 years since its doors first opened. It’s been a real journey; I think we have kept evolving and learning as we have gone along. We’re always trying to improve our menu offerings to our guests and give them an unforgettable dining experience.

Tell us about your menu?

We change the menu every six months. In the last few years, we have started looking more closely at sustainability and local produce and we are now getting a lot of our goods from smaller farms and suppliers. We are also SASSI ambassadors and make use of green-listed seafood only. When it comes to certain items we still make our own – things like ice cream, stock, pasta, sauces, yoghurt, cheese, flavoured oils and spice mixes.

What are your most popular dishes with customers?

Popular starters are the Beef Croquette with smoked paprika sauce, the Bone Marrow with parmesan crust and the Duck Samoosa with peanut slaw and plum sauce; for mains, it’s the Smoked Pork Belly, which comes with bok choi, tender stem broccoli, sesame, red cabbage, chilli and ginger and a maple jus, a Confit Duck Leg with black garlic risotto, veggies and juniper berry jus and the Muse Bowl with falafels, roasted vegetables, harissa quinoa, dukkah, seed crackers and yoghurt cheese, which is popular with vegetarians.

Favourite desserts are the Deep Fried Cranberry and Almond Nougat with champagne jelly and rosewater ice cream and the Dark Chocolate Torte with whiskey caramel, paillette feuilletine and miso caramel ice cream. We also have a wide selection of salads, pasta dishes, curries, wraps tacos and pizzas which are more popular with the lunchtime crowd.

You also have a range of tempting cocktails, don’t you?

Yes, and part from the usuals like mojitos, margaritas, mimosas and Aperol spritzer, we have a Muse Surfer (spiced rum, orange and cranberry juice, soda, blue curaçao, lemon and mint), a Smoked Honey Old Fashioned (bourbon, smoked honey syrup, bitters) and a Paloma (tequila, lime, grapefruit, soda). We also have a good wine list with something for every palate.

How did you cope during the Covid lockdown?

It was tough, but we tried to stay busy testing recipes at home and honing our respective crafts. When we had the opportunity to start trading again – whether it was with frozen meals or takeaways, we jumped back in and cooked our hearts out.

Do you still split duties between you in the hot section and Simoné in pastries?

Yes, we do. Simoné is also almost finished with her BSc degree in Dietetics which means she has a lot more to offer from a healthy food side. She will continue to pursue a career in dietetics but also keep a close eye on Muse when it comes to standards and menu design.

Where do you see yourself in 2029?

That is a pretty good question! Currently, I have a great team at Muse and would love to free up some daytime to do a bit of consulting. I will always want to be in the kitchen for the dinner service but would love to consult and have a small test kitchen to improve on recipes and dishes.

We heard that your loyalty to your old alma mater runs deep, and you often employ graduates from Capsicum Culinary Studio.

Yes, currently 75% of my staff are from Capsicum. They all did their industry placements with Muse and were employed full-time thereafter.

On a final note, Allan and Simoné say their ultimate dream is to be listed in the Eat Out Top 10 Restaurants. Let’s hope the judges of this prestigious competition read this, visit the restaurant and make the Bezuidenhout’s dream come true!